Okay, you have decided that you want to put a telematics or dash camera program in place for your company. You have likely been told that success is as simple as plugging everything in. That thinking overlooks the most important component of your program – the people who actually drive your trucks and autos.
As a general rule, people are creatures of habit, and your telematics program will likely represent new ways of working for many of your co-workers.
Getting your drivers on board with your program does not have to be hard, but putting some thought into things at the outset will make your life (and everyone else’s) much easier.
With that in mind, here are a few ideas and tips based upon what we see working well amongst our clients.
Change Management
A psychologist by the name of Kurt Lewin is credited with developing the three-step Unfreeze / Change / Re-Freeze model of change management. At the risk of oversimplifying things, the idea is that for someone to do something new, they must understand why it is helpful or needed. Once they understand the reasons behind things, change can then be made. The last step involves cementing in place the new way of doing things.
This model actually aligns very nicely with what we see driving success for our clients.
Unfreeze
Those who realize the best results take the opportunity to properly tee things up with their employees, considering points such as the following:
- Realities of the Roadways – It can be helpful to point out the realities of the roadways. According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, 34% of drivers on the road say they’ve had a near-miss crash because of their own distracted driving, and 56% admit to reading texts and emails while driving. AAA also notes that it can take someone 27 seconds to re-focus once they are distracted. Specifics like these can help drivers understand that others on the road put them at risk and reinforce that the #1 motivator for the program is their safety and that your company is adopting state-of-the-art tools to proactively protect and defend them should an incident occur.
- Driver Benefits – Getting home safely. Avoiding speeding tickets and DOT fines. Not having to carry the guilt of hurting a co-worker or another third party. Evidence to defend them when they did nothing wrong. Ability to document how well they are doing. It helps to provide drivers with a view on how your program can directly benefit and protect them.
- Company Realities – Don’t shy away from the environment your company must operate in. Commercial automobiles are a target of the plaintiff bar as lawyers know that companies are required to carry much more insurance than individuals. The cost of commercial auto insurance has skyrocketed, increasing 50%+ over the past 5+ years for many companies. It may be helpful to add some color on your company’s own insurance cost changes as well as remind your colleagues that higher legal and claims costs leave less for wages and other things that matter to drivers. Also, many drivers are not aware of the various regulations that companies must adhere to as a matter of law.
- Widen the Lens – A single driver generally only sees what happens with their vehicle and may not appreciate what transpires with other drivers or in other parts of the company. Providing broader context can impart a better understanding of the need to do things differently and can also alleviate a sense of being singled out.
Change
Having unfrozen things, actually making the change is the next phase. Here are a few thoughts to reduce effort while maximizing impact:
- Speaking Their Language – Communicate the details about your program in a manner that is consistent with your company’s unique culture and what your drivers are used to.
- Have Someone Ride Shotgun – Is there a respected subset of your drivers who might help support and lead the implementation? What can senior management do to reinforce the importance of what you are doing?
- Accentuate the Positives: Part 1 – Call out and recognize what your drivers already do well. Citing statistics and examples of positive performance shows appreciation of the good work that people already do and helps to keep dialogue collaborative.
- Listen: Part 1 – Telematics and cameras are now commonplace, but they may still be new to some drivers. Equally, other drivers may have had exposure to poorly run programs at prior jobs. Ask for the drivers’ thoughts, opinions, and concerns and address and respond to them accordingly.
- Candor – Be clear at the outset what your company’s policies will be regarding the program. Will drivers be expected to engage in the program with the same degree of professionalism as their other obligations to your company?
- Dispel Misplaced Concern – Drivers may have reservations about being “watched constantly”. These can be dispelled by clearly communicating how data will be used, including:
- What will be recorded / retained
- Who will have access to the information
- How often it will be reviewed
- How it might be used in assessing driver performance
- Whether it will have a bearing on compensation or other perks and benefits
- Mikey Likes It – According to an April 2023 study by the American Transportation Research Institute, drivers currently using road-facing cameras give them an approval rating of more than 8 out of 10, which is a 38% increase over drivers who have never used them. Ask your co-workers to keep an open mind about the program and not rush to judgment.
Re-Freeze
We have a saying in our company – Data without action does not drive resultsTM. Arguably, the biggest Achilles’ heel of telematics programs is the failure of companies to actually do something with the data and insight that they gain. So, as you inspect what you expect, here are a few tips to keep in mind:
- Accentuate the Positives: Part 2 – Call out the good behaviors and improvements you see. The best programs recognize that success is as much about reinforcing good habits as taking corrective action.
- Don’t Be Shy – The prior point is not to say that you should dodge addressing risky driving. If you do not take things seriously, your drivers won’t either.
- Listen: Part 2 – Establish a feedback loop to enable drivers to share what is working well and what needs attention.
- Adjust – Every company is different, and what works well for one may not be as effective for another. Blending feedback from your drivers with your own observations, fine tune your program to elevate its impact.
- Joiners – Embed details about your program in your new employee onboarding process to ensure that they are engaged from day one.
- In Sight, In Mind – Fewer accidents, defending drivers when they are not at fault, improved efficiency – providing regular updates on the benefits you and your drivers are seeing will promote ongoing buy-in and aid your credibility with the next initiative you roll out.
Co-Pilot
A bit of work up front will save you more work down the road, and more importantly, ensure you get the benefits that you are seeking.
Fortunately, you do not need to tackle the above on your own. A high-quality telematics provider will have a managed onboarding process and do the work to help you get the greatest benefit for you, your company, and your co-workers.
