Explore the world of driver recruiting with the Hire Truckers Podcast! Join us as we talk to recruiting experts, offering industry insights, marketing trends, and motivation to enhance your recruiting skills. Whether you're a seasoned recruiter or just starting, our podcast is here to help you level up your game in the trucking industry.
Welcome to the Hire Truckers podcast where we interview experts in driver recruiting. We provide industry insights, marketing trends, and motivation to help you level up your recruiting game.
Aaron Craddock:Welcome to the HireTruckers podcast. I'm your host, Aaron Craddock, and I'm super excited. We have Keith Stelzer on today. And so he is the vice president of safety and recruiting at Paper Transport. He's been in the industry around nine years.
Aaron Craddock:And yeah. So so welcome, Keith. I'm excited to have you on today.
Keith Stelzer:Thanks, Aaron. Glad to be here.
Aaron Craddock:And then we're actually talking about a topic that I love, which is just building culture and specifically growth the right way, in growing your fleet. And so that that's some of what we're gonna be going back and forth on today is just, like, what does it look like to grow the right way? And, then I know everyone has different opinions on, but it's just a really good case study as Keith has been doing this for nine years at paper transport, and and they are growing the right way.
Keith Stelzer:Right.
Aaron Craddock:And so, yeah, we'll start out really broad. Like, what is growth the right way? Like, what does that mean to you, Keith?
Keith Stelzer:Right. Probably a a funny topic right now right after what we're coming out of, in our industry. But, you know, to me, it it's it's a great time to think about this. Right? Because we're we're all looking to to take it take advantage of of what we hope to be a a return to normal for our our role of transportation.
Keith Stelzer:So, you know, I I just believe that when you're you're thinking about growing the right way, you know, number one, it needs to be in alignment with with whatever your your mission and vision is as an organization. Right? And and, you know, that's first and foremost. So you can't sacrifice those things. Right?
Keith Stelzer:Those things that that are supposed to be why you're in business. Right? To grow and ignore those things. So I think that's the first thing. The the the second thing would be, you know, it it it needs to to be a way that you can help support your culture.
Keith Stelzer:You know? And and and here at Paper Transport, you know, growth has just been an inherent part of our culture. It's an inherent part of our mission to build a great place to work where we continue to grow. You know, obviously, our our our, driver base, our revenue base, but then, obviously, it's also a a great a great way for us to grow opportunity for our employees. So I think, you know, having that that in mind, you know, is what what drives us here.
Keith Stelzer:And and that's just something that I think, you know, you have to know why you wanna grow and then it has to really be in alignment with with what you do and focus on as a business.
Aaron Craddock:And so do you guys see growth this next year? Like like, are you planning for it? Because because you did mention, you know Yeah. Hey. This is we're coming off a rough, you know, couple two years.
Aaron Craddock:I don't think anybody's surprised by that.
Keith Stelzer:No. Yeah. I think well, we darn well better grow. You know, that's my opinion. You know, it's it's it's time again.
Keith Stelzer:It's been it's been a a rough couple years for our industry, and, you know, we're we're primed for it. I think we made some really smart, effective, decisions, changes, and I I'm excited about, you know, what this next year may bring. Now, you know, will our market just rebound and and and get up, you know, right off the bat here? No. Probably not.
Keith Stelzer:You know? So you need to be smart and and, think about, the financial impact of of your growth. But inevitably, I I I definitely expect us to to grow, in 2025.
Aaron Craddock:Yeah. It's so funny, like, because I'm just I'm, like, the ever optimist in terms of like, I just think everything's gonna grow. It's gonna be awesome. And so it's almost like I've been beat down
Keith Stelzer:Right.
Aaron Craddock:The last twenty four, thirty six months. I mean, it's it's been a while. Yeah. Just a really yeah. Literally.
Aaron Craddock:Like, historically, the longest time of a of a freight recession. And we grew a tiny bit, like, I think 10% last year, 6% the year before, as a company. But still, it felt like we were losing. And, you know, like like, the feeling is just, like, trudging and Yeah. Struggle, and it it it does not at all like like, when you look at the numbers on spreadsheet and you're like, we grew a tiny bit in top line, but that, you know, that's not the way it feels.
Aaron Craddock:Right. And and just the pain and, like and I've been even surprised the last just couple weeks. Like, right like, right now, we're we're we're chatting in early February. I know this will come out a little later. But just the number of layoffs still, like, just in in the recruiting world.
Aaron Craddock:I just, you know, somebody I know almost every day. And yeah, and I think people I think people are still be like like, the general consensus I get is optimistic towards some level of growth, but it's like a cautious optimism. Even me, like, as the Yeah. Yeah. Optimist, like, I'm like Yeah.
Aaron Craddock:I'm I'm grow, but I don't it's almost like I can't even comprehend the windows that we had in the past, like, after COVID where it just took off like a rocket Right. And profitability for fleets was just through the roof. Right. It like, I can't even remember those days. Like, and it doesn't seem possible that that the competition for the driver pool could really heat up that much, but it can.
Aaron Craddock:Like, history does, like I mean, it it's a cycle. Yeah. But it's just I I I think it's just the duration of the cycle and just how much pain I've seen on tears.
Keith Stelzer:Yeah. You're not alone. Right? I mean, I think we've all we've all experienced that in some shape or fashion, some some worse than others, right, unfortunately. But I think, you know, when when when you think about your organization, right, it's just a matter of, you know, what what areas make the most sense to kinda focus on your growth in into a, you know, return, you know, hopefully a rebound starting.
Keith Stelzer:Right? But but you're right. You have to be you have to be cautious and you have to be careful and, right, make make the right decisions. You know, I think that's what the downturn in the market, you know, really forced good companies to do is just think about, hey, what are what are we best at? You know, what what can I, you know, be world class and what what can we really do is good or better than anybody else?
Keith Stelzer:And then that's where you need to to strengthen and and focus and then reprioritize and and push forward. Right? So that that's what I'm excited about here is, you know, we've we've done a lot of things through the years, but, you know, building a a a great, partnership with our customers and and great customer base on the the dedicated side of the world is what really we're we're focused towards, which inevitably a lot of the the world is focused towards, right, with all the ups and downs that have happened in the last couple years, especially on the open market. But that's something that's been our bread and butter for a long time and and, you know, we're we're we're we're poised to really, really make make, good on that side of our business as we as we push forward.
Aaron Craddock:That's good. The, I think everybody needs to write that down, like, specifically. Like like, this is a season to focus on what your world class at, what your best at Right. And then to go all in on that. Like, I do think I think this is gonna be a season, like, the next two years that we see, like, as as the market rebounds at whatever pace.
Keith Stelzer:Right?
Aaron Craddock:Or three years, whatever long it takes. We don't know. It that's what you're gonna see is you're gonna see leaders emerge in different categories that have whether it's dedicated or, like, whether it's, like, freight type or niche Yep. Like, type of drivers they're hiring, like, experience level. Like