In terms of company policies and procedures in our industry, the old adage of “having everyone on the same page” is an effective strategy that results in higher levels of customer satisfaction. This month we focus on methods to effectively cross-train employees so that they are familiar with the various tasks and responsibilities of everyone in the company.
Question: We see the need for all of our employees to be familiar to some degree as to how the entire company operates. The office staff need to know how route drivers perform their job and the route drivers need to know what goes on in the office. Given that, could you perhaps suggest a sample plan for how we could accomplish this task?
Answer: Cross-training is essential in our industry in order to operate a successful business with highly motivated employees and highly satisfied customers. Each company is unique in terms of its business operation, local market and employee composition. We will present a basic plan that can be modified to meet the specific needs of your company.
Our approach categorizes employees into three operational groups:
- Route Service Technicians and pickup/delivery drivers
- Administrative staff and sales personnel
- Yard and maintenance personnel
The objective is to allow each group to actively observe the daily tasks of others. In this way, employees will be familiar with their co-workers’ job responsibilities. Increased efficiency and increased customer satisfaction are the ultimate goals of this training program.
Each group will spend time in training sessions with the other two groups. Here is a basic outline:
Route Service Technicians and Pickup/Delivery Driver
During ride-alongs, Administrative and Yard groups will:
- Learn about the proper placement of the unit on the job site.
- Understand how a unit is serviced, cleaned and restocked.
- Record the service either via software or paperwork.
- Learn what inventory and safety equipment is carried on the truck.
Visit the disposal facility if the truck becomes full, observe refueling of the vehicle, participate in the post-trip inspection in the yard at the end of the route, and observe end-of-route paperwork and/or reports that must be filed.
We found that Wednesdays are often ideal for these ride-along sessions as routes are somewhat shorter due to no twice-a-week services on these days, special event pickups are on Mondays and Tuesdays and special event deliveries are on Thursdays and Fridays.
We also recommend that these training sessions begin at midday so as not to interfere with possible emergency calls first thing in the morning as well as the usual daily routine of administrative processes. Yard personnel also have time to organize units for delivery, repair units and perform their daily tasks before leaving for their training. Since only one person from each group will be in training, the remaining team members can cover in the trainees’ absence.
Midday also gives flexibility if the route driver has had emergency calls or situations that would alter their route. Having a member of management or a salesperson to shuttle the trainee to rendezvous point allows them to meet with the customer on site, to call on other customers in the area, and to look for other job leads on the way back to the office.
Administrative Staff and Sales Personnel
As described above, Wednesday afternoon sessions seem to be the least disruptive to the overall operation of the business. Management needs to ensure that the afternoon route will be covered so that customer services are not missed.
Once in the office, the Route Service Technician group and the Yard Personnel group will learn about:
- Incoming calls from customers
- Creating new orders
- Determining which routes will be assigned to new orders
- Performing administrative research, which may or may not involve contacting the appropriate route driver
- Learning how the route service driver data impacts the route system
- Reviewing collections process
- Improving sales calls and how route service technicians can help with leads while on route.
Yard and Maintenance Personnel
Cross-training here allows trainees from the other job groups to learn about:
- Organizing of the yard from an equipment perspective (i.e. location of event units versus construction units)
- Reviewing equipment storage requirements (i.e. hand-wash sinks being stored in areas so as not to collect rainwater)
- Managing supply inventory and the reorder process
- Learning what types of repairs can be made
- Observing restroom trailer maintenance and inspection procedures prior to delivery
- Viewing the system for truck maintenance and repair.
Final thoughts
Goals and significance of cross-training:
- Gain a comprehensive understanding of the company’s overall operations
- Recognize how your role influences other areas within the organization
- Identify ways to enhance collaboration and ease the workload for colleagues, fostering empathy and teamwork
- Seek opportunities to improve efficiency and boost customer satisfaction in all areas of the business
When everyone in the company is on the same page, teamwork flourishes and the customer is the ultimate winner.
