The Driver

As we have said in an earlier blog the term "driver" does not do justice to what our men and woman do out there every day that move household goods. Our industry continues to reference our movers as "drivers" so for that reason I will refer to them as such, but know that we have much more respect for our professional household movers.

A Van Line or an agency is nothing without their drivers. Paul Arpin had said that to me throughout my years working with him.

Paul knew that no matter how hard we worked here in the home office or at the agency level we all rely on the man or woman that walks up the sidewalk and rings the bell to actually move the furniture. Paul should know because that is exactly what he did years ago as a young man.

It is also how he met his loving wife for over 50 years. Paul met Peg while moving her family from New York to R.I.

We all are very important spokes in the wheel and our job is to go out and get the work and to try to retain it and maintain it. Rather you are a dispatcher, customer care rep, salesman or surveyor our job is to gather all the information we can and get it to the packers and loaders in time for them to prepare to do a quality job.

If the move goes well many take credit and they do have a hand in it's success but it is the men and women on the job site picking up that couch and walking it down the staircase so that it does not touch and walls and then wraps it up and loads it on the trailer and gets it to it's destination safely that are our backbone (literally and figuratively).

As we all panic and get anxious as we sit at our desk because I move may not be going smooth or we just found out on the day of the load or unload that a shuttle is required we need to remember that as frustrated as we may get it is the driver on the job that is actually doing the work. As I said in my last blog keep prospective. Gather the information and help "them" the driver on the site. Work the problem do not become the problem through being over dramatic.

It can be difficult when you have an account, base or customer losing patience on the phone with you but stay calm, gather the info and help with solutions and choices and always remember who is truly is our front line and who is doing their best, in some times a tough situation- our drivers.

Without them we are nothing.