Does your driver receive tips?
A great way to monitor how well your drivers are doing on the customer service
end is to find out if they are actually getting tips and Christmas gifts.
I find it amazing how many drivers actually make additional income by taking
care of the route clients and how others have never even see a cookie or two. I
know that when I drove the routes during Christmas time, I would end up with 10
baskets of food, eight dinner certificates, and yes, money. I also would get an
added bonus of an average of $20 to $40 a week in tips.
Granted, most customers never
see or know the name of their delivery driver. Most of the time there is no
interaction, just this remarkable system in which the customer leaves a bag and
a few days later, their clothes are magically delivered to their front door.
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So how come some drivers get tips and some see nothing? Well, let me give you
some tips to pass along to your route drivers and, I believe, raise the bar to
a new level for customer service and result in greater customer retention.
First of all, have the drivers introduce themselves personally to the route
customers. How? Take the manifest or delivery list and have the driver go out
on a Saturday or two and make it a priority to meet each client face-to-face.
Many reasons customers don’t stay on the route is because of the lack of personal contact that they used to
get at the store. Once the driver meets the customer, now a face can be placed
by both parties when there is a phone call. A driver who is dedicated to the
company and is willing to do this is one who sees the value of customer
service.
Second, have the driver leave little notes once in a while informing the
customer of how they miss them when the customer becomes stagnant. This can
come in the form of a door hanger or a post-it note.
This interaction can take a few extra steps and some time, but it is well worth
it in the long run. A good driver will know the regularity of the route clients
and should also be informing the manager of a customer who hasn
’t used the service in a a while.
A third recommendation is to have the driver purposely go the extra mile to meet
the needs of a customer. So often it is the manager who makes those
“special runs” and the driver goes home. The best drivers are always the ones who volunteer to
take care of a special need or request.
Finally, have the driver deliver more than clothes during Christmas and other
times. Purchase gift cards (or barter) or gift baskets and deliver these to the
customers with a thank-you note. Customers usually appreciate this and tend to
reciprocate with gifts or tips.
I would bet that some drivers reading this are rolling their eyes, but I know
from my own experience and with the many trips I have made across the country,
the truly dedicated ones are willing to improve their skills to enhance the
service. The bottom-line result of utilizing my recommendations is that
customer service is enhanced and this only lowers attrition.
Merry Christmas from the Route Pro!
James Peuster offers onsite training and all aspects of routes. Management,
marketing and maintenance are all key components in developing a million-dollar
route. His e-mail address is james@theroutepro.com. His route manual is
available through the Golomb Group. You can listen to his radio programs on
www.theroutepro.com.
