Should fleet managers be flexible over policy matters with their drivers?

Judith Popay In principle, no. Some policies, such as when a driver can take delivery of a vehicle, are set in stone and there are no exceptions.

Setting a precedent is always a worry because other drivers get to find out and then want the exception to be made for them.

Tony Raymond Get your policy right and these instances should be few and far between.

Policy exceptions can be made if there is a strong valid reason (i.e. the driver’s health), but there must be a clear and robust sign off process at a senior level so rule breaks are justified by need and are the exception not the rule.

David Landy If the policy is well thought through then the need for flexibility, or the discretionary application of it, should not be required.

Ted Sakyi It depends on the issue, some things are simply not negotiable, such as legal requirements/legislation changes and obvious safety concerns.

Drivers are the people that operate within the vehicle policy, it is important to listen to their views and suggestions. It might be that what seems like a perfectly sensible idea in an office is not practical in the real world.

What other methods could be used to win over difficult drivers?

Judith Popay I think that you have to be consistent and fair to all.

Anticipate all the tactics that they might use to try to get what they want and have reasoned arguments ready to counter their arguments.

Keep calm when having the difficult conversation. If challenged and you don’t know the answer don’t try to fudge the answer – take the question, find the answer and go back to them.

Tony Raymond It depends on the issue and the scenario.

Generally it’s basic customer care stuff that needs to be done; be honest, be clear, be consistent, be professional, be helpful and be patient.

A difficult driver could have a genuine gripe so you must try and understand the issue.

David Landy Ensure that the fleet team is fully engaging with the driver. Whenever possible, share the bigger picture with drivers so that they are made aware of the fleet or business’s view point.

Ted Sakyi Communication is the key, there needs to be complete buy-in from top to bottom, not just lip service.

The FleetNews view

It seems that communication is the most important tool a fleet manager can acquire in order to help him keep his drivers happy.

By keeping them in the loop and informing them every step of the way, even controversial policies should be simple to implement.

And should you come across an aggrieved driver, listen to what they have to say but keep calm.

You might find that once every thing has been explained properly most drivers will see the benefits to themselves as well as to the company as a whole.