This is a recorded interview (YouTube video) between Chris Collins and Chryssa Hunlock about operational and human challenges in trucking service departments. The speakers describe frequent incidents of drivers abandoning trucks during multi-hour service waits and taking other jobs, explain why service experiences (wait times, empathy, impact on freight/owner-operators) drive attrition, and argue that the industry lags behind other customer-service-focused sectors. The discussion emphasizes driver retention, the ripple effects of poor service (lost contracts, perishable freight), and the need for empathy and modernization in service operations.
I had an experience pre pandemic that I actually was, was dying to tell you about and talk about. And it was so interesting to me.
Because, you know, we created, you know, advisor training and manager training for, for International Truck. And part of it is we do, we were doing live pre pandemic, we were doing live advisor training. And one thing that just completely blew me away, that happened in Baltimore, Dallas, everywhere that we went to do the classroom training was the advisors would talk about how drivers would bring in a truck, they would go to the waiting room and three hours later the advisor would go to update them or whatever and the driver had left and taken another job with another company. Company. And how common it was that drivers would just up and leave and take another job with another company because the truck had been in service for a couple hours and it wasn't one time, it wasn't two times, like in one. Finally kind of by the third time I'm like, how many have had that experience? And like half the room raises their hands.
Yeah, it's, it's all too common. And you know, as the director of driver engagement for Chima Freight Lines, I was running the team for recruiting and retention as well as, you know, training the drivers. And what I found was driver enrichment was really important because every fleet out there is trying to do the same thing. They're trying to attract and keep drivers. And a driver can go put their thumb up on the highway and get a job. You know, we picked up guys who, same deal, their truck broke down and it's like we get a phone call and we'll do whatever it takes, we'll scramble, we'll ask some other driver to go get him or pick him up or, you know, it is a dog eat dog world out there and all things trucking. And every single piece of the industry has to make sure that they're taking care of what I call the talent. They're the talent. Nothing happens without the driver. And so we need to be, you know, taking care of them. Whether they're at a service repair facility, which is always a bad day, you know, a lot of them aren't getting paid when they're sitting there. If they're an owner operator, they're definitely not getting paid. And on top of that, whatever is in that trailer behind the truck, which is, that's the piece that I think a lot of advisors and technicians and dealerships and you know, anyone that's related, they don't consider what's in that trailer behind the truck, you know, and if the Guy's an owner, operator. He stands to lose the contract if what's in that trailer doesn't get there. If what's in that trailer is vaccines and it's a reefer and it could run out, you know, the vaccines could expire. I mean, there's different ways to apply empathy to what you're doing, but it's a. It's a completely different ball game. And I don't understand why trucking seems like it just kind of got trapped or frozen in time when all the other industries were focused on customer service. It feels like trucking is so much further behind when it comes to how we're treating the driver or the owner or, you know, who. Whoever is. Is dealing with that experience. When a truck is. Is down or, you know, needs a part or. Or whatever other piece of it, I don't understand why things seem to have kind of stalled. You know what I mean? It seems a little behind the times. It's not like walking into a car dealership. Oh, hello, Mr. Collins. Here's where our espresso machine is. You know, it doesn't even have to be a luxury car to have that kind of treatment, but you go to a truck dealership, and it really wasn't that long ago that, you know, you just walked up to the technician and wait for him to wheel out from under the engine bay and, you know, toss him the keys, and he'll say, yeah, I'll look to. I'll look at it when I get to it. And, you know, it's the old school salt of the earth, crude. I don't know how to put it, but it just feels like it's slower moving to the point of. Now suddenly we're at this really crucial pivot point of, guys, we really don't have enough drivers to go around really, really, like, for real now. And it's getting worse. And now suddenly, it's come to the forefront. We need to make sure that we are doing everything we can to keep them happy when the truck is down. In those terrible moments, you know, if the truck's not moving, so they don't do what you're saying and just say, screw it. I'm gonna. You know, I've got six recruiters blowing my phone up. I'll just pick one and respond to them, and that'll be that. And I'll have a new job. It's. It's a crazy world.
Thanks so much for watching this clip of Service Driving Revolution. We're uploading new stuff every day, so make sure you subscribe and click the bell icon so you don't miss out. If you have a question you'd like us to answer on the show, call 8333-ASK SDR and we'll answer your question on the show. That's 8333 Ask SDR. For special deals on our books and training, head over to offers.chriscollinsinc.com now that's offers.chriscollinsInc.com I'm Chris Collins, and I'll see you in the next video.
