For anybody that has ever dreamt of being your own boss, working from home and all the while earning a steady income, becoming a truck dispatcher can be an intriguing option. However, just because you can stroll to your home office in your pajamas, dispatching is tough work and often requires your full attention. In our experience, the most successful truck dispatchers run their business full-time and do not treat this as a side-hustle. Dispatch software and technology has allowed for the prospect of certain freedoms – live where you want to live, work from home, choose your own hours – to become a reality, but none of it is promised. You will get out what you put in. Here is HaulHound’s guide on how to become a successful truck dispatcher.
- Early Bird Gets The Worm. Next time you’re out on the highway, pay attention to how many trucks you pass. Freight is constantly moving. Because of this, logistics professionals often start early, around 6 or 7 am. There is always that early morning delivery followed by a new pick up, and you need to be available if something runs awry, as it inevitably will. There are so many moving parts and both you, and in return, your drivers, will be more successful if you are alert and available throughout those pinnacle moments in the morning.
- Invest In Yourself. Whether working from home, or renting a small office, create an environment that will be suitable and conducive to running a successful business. As stated above, freight is constantly moving, so you will need to multi-task. Get yourself a desk with an office phone suitable to manage multiple calls at once. A headset can allow you to take calls hands free so you can write emails and jot down important notes. Subscribe to reliable web-based dispatch software. You will find that an excel sheet is simply not enough. You will need this to stay organized. Working off a lap top is fine, but perhaps connect to a second or third screen so you can manage your email, dispatch planning software, accounting, etc. all at once. Remember, being busy means you’re doing something right!
- Own It And Deliver. All successful dispatchers have one thing in common: they exude confidence. From start to finish, every aspect of dispatching requires you to sell yourself. When recruiting new owner-operators, can you promise them reliability and stable miles? When negotiating rates with brokers or shippers, can you reach higher because you KNOW your business will provide superior service. When something goes wrong, perhaps in no fault to you or your drivers, can you confidently say that you are going to fix it? Being confident that you can genuinely deliver on these promises will take your business to the next level.