When interviewing for a dispatcher there are several things to look for. First, you need to decide how much time you have to train and work with your new dispatcher, or are you expecting them to hit the ground running? Many of the qualities you will be looking for are the same qualities in any job. You want a team player, someone with strong communication skills, very competent at administrative tasks, the ability to multitask, and emotional self-control, plus someone who is good at data entry, timely, organized, and focused. This sounds like the type of employee everyone wants for any number of jobs, so let’s look at what a dispatcher does so we can see how these qualities fit in.
A dispatcher works for me.
Correct, hiring an outside dispatcher is slightly different than an internal employee, and it can be advantageous to outsource such an important role. Many small to mid-size trucking companies may not have the capital to bring in the level of experience needed to grow their business with an internal employee. By outsourcing and hiring a dispatching service, you can get an experienced and highly qualified dispatcher to manage everything at a reasonable cost.
What services can they perform?
Dispatchers will be working for you to find loads and book them, they will be looking for the highest paying load that they can find and manage the logistics to get your drivers there. This requires them to handle multiple tasks at one time, and successfully balance priorities. They will communicate with your drivers and negotiate with shippers so that is where strong communication skills are critical. You will want someone to cultivate long-term relationships and manage expectations. They will need to keep everything in government compliance, therefore attention to detail and follow-through are essential. Dispatchers will troubleshoot along the route in case something goes wrong, and continually maintain delivery schedules and timelines. You will want someone who pays attention and can think quickly when there is a crisis. Managing the paperwork associated with the loads, as well as handling invoicing (or factoring) falls within a dispatcher’s duties and errors can be costly. Considering the time and effort that goes into training this specialized employee, you don’t want a lot of turnovers, so dependable and long-term relationships will benefit your business the best.
Why hire a dispatch service instead of an employee?
Dispatching services can help many independent owner-operators make the jump to growing their transportation business. While it may seem beneficial to hire an internal employee, many small trucking companies don’t have the resources to do that, this is where hiring a service makes complete sense. Hiring a dispatch service is like bringing in a highly qualified top-level dispatcher into your business; they are experienced, knowledgeable, and have connections in the industry that offer an advantage over an internal employee.
Dispatching services are working on your behalf to secure good-paying loads, so they are invested in your success, they know their reputation is on the line as well, so they are going to perform for you time and time again. Making them a dependable choice. Managing your day-to-day tasks is where we, at MJ Dispatch will excel, and how we can best serve you.
