Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Secret Language of Dispatcher Training

They can be linguistic as well. Graduates of dispatcher courses who find employment in the trucking industry need to familiarize themselves with the vernacular of their local trucking industry. Here are just some examples of the specialized terminology of trucking in use in North America.

Dispatcher training term: Bill of lading

Paperwork that the trucker carries for each shipment, listing its contents, provenance, destination and weight.

Why it is important to graduates of dispatcher courses: Dispatchers are responsible for making sure that all laws and regulations are respected by their fleets. Paperwork and permissions are part of their domain. They must keep track of this kind of information.

Dispatcher training term: Bucket mouth

A bucket mouth is someone who talks too much on the CB, who doesn't allow others to speak.

Why it is important to graduates of dispatcher courses: Graduates of dispatch schools must have good communications skills. Communicating with drivers and clients will require good etiquette, and knowing what to do when proper etiquette isn't respected by others. Good communication is the dispatcher's responsibility.

Dispatcher training term: Consignee

The consignee is the person or organization to whom a load is being delivered. There are other words for consignee, including delivery and receiver. The load is picked up from the shipper or pickup and sent to the consignee.

Why it is important to graduates of dispatcher courses: It is part of a truck dispatcher's job to communicate between truckers and consignees. It is also part of a truck dispatcher's job to assign truckers to consignees.

Dispatcher training term: Pre-loaded

When a trucker picks up a load from a shipper or a pickup, the load usually needs to be loaded onto their trailer, which takes time. Some shippers offer truckers the possibility of unhooking and parking their own trailers, so that they can benefit from a preloaded trailer instead. This can help truckers save time.

Why it is important to graduates of dispatcher courses: Dispatchers are responsible for coordinating the movements of the fleet. It is important for them to understand how to save time in transit. A pre-loaded trailer saves time, and is often pleasing to truckers.

Dispatcher training term: Snow chicken

This is a term used to describe truckers who prefer not to drive in snowy or icy conditions.

Why it is important to graduates of dispatcher courses: Dispatchers are responsible for assigning and mapping out routes. They need to make sure that their loads are delivered to consignees on time, regardless of the weather. This may mean taking into account the capacities and limitations of individual drivers. They need to make sure that they have the right person for each job.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Street Sales Strategy

If all goes well, and the weather cooperates, the result may feel more like an all-out party than a sales strategy. As the owner of a store, you may think to yourself, "Wait, I don't have any sales training in street sales. How are they different? How do I display my products effectively? What do I tell my sales management staff?"

1. You are the product

Street sales aren't just about getting rid of old stock. They also celebrate community. They are a chance for city residents to let down the walls they build up each winter, to reconnect with their local merchants and fellow citizens. They are a chance for your shop to position itself as a true pillar of the community. It is a good sales strategy to participate in making the area around your business a better place. You don't need any special sales training to know that customers appreciate it when merchants take a sincere interest in them. Remind your sales management staff that their main goal is to engage with potential customers. This can help them secure an immediate sale, but also - and perhaps most importantly - to cement a relationship over the long term.

2. Entertain the kids, bring in the adults

One tried and true street sales management technique is to set up a free face painting booth for your youngest customers. Mom and dad will appreciate the effort, and may use the time to peruse your wares.

3. Team up with others

One of the fun things about street sales is the street food. Arrange for a hot dog booth or lemonade stand to share your sidewalk space, and your sales management team just may reap the benefits in the form of increased sales.

4. Make it easy for your customers to buy

Some merchants focus their street sales strategy on one kind of product, for example, socks. The sales management team at a sportswear store might choose to put out a table of simple black and white men's and women's socks, rather than bring out their wider range of merchandise. They may have learned in sales training to focus on rounded dollar cash amounts for crowded events, e.g., two pairs of socks for $10.

5. But protect yourself

Make sure that your sales management team secures sufficient staff for outdoor sales: someone to man the cash register, someone to watch the merchandise, someone to serve the customers and use your sales strategy to guide them towards making a purchase.

Visit Fusion Learning Inc. for more information on sales strategy.

Rima Hammoudi is a Copywriter at Higher Education Marketing, a leading Web marketing firm specializing in Google Analytics, Education Lead Generation, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Mobile SMS Alerts, Social Media Marketing and Pay Per Click Marketing, among other Web marketing services and tools.