TMSA Conference Insights on Recruiting and Retention

During the 2018 TMSA Logistics Marketing & Sales Conference, attendees had their choice of 20 topics that involved peer-to-peer discussion on opportunities, challenges and best practices involving those topics. One topic was on Talent Recruiting and Retention. Rachel Hayden and Denise Crockett of Confidential Career Solutions facilitated discussions on this topic and shares a summary of what their peer group discussed:

As facilitators, we had the privileged to open the discussion for recruiting and retention specifically for transportation and logistics, asset and non-asset services. Here are some of the topics we discussed.

How do you market and attract non-asset brokerage candidates and drivers?
Non-asset sales brokerage and driver candidates are in high-demand, it is a very competitive market, and candidates can be very selective when choosing whom they want to work within the industry.  In the discussion, some companies are finding the competitive culture drives attraction to new sales candidates, providing them with the opportunity to achieve competitive goals.

Things to consider:

• Offer scholarships with local colleges/universities
• Employee Referral Program
• Give employees recruiting business cards to hand out to servers who provide exceptional service
• Conduct presentations in marketing and communication classes at colleges
• Sponsor Freshman orientation day at local colleges with lunch
• Sponsor tailgate party at college football game and set up a table at the entrance
• Conduct open house on site for members of the community to come to visit and take a tour 

What does compensation and look like for sales in brokerage and what to expect for experience? 
Currently, the market is paying an average of $45,000 base salary for 2 years of experience in the Sales/Account Management role and an average of $60,000 for inside sales with 4-6 years of experience and $70,000 to $200,000 base salary for Enterprise Solution Sales with 8 years or more.

What are some ways to help find drivers and what are some practices to help with driver retention?  
Marketing your company brand to be attractive to drivers. “No touch freight and never pay out of pocket for lumper fees,” offer incentives off of miles driven rewarded with bonus or employee incentives.  

How do you retain your current drivers? 
Work with your existing operations/dispatch team to help with retention as well as developing a driver appreciation day with sending out thank you cards. Exit interviews are an excellent way to improve practices or find ways to retain your current drivers.

Rachel Hayden (L) has twenty-one years’ experience in transportation and logistics sales recruiting, training, retention, and assessment testing.  Denise Crockett (R) has fourteen years in transportation non-asset brokerage services specializing in sales and retention