Here at Radio.co, we’ve used the power of online radio to fix the communication problems distribution companies' see too often: disillusioned workforces that don't feel understood or respected because of how the company interacts with them.

For clothing and lifestyle brand, NEXT, we created an internal radio station which reaches their 10,000 drivers and warehouse staff and is the force behind their employee engagement. 

Why do distribution companies partner with us? Because the right communication gives companies a competitive advantage. It makes fleets more efficient when commonplace solutions aren’t working. Let us explain how.

To be successful in fleet management, you’ll already know clear communication is a must. From route changes to prompting safety checks, a fleet manager needs to be able to reach their drivers with ease. 

But it doesn’t stop there. Working alone and on the road, fleet drivers can be isolated from other parts of the company. Engaging them is key to ensuring they’re kept updated and feeling valued.

Establishing a positive driver-dispatch relationship and healthy communication is an important aspect of driver satisfaction and retention. A UK Goverment report cites these as influencing a driver’s intention to quit. In a time where forecasts predict the UK HGV industry will need 40,000 new drivers each year until 2028, this is of vital importance to keep your business at optimum capacity.

The challenge? Communicating with drivers when it’s neither safe nor practical for them to check screens. Thankfully, audio is a medium that drivers already use whilst working: RAJAR reports that 26% of all of the UK's radio listening happens in vehicles. And broadcasting audio enables super-fast communication to any number of drivers. Better yet, online broadcasting means drivers can be reached even in the most remote parts of the world. 

The simplest way to broadcast audio to your fleet is by having a dedicated, online company radio station, beamed directly to your drivers’ devices and played through their cab stereos. 

We’ll dive into how a dedicated radio station can benefit your fleet, but first, let’s take a deeper look at why clear communication is so important.

Why Communication in Fleet Management Matters

Ensuring a fleet is sustainable requires constant oversight and flexibility. Dispatchers and fleet analysts will be constantly reviewing the most efficient routes, driver behaviour and vehicle conditions to ensure goods keep moving. This oversight is an important part of fleet management, but only with the right communication in place.
 

In this report, drivers are cited as feeling disrespected and unsupported by their dispatchers. Drivers and dispatchers don't always agree on the best routes. And some drivers felt like dispatchers pressured them in to meet unrealistic targets. It’s clear logistics can be stressful for both parties. So establishing clear communication where you can demonstrate compassion and respect is key. 

But one common form of fleet communication is instant messaging through telematic software. Despite its popularity, only 40% of frontline staff within the logistics and distribution industry think current communication is effective. 

The problem is tone can’t be conveyed over text, making it difficult to demonstrate that much needed compassion and respect.

Worse still, instant messaging still requires a driver to check a screen. This is either unsafe, or not so instant if the driver waits until they next pull over to review the message.

Conversely, as well as delivering nearly-instantaneous messages safely, radio communication lets dispatchers and managers connect with drivers on a personal level. It helps them strike the right tone to keep drivers on their side. It lets managers show understanding and demonstrate empathy in tricky situations, improving drivers' experience and reducing stress.

If you’re looking to improve fleet performance and your drivers’ experience, a dedicated radio station is the missing link. 

3 Benefits a Dedicated Radio Station Can Bring to Your Fleet

1. Positive Recognition For Safe Driving

Fleet safety is not only paramount in protecting your workforce, but also your business’ sustainability. Needless to say, even if fleet accidents are lucky enough to have no casualties, they cost time and money. Safe driving goes hand in hand with fleet efficiency, and fleet managers use gamification and positive recognition as an effective strategy to increase it.

Often fleet management systems for tracking driver behavior and vehicle performance are already in place. But when paired with a dedicated radio station, fleet managers can praise safe driving behaviour in real time. For fleet managers who incentivise safe driving with reward schemes, a dedicated radio station can update drivers with leader boards and recent winners. 

