trailer world issue Two 2011

The Duvenbeck logistics company sends its employees to its own academy to keep them motivated an in top form for the job.

Issue Two 2011 Eario Ueffing is a typical “lateral hire” in the freight forwarding industry: After pursuing a career in the retail sector, he has been driving lorries all across Europe since 2006 – usually carry- ing valuable, but always time-critical cargo. Behind the wheel, he is his own master, however one whose job performance and way of driving are made transparent and analysed. A cause for concern? Not for Ueffing – quite on the contrary: “Our driving coaches never fail to give good tips, helping us reach our destinations economically and safely.” There is strong mutual trust between the coach, drivers and scheduler in charge – something which visitors to the Duvenbeck logistics company, based in the Westphalian city of Bocholt, will im- mediately notice. One definite reason for this foundation of trust is close and frequent communication. “We are fully aware that we can only reach our goals if we work together,” explains scheduler Hans- Peter Borchardt. “Each person contributes his or her own share to fulfilling the customer‘s order.” The scheduler includes the driving coaches in this: The logistics company has twelve permanent em- ployees in these positions. With its own in-house coaching team, the globally operating freight forwarder ensures continuous and consistent training and support. The drivers not only meet their coach when entering the profession or brushing up on the various modules, but also main- tain regular contact with him or her. Ueffing sums it up: “Coaches and drivers see each more frequently and build up mutual trust.” After all, coaching is about regular repetition, so that actions, work- flows and routines become second nature. Practising economic and safe driving is therefore a regular item on the drivers’ “timetables”, and goes beyond the mandatory programme required by the Ger- man Professional Driver‘s Qualification Act. And it does not end as soon as the seminar is over: The coaches maintain contact with the drivers during the hectic day-to-day routine, for instance analysing average petrol consumption trends and providing tips on how and where drivers can improve their performance. The family-run logistics company, which employs well over 1,300 drivers, started its coaching programme with the five modules stip- ulated by the law. But those in charge quickly realised that more could be done. The result is the company’s academy, which today lets the drivers use a flexible training and coaching programme com- prising defined measures and courses that are repeated on a regular basis. “We have determined that this further training and education concept has a quantifiable, positive effect on our bottom line and have therefore continuously expanded our programme,” reports fleet manager Bernd Reining. Reaching a destination on time, with- out accidents, and with less petrol consumption and fewer emissions is an objective that corresponds to the logistics company’s quality concept. “The issue of CO2 will become an even stronger focus in the entire industry than it already is today. We want to be prepared for future challenges with our drivers,” Reining says. Drivers primarily see the practical advantages of the academy programme: High-quality content is offered in-house, at no charge and without requiring any additional effort on their part. “When talking to colleagues, I often hear that in many other logistics com- panies, employees have to take care of the required modules them- selves. In this regard, I‘m at a clear advantage here,” Mario Ueffing says. “At our company, I know that I can basically attend a train- ,QGLYLGXDO WUDLQLQJ DQG FRDFKLQJ Õ HYHQ XS WR QXWULWLRQDO DGYLFH Õ VKDSH XS SURIHVVLRQDO GULYHUV IRU WKHLU GD\WRGD\ ZRUN 7KH PLVVLRQ WR UHDFK WKH GHVWLQDWLRQ QRW RQO\ KHDOWKLO\ DQG VDIHO\ EXW HFRQRPLFDOO\ DV ZHOO L`][gY[`ak YdoYqkgfZgYj\ 3KRWR+ROJHU-DFRE\ 5HSRUWDJH

trailer world issue Two 2011

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