Indsustry
Trucking
Worker Satisfaction
8.3 / 10
Retention Rate
88%
“It’s really been good,” Kelly says.
“It’s given us a chance to really hear what the drivers are thinking and to make adjustments with programs and within different departments to improve things for our drivers.”
AFC Transport is a nationally recognized transportation company based in Gary, Indiana with 165 drivers. Since its inception nearly a decade ago, the family-owned and operated company has maintained a focus on family. But as with any motor carrier, communication can often be the barrier to fully facilitating the vision for their culture.
In order to maintain a team of drivers who feel like part of the family, AFC Transport keeps an eye out for tools and resources that help build a positive company culture. That’s what led the company to WorkHound.
“WorkHound has given us an opportunity to really hear the drivers,” says Patrick Kelly, Terminal Manager with AFC Transport. “This gives us a different platform to be able to delve into things that are really bothering drivers, things they may not want to discuss over the phone or in person.”
Using WorkHound as a continuous feedback mechanism has driven almost immediate improvement.
“It’s a process that drivers go through,” Kelly says. “They give their comment, and they may feel that they aren’t going to hear anything back. But then, we ask them to reveal. That’s a key part of determining whether they trust us. For those who do reveal, it opens up the communication platform and helps us to ultimately resolve their issue. Just going through that process increases trust for drivers with both myself and the company.
But even when drivers do not reveal their identity, WorkHound offers opportunities to cultivate trust.
“When drivers do not reveal who they are, we can use the Notify function to provide a simple resolution to the problem,” Kelly adds. “Even when we don’t get a reveal, we can still take action, which obviously drives trust.”
Turning Feedback Into Meaningful Action
While gathering feedback is an important first step, what companies do with that feedback is decidedly just as important in many cases. That’s been the case at AFC Transport, where a keen level of attention is paid to what drivers have to say.
Kelly cites one recent situation where feedback gathered through WorkHound helped drive quick action.
“We considered earlier this year to go to inward-facing cameras,” Kelly says. “We communicated that with the drivers, and then the WorkHound comments started coming in. That led to us looking into best practices for using the cameras and how to reduce the tensions on the drivers from these cameras.”
While it’s possible to gather feedback through other tools, such as annual or quarterly surveys, the primary benefit of utilizing WorkHound comes from gaining real-time feedback, when it’s most relevant.
“WorkHound has given us a step up to be able to work through complaints before a driver looks for another job,” Kelly says. “The speed of being able to react to problems really helps us out in many situations.”
“WorkHound has given us a step up to be able to work through complaints before a driver looks for another job.”
Effective Communication
Fuels Trust
Every solid working relationship is built on trust. That’s especially true when it comes to a remote workforce, like truck drivers who spend their time out on the roads across the nation. They need to know they can rely on their employer to keep their best interests in mind.
Opening up WorkHound as a communication tool for drivers has helped AFC Transport build and maintain the trust needed to drive improved retention.
For AFC Transport, as with most other businesses, 2020 has been a year of pivoting and carefully determining the next move. One steady constant? WorkHound has
enabled AFC Transport to be a consistent presence for its driving team.
“Nobody knows how to handle these times,” Kelly says. “We don’t have processes set into place for when a pandemic happens. Everybody is learning through it. We can try to call as many drivers each week and talk to them, but obviously, having WorkHound, we’re able to do a weekly broadcast, which gives us a chance to share vital information about things like how to obtain PPE and other resources. It’s been an additional communication platform during the pandemic, allowing us to share how to calm the storm.”
How to Make WorkHound
a Mechanism for Success
A good deal of the success that AFC Transport has achieved from using WorkHound comes from how they use the tool.
“We’ve really set a standard when it comes to checking the platform on a regular basis throughout the day,” Kelly says. “I make sure that I’m on top of things as much as possible. Being able to stay in front of comments and find a resolution as soon as possible is key to success.”
That approach has not only helped AFC Transport find success — but it’s also made the company a firm proponent for WorkHound and other companies using the tool.
The Results:
Satisfaction and Engagement
The improvement shows up in the metrics.
26%
Turnover Reduction
Within less than a year of launching WorkHound, turnover reduced by 26%.
88%
Post-Reveal Retention
When drivers choose to reveal their identity, AFC is able to retain them 88% of the time.
8.3
Satisfaction Score
With a commitment to action, AFC’s satisfaction score is well above average.
70%
Engaged
About 70% of the AFC workforce has responded WorkHound, with new drivers joining weekly
“I love the WorkHound platform,” Kelly says. “The simplicity helps my day along. I don’t have three hours to go in and delve into the program, so the fact that I can go in and hit refresh a couple times a day and I’m able to see when new comments come along is so important.”
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