Up Front

High-tech vs. straight talk

QualComm. Cell phones. Laptops. E-mail. Blackberries. How in the world did over-the-road professionals survive all those years with just a CB and a quarter for a pay phone? The better question might be this: Today, despite all of the high-tech gear, why does this industry continue to suffer a widespread failure to communicate?

While technology has improved the speed and accessibility of communication, it can do nothing to improve the “quality” of communication. In this context, we’re not talking about the technical quality of the connection or the clarity of the voice transmission. Instead, we’re talking about the ability of the person at one end of the exchange to get his or her point across to the person at the other end, and vice versa.

Why all the fuss about communication? Because poor communication between drivers and recruiters, dispatchers and other company employees is a leading reason behind the industry’s high turnover rate.

You can have every high-tech gadget in the world, but if you can’t effectively communicate your concerns to someone else—or if that person isn’t receptive to what you’re trying to say—you might as well be sending smoke signals. They still won’t understand you, but at least they’ll know where you’re coming from.