What You Should Expect from Your Dispatcher

In the freight world, situations can quickly shift. Road conditions change. Deadlines move. Weather runs wild. All of these surprises need to be effectively communicated to your drivers and your customers.

This is where the dispatcher comes in.

While the operators navigate the roads, dispatchers navigate the complexities of freight schedules. That means you need to have high expectations for your dispatching team. If they’re not able to effectively do their job, you’ll end up with missed deadlines, frustrated drivers, and upset customers.

But it’s not enough to say you have high expectations for a dispatcher. You need to list out what you need, share that list with them, and then hold them accountable to that. Here are some common expectations every quality dispatcher should deliver on.

Ability to Communicate with Clients and Drivers

The dispatcher is the bridge between your clients and your truck drivers. These two sides think differently, act differently, and they have different priorities. That means your dispatcher needs the skills to communicate effectively with both sides in a way that they each can understand.

Dispatchers are often good with handling the client side of things, but many fall short when it comes to relaying information back to truck drivers. Both sides are equally important in the freight equation, which means your dispatchers need to be just as skilled at talking with your drivers as they are your clients.

For more insight on improving dispatcher/trucker relationships, make sure to check out this post.

Quick Reactions and Calmness Under Pressure

There are people who can handle last minute changes, occasionally overwhelming odds, and sudden bursts of pressure. And then there are people who become frozen, verbally demeaning, and/or irrational when things get out of control.

When freight schedules run according to plan, and you have as many available trucks as you do loads, dispatching is pretty straightforward. When problems arise, however, and the loads-to-trucks ratio becomes unbalanced, you need someone who can remain calm and see the deliveries through to their respective destinations.

It can be difficult to know if a dispatcher can handle the stress, except through proven past success. Ask a potential dispatcher how they have handled (or would handle) a chaotic situation.

Honesty

A dispatcher should be confident in telling the truth, even when it’s inconvenient. The last thing a driver wants to experience is being told a load will be ready as soon as they arrive, only to discover they have to wait for an hour or more. As soon as a dispatcher is caught lying, the trust between the driver and the dispatcher is broken.

Restoring that trust can be near impossible.

Dispatchers should also stay ahead of problematic situations, managing expectations with the client and informing them when plans have changed.

Understanding of Your Values, SOP, Etc.

Every freight company is different. The areas you value, the promises you make, and the standards you hold are intrinsically unique to you. These values and systems create expectations amongst both your drivers and your customers. Your dispatcher needs to understand what separates you from your competitors, and they need to deliver on the promises that you make.

Dispatching Services Around the Clock

Even after the sun sets, the freight world keeps moving. To compete in the industry, you need a dispatch team that can bring their A game through the long evening hours. That’s where we come in.

Night Dispatch is a third-party dispatch service that integrates seamlessly with your company, providing exceptional service for a price much lower than hiring an internal dispatch team.

Our dispatchers know the industry, and we work great with both clients and truck drivers. We strive to understand your values and follow your SOP so that your customers receive what’s been promised to them.