A good relationship between a driver and a recruiter is the cornerstone to every successful carrier. Like all relationships, communication, consistency, and honesty are key to maintaining longevity.
Touchpoints provide an essential line of communication between potential candidates and recruiters, making the recruiting process easier and more enjoyable for everyone involved. Whether or not you realize it, recruiters everywhere use touchpoints each day to advertise job listings, reach out to candidates, and check in with recent hires.
Keep reading for all you need to know about the importance of providing creative and innovative touchpoints throughout the entire recruitment process and the best practices to increase your driver retention and satisfaction rates.
What Exactly Are Touchpoints?
You’ve probably seen this term before, and it’s definitely already a part of your daily routine as a recruiter. However, in today’s highly competitive market, the methods and channels available are always evolving.
There are three core types of touchpoints: online, offline, and personal. An effective recruiter utilizes all three, maintaining constant communication with potential candidates and new hires without inundating them with information.
A touchpoint is any form of contact you make with a potential candidate, and today, a lot of that occurs digitally. With the ongoing driver shortage, drivers are constantly receiving job opportunities through social media, digital job boards, and email. Online touchpoints offer an instant channel of communication that is accessible to drivers no matter where they are.
Offline touchpoints might sometimes be considered “old-fashioned,” but they’re just as important today as they were twenty years ago. Flyers, trucks branded with a logo, and billboards can be effective to grab the attention of potential candidates who might be tired of checking their email, and are helpful for building brand awareness.
Something that will never change is the importance of face-to-face interaction, or personal touchpoints. Driver referrals, job fairs, and personal phone calls are the best way for candidates to learn about company culture and job requirements, while giving you the chance to assess their needs and expectations.
What Are the Key Elements of a Touchpoint?
Nowadays, it’s no longer enough to simply post an advertisement or rely on word of mouth. Recruiting should be personalized and dynamic, offering a chance to build trust between driver and recruiter. Although the content of a touchpoint varies depending on the channel of communication, carrier’s needs, and stage of the recruiting process, there are key features to consider with every interaction.
- Build brand image: One of the most important roles that touchpoints play is increasing awareness of your company’s brand image. Engaging logos, online and offline marketing, and accessible advertising increases brand visibility and helps drivers to see your company as a brand they’d like to join.
- Provide insight: Each time you make contact with a potential candidate or new hire, be sure to include information on company culture or required qualifications. This ensures that you receive applications from qualified candidates who are more likely to be the right fit for your carrier.
- Personalization: The ease of digital communication often leads to impersonal messaging that could cause a candidate to seek out other carriers. After making the initial introduction, get to know a candidate and customize touchpoints to their specific needs or interests. Something as simple as including their name or following up with a phone call can go a long way!
- Online component: It’s important to always include an online component in every communication you make. Physical advertisements should include a link to your digital presence or social media, and be sure to follow up phone calls with a text or email.
- Call to action: After receiving your message, what is the action you want the driver to take? Drivers are often inundated with unnecessary touchpoints, distracting them from promising leads. Make your message stand out by clearly stating the next step for recruitment.
- Measurable results: Finally, it’s important to always track the progress of your interactions. Every communication with a potential candidate is part of your overall recruiting strategy, allowing you to monitor and evaluate what works and what needs to be improved. Every touchpoint should be recorded in your ATS or CRM so you can track where each driver is in the recruiting process.
As a recruiter, clear and constant communication with drivers is paramount to the success of your company. The recruitment process doesn’t end on the first day of orientation, meaning that it’s important to touch base with drivers even after they’ve been hired to increase driver retention and ensure they feel supported with an open line of communication.
If you want to learn more about modern driver recruiting strategies, or have tips of your own to share, reach out to us on social media or read more on Drive My Way’s recruiter blog!
