Dispatcher FLU Is Decreasing Profits

As I am sitting here with flu like symptoms it reminds me of having the FLU as a dispatcher.

Now I am sure you are asking yourself what does sniffling, aches, and fever have to do with dispatching. I am going to fill you in on how your dispatchers might be suffering from the flu.

I have discovered 3 symptoms that your dispatchers may be exhibiting that could indicate that they have dispatcher FLU. These three things are hurting the productivity and profitability of your team.

Just like the regular flu, Dispatcher FLU can spread to your entire staff. The flu is very contagious and is best caught early. Look out for these symptoms to prevent the spread of Dispatcher Flu in your office.

The First Symptom: A Decrease in Follow-through.

This may look like they are dropping the ball. They may not follow up with clients when a technician will be late. They may not follow up on parts on order. Or they may be skipping steps on warranty parts. All of these follow-through items are important to not only the success of your dispatcher, but also the success of your company.

The Second Symptom: Logistics

Your technicians may be complaining that they are spending more time driving around town then with actual clients. But, the bigger symptom is having the wrong technician show up to the wrong call. By this I mean the dispatcher is not dispatching by performance and personality type. Each of your team members have specific skills, if the dispatcher is not leveraging those skills then it is costing you money.

Example: you probably wouldn’t want your thoroughbred running a maintenance call on a 2-year-old system while your greenhorn is running a repair call on a 15-year-old system.

The Third Symptom: Uncaring

This symptom may show up as disregard for other employees or even for clients. An uncaring dispatcher will develop a tough outer layer that will prevent them from showing empathy. This will lead to frustration within the team and a decrease in client satisfaction.

The good news is there is a cure for Dispatcher FLU!

Step 1: Provide clear expectations on processes and procedures for dispatching.

Step 2: Provide your dispatchers with performance information on your field personnel.

Step 3: Inspect what you expect, follow up to make sure the processes are being followed.

Step 4: Check in with your dispatcher often to get a pulse on their job satisfaction.

Step 5: Tell your dispatcher you appreciate the work they do.

Just like the normal Flu, Dispatcher FLU Sucks. It drains energy, makes work miserable, and takes time to heal. The Press Play for CSRs and Dispatchers class is a great shot in the arm to build immunity to the symptoms of Dispatcher FLU.