Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/734262
VOICES 6 | Overdrive | October 2016 We've all been around "that" person. Someone who could fi nd something wrong with a free ice cream cone. Or someone who would complain if you handed them a gold bar because it was too heavy to carry. Someone who would gripe loudly and start a Facebook page about the fact that free samples of corn on the cob at the state fair aren't gluten-free. They're gripers. They gripe and wallow in it, and love it. They're also annoying as hell to the people who fi nd great joy in free ice cream, even if comes in a (gasp) sugar cone. Unfortunately, these people get a lot of other people all riled up, but none of them ever direct their griping to the source of their injury. They just spray it all over, like giant manure spreaders, hoping to hit something pertinent once in a while. We had the opportunity to talk to a lot of corporate folks at the Great American Trucking Show in August. These are the people who sit in of- fi ces and hypothesize about what life on the road is like so they can off er truckers the things they need. In a perfect world, everyone who runs a trucking-related business would start out as a trucker, but this isn't a perfect world. Instead, these corporate people use the information they gather from truckers to make those decisions. We have the everyday experience on the road they don't have. That said, there is an art to com- plaining — especially when it comes to corporate-level complaining. First off , lodging a concern with the correct person is really important. The Cinnabon lady could care less if there's toilet paper in the stalls — she's working in the Cinnabon booth, and frankly, I'd feel better if she stuck strictly with the rolls in the Cinnabon booth for her shift, wouldn't you? Find a bathroom attendant or man- ager for the other buns. Another thing to take into consid- eration is the "fl ies to honey" thing. I've often said my Gran can tell you to go straight to hell and do it in a way that you thank her for it and ask if she needs you to bring her any- thing before you go. I get that it feels so much more rewarding to scream. But time and again, I've experienced a much better reception, and quicker solution to my problem, when I don't lose my mind. It doesn't always have to be bad news, either. If someone goes over and above for you, call corporate and let them know. Give the employee who is actually helping you the bene- fi t of letting their bosses know they're doing a good job. I'm encouraged that the industry is striving to recapture a community feel. People in higher positions are listening a lot more, thanks in part to social media. I would encourage driv- ers and their families to use these and other tools to relay information about the environment they'd like to have on the road. Give your insights to the people who need them most. Wendy Parker chronicles her journey on the road with her owner-operator husband, George, in the George and Wendy Show blog on OverdriveOnline.com. Scan the QR to read more from her on your phone or tablet. Perfecting the art of the complaint Perfecting the art of the complaint " The Cinnabon lady probably couldn't care less. If she could care less, that means she still cares. I just had to complain a little. " — Allan McCullough Slow down. I rarely have problems getting cut off going 2-3 mph below the speed limit, and I have a lot less stress with minimal impact on drive time. Anybody who wants to pass me passes me and pulls away without cutting me off. — Craig Vecellio, via OverdriveOnline.com Tired of being cut off by four-wheelers?