Trucking Software Blog

Have you ever wondered why you are in the trucking industry or why you choose to stay in it? I believe the last few years have caused many of us to wonder. In some ways, it reminds me of the old joke about the farmer who won the lottery. When the farmer is asked what he will do with his new found fortune his answer is simple; "Oh, I suppose I'll keep farmin' until the money's gone." That has been the prevalent attitude in the trucking industry for the last few years.

Business owners and employees with a career in the trucking industry are there because at some level they love it. At every level, it is challenging work and I believe this has a way of pointing out people who are tenacious, hard working, and love a challenge. Certainly, part of that challenge is to be profitable. Unlike the farmer in the joke, you cannot be satisfied simply waiting until the money runs out. You know you must watch every penny constantly so that some of them will get to the bottom line. This is not the "fun" side of the business. However, it is less painful than having the money run out.

One of the first steps in making management less painful is ensuring that everyone understands that every decision made will produce profit or cost the company money. Employees who realize how their decisions affect company profitability are empowered and make better decisions. Therefore, the question becomes how to provide them with this 'awareness'. You can employ the "caught ya" technique, which, unfortunately, is over used. You catch people making bad decisions and embarrass or berate them hoping the quality of their decisions will improve.

Obviously, this causes problems in the personnel management area. It is also after the fact and it is not proactive. It is preferable to provide people with the information to make the right decisions right from the start. If employees see that you are involved in the business and invested in its success and they see their accomplishments as part of the company’s achievements they will follow, and emulate your positive actions. The action that has the most impact is the company's investment in providing the tools and systems that assist employees when making the company more successful. This can be as simple as providing a decent desk chair, or as extensive as a true, enterprise level, trucking software package.

The investment in time and money to ensure the company and employee success shows commitment, and care for the whole team. It is a way of saying, "We are in this together, and we are going to make sure everyone is working at peak performance, using the very best tools and systems possible." This attitude, this commitment ensures your company will be the very best it can be.

We welcome the opportunity to be a part of your success in 2010. Please contact us today to learn how a TruckMaster System is the best gift you can give your company this holiday season.

Kurtis Brown
TruckMaster Solution Provider
TruckMaster Your Trucking Company™