Various companies with fleets have gamified safe driving: like coupling a drivers safety score with incentives. These incentives include a tiered bonus scheme, where half of a drivers bonus is tied to their safety score in a sliding scale. Others include an annual $20,000 bonus for a driver with the highest score. 

According to Netradyne, the benefits for these companies range from increasing safety scores and road compliance rates to a reduction in insurance premiums. When coupled with a dedicated radio station, fleet managers can motivate drivers throughout their shifts.

2. Company Involvement 
 

The demands on your fleet drivers time are great. Alongside the actual driving, there’s the legally required rest periods and the accompanying admin from maintaining a vehicle and transporting goods. It’s commonplace for drivers to work 40-60 hours or more each week. Few drivers then, have little time or means to check company emails. The email updates you devise for your desk-based employees simply don’t have the same uptake for your desk-less staff. 

With little engagement, it’s easy for drivers to feel separate and disenchanted with the company they work for: This report quotes a UK survey where only 21% of drivers felt their opinions mattered in company decisions. 

To keep all employees engaged, smart companies need to diversify their communications strategy. By using a dedicated, private radio station, companies can update their drivers with ease. Fostering a sense of involvement and engagement, and helping them feel a valued part of the company team. 

3. Fleet Efficiency

Drivers are the backbone of logistics and supply chain industries and they deliver nearly everything we eat, wear and consume. But these industries are fraught with challenges with knock-on effects for fleets. Keeping fleets efficient -  in an age of supply-chain disruption, fuel price fluctuations and regulatory compliance -  requires flexibility. Be that a route change or scheduling in vehicle maintenance. 

Naturally then, you’ll need the ability to communicate clearly and quickly with drivers when they’re on shift. While there are plenty of systems in place to monitor driver efficiency and decision making, few offer a safe way for HQ to communicate directly with drivers. 

A private, company online radio station, on the other hand, is this missing link. Through audio, a fleet manager can communicate to one or more drivers at once, with little delay, and with a personal touch. 

How Can Fleet Drivers Listen To Their Dedicated Radio Station?

Fleet drivers cover big distances, and distance limits traditional radio. But by broadcasting online, your drivers can tune in from anywhere they have an internet connection and a smartphone.

Radio.co makes it easy to tune in to your dedicated radio station by providing several listening options. Your radio station is available on any device, be that personal or company-owned, that can connect to the internet. Drivers can make use of their in-cab WiFi for streaming, or use their personal data - and we provide stream quality options to keep the demands on their data light. 

But the best option would be to listen through your own mobile app dedicated to your station. Radio.co apps can be controlled with voice assistants, like Siri or Google. So when they’re on the road, drivers just need to ask their voice assistant to play the station to tune in.

How to Start a Dedicated Radio Station for Your Fleet

While a dedicated, online radio station improves fleet performance, launching one can be overwhelming. That’s why working with the internet radio broadcasting platform, Radio.co, ensures it’s smooth-sailing, and doesn’t put unnecessary demands on your time.

Partner with Radio.co

Radio.co is an all-in-one solution that provides all the tools, software and support needed to create and manage an online radio station.

We use your communication goals to design and build your company radio station from scratch. We’ll create show structures, regularly update music and take care of all editing and scheduling. We’ll also produce fresh content that reflects your company and motivates your drivers, with little demands on your time.

And we’ll make sure your drivers have options in how they listen to your company radio station by providing custom-built radio apps, an Alexa skill and even private podcasting.

Your Dedicated Radio Station Features

Here's our under-the-bonnet run down of what we offer:

• Dedicated private server and hosting.

• Priority support from our Enterprise team.

• Password protected web feed for all staff to listen to.

• Private mobile apps for listening on the go using Single Sign On for staff-only access.

• Alexa skill if required.

• Private podcasting if required.

• 1 National station included, with the option to make local feeds for different branches.

• Fortnightly music updating.

• Assistance with correct licensing.

To get your free company radio station proposal, get in touch using the button above. Or, arrange a one-on-one call here with our business broadcasting expert, Amber.