The Christmas season brings with it a surge in demand for deliveries, making it a crucial time for logistics companies. To ensure smooth operations during the Christmas rush, preparing new drivers becomes paramount.
Thorough Driver Training and Orientation
Once drivers have completed their onboarding, it is important that they receive comprehensive training and orientation sessions. Cover essential topics such as policies, safety procedures, route planning, and service expectations. Familiarise them with the challenges they may encounter during the Christmas rush, including increased traffic, tight deadlines, and high parcel volumes. Emphasise the importance of attention to detail, time management, and adaptability.
Specialise delivery route training
During peak season, delivery routes may become more complex and time-sensitive. Provide specialised route training to familiarise new self-employed drivers with the areas they will be servicing. Highlight critical delivery points, potential traffic bottlenecks, and alternate routes to ensure they can adapt to unforeseen circumstances. Utilise mapping tools and GPS technology to optimise route planning, enabling drivers to maximise efficiency and meet delivery deadlines.
Effective Driver Communication
Establish clear lines of communication to keep new delivery drivers informed and supported. Provide them with reliable communication tools, such as mobile devices. Regularly share updates on changing delivery schedules, weather conditions, and any operational adjustments. Encourage open communication, allowing drivers to report issues or seek guidance promptly.
Ensure Drivers Provide Exceptional Delivery Service
The Christmas season is a time when exceptional customer service becomes even more critical. Train new self-employed drivers on the importance of professionalism, courteousness, and responsiveness when interacting with customers. Emphasise the significance of accurate order tracking, secure handling of packages, and timely delivery. Encourage drivers to go the extra mile to create positive experiences, as happy customers during the Christmas rush can become loyal customers year-round.
Take into Consideration Driver’s Wellbeing
The peak season is known to be demanding, both physically and mentally. Educate new delivery drivers about stress management techniques, the importance of rest breaks, maintaining a healthy work-life balance, and offer them driver perk. Encourage drivers to prioritise their well-being and seek support when needed. By promoting a supportive and caring environment, you can help new drivers navigate the challenges of the season while maintaining their motivation and performance levels.
As well as all of the above, it is crucial that new are onboarded promptly and accurately to keep up with the demands. With the Wise Platform, drivers can be onboarded in up to thirty minutes, providing a whole suite of benefits.
Streamlined Driver Onboarding Process
The Wise platform streamlines the process of uploading and organising driver documents and utilises e-signatures for seamlessly onboarding delivery drivers. The advanced Wise System offers a vast, customisable library of documents to suit the needs and requirements of your courier business.
Furthermore, if an incorrect document is uploaded during the driver onboarding process, rectifying the situation is easy by re-uploading the correct document. Our platform ensures drivers are notified in a timely manner when their evidence is nearing expiration, enabling them to stay informed and take necessary action.
Due to the nature of the Wise Portal being a digital platform, this means you can get drivers onboarded faster than ever – without them needing to be sitting in front of you.
Offer a Driver Perks Package
Attracting and retaining self-employed drivers greatly relies on offering competitive perks. At Wise, we recognise the historical challenges of providing delivery drivers with the perks they deserve, but we’ve changed that! Through the Wise driver app self-employed drivers can access a multitude of perks, such as:
- Digital GP
- 24/7 Mental Health Support
- Discount Portal
- Boosted take-home pay
Onboard new drivers for Christmas easier with Wise
Preparing new delivery drivers for the Christmas rush is vital for logistics companies to deliver exceptional service during the busiest time of the year. By providing thorough training, specialised route guidance, effective communication channels, customer service training, and emphasising well-being, businesses can set their drivers up for success. With the help of the Wise Platform, courier businesses will be well equipped to get new drivers out on the roads in time for peak faster than ever.
To learn more about the Wise Platform, speak to one of our product experts here.
