We’ve discussed the necessity of adding a human touch to your recruiting. As I mentioned previously, no driver wants to be seen as a number or nothing more than another body to fill an empty truck. So it’s important that your recruiting makes a driver feel like a valued individual.
Last time, we talked about how to humanize your advertising, the first step to humanizing your recruiting process. But catching a driver’s eye with inviting advertising is only the beginning. The real ‘make it or break it’ point is when a driver comes in contact with a real human, a recruiter. This leads to a crucial part of the recruiting process.
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The Phone Call
Talking with a recruiter is where a driver gets their first real impression of your company. So, it’s needless to say how important that first phone conversation is. Still, many companies get this wrong and their recruiters end up sounding no different from an automated telemarketer. So what are some ways to make a driver feel valued during that first phone conversation while still gathering all the info you need as a recruiter?
Ask a Driver’s Name
You’re probably thinking, “that’s a no-brainer.” But you’d be surprised how easy it is to get so caught up with stating your name and the purpose for which you called that you forget something as simple as asking the driver what his or her name is. Using the driver’s name throughout the conversation helps to put the driver a little more at ease.
Ask the Right Questions
It’s important to find out whether a driver’s a good fit for your company or not. But it’s also important to show the driver you have a genuine interest in them as an individual. You can do both by asking the right questions. Learn about a driver’s past, present, and future. For example:
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Tip: Don’t talk over a driver.
This is conversation courtesy 101. There’s a difference between keeping a conversation respectfully brief and cutting a driver off.
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Actively Listen
Many recruiters think the phone call is an opportunity to go on and on about their company. But a driver may have already seen your advertising or been on your website. So they possibly already know who you are. The phone call is a great opportunity to learn who they are. So guide them with the right questions and listen to them. The information they give you can help you personalize the conversation to suit that individual driver.
For example, if a driver tells you they have decades of experience, this is a good time to mention your 401k plan or how often drivers stay on at your company for so long, they’re able to build a lifelong career.
Tonation is Key
Remember the last time you got a call from a telemarketer? Remember how quick you were to hang up? This is how you force a driver to respond when you sound cold and salesy on a call. You don’t want to sound scripted or seem like you’re rushing the driver off the phone. Ask how their day is going. This might give you insight into whether you’ve caught that driver at a bad time or not. Say please and thank you. Understand that politeness and friendliness go a long way.
Let Them Know What to Expect
Even if a driver is clearly interested, it’s still possible to lose them if you get off the phone without giving them clear direction as to what to do next. Let them know where to fill out the application or when to expect a follow-up.
Some recruiters go as far as going through the application with a driver over the phone. It’s a sure way to show a driver how interested you are in helping them, but can take away from time spent calling other drivers. So do so at your discretion. But either way, let the driver know you’ll be on the lookout for their application once they’ve filled it out.
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Tip: Put yourself in the driver’s shoes.
Would you want to drive for your company after getting off a phone call with you?
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The Follow-Up
The painful truth is that you’re probably not the only company interested in the driver you’re going after. Which means you’re not the only company calling that driver. Another way to separate yourself from other recruiters is in the area of follow-up. Whether it’s you calling back to find out where the driver is on the application or sending an automated email or text to let the driver know their application is being processed, it helps a driver to feel like the conversation hasn’t died even after the phone call.
After hours of talking to driver after driver day after day, it is tempting to fall into the routine of giving the same speech over and over. But remember that each driver is a person with their own interests and concerns. Tailoring your phone calls to the individual could be the key to gaining a new employee.
