Ask A Dispatcher anything

@flightwatch ,

I own my own business, that has as one of it's components, a trucking operation. I've never used a dispatcher, know next to nothing about that side of the industry. But I do have over forty years of business \ managerial experience, some of it hard won.

I find the tactic, the willingness and propensity to scapegoat the driver for a managerial shortcoming that you (and others in your line be of work) use, to be extremely troubling. The truck drivers are already seen as the lowest form of life and the common denominator for all of trucking's ills. By throwing them, so casually, under the bus only perpetuates that narrative.... Unnecessarily. They have no control, input, or even knowledge of what you are blaming them for, that's what makes it so egregious in my mind. And then you have the audacity to state that it's not about them, and to not take it personally?

One of the fundamentals of management is to take responsibility for a failure. This is for two reasons: 1. No problem can be solved if it isn't first accurately identified. By shifting the cause of your failure elsewhere (on the driver) you effectively lose the opportunity for performance improvement, and the urgency to do so. Once that excuse (lie) is out of your mouth you have already reduced the significance of your own ( management) failure and subconsciously the problem is placed on the back burner.....until next time.

And 2: By taking personal responsibility yourself, by telling the customer "I dropped the ball", I'm sorry, I'm going to endeavor to do better" will burden you with the pressure to keep your word. And to keep your word (assuming this is important to you) you will take the necessary steps to resolve the problem. Now I understand, it's a COMPANY failure, or a management decision that results in failure, not necessarily of your own making. But you are the point of contact with your customer.....so take responsibility on behalf of your employer, knowing you at least have the contacts and resources to address it. The customer doesn't have to know the root cause of the failure, only that it is being addressed. Leave the dam driver out of it.

I should add, you seem like a good guy, and try to do good, i can see that. But you would benefit from some business / management classes.

 

Great post !

 

Integrity and a severe lack of by dispatch is a bad friction point. Throw me under the bus and then say oh I needed to do that to save face for the company and don’t take it personally. I’m thinking the op just values his desk more than his own personal integrity. I find ex drivers make 2nd rate dispatchers as a rule your mileage may vary.

 

Then why was it your first example of company mismanagement?

 

And I can guarantee your number is way out of whack.

 

I can also guarantee that 99.9995% of the shippers and receivers know who is BSing.

 

so you are blaming the driver for the company screw up gotcha!

 

what makes you think drivers are beneath dispatchers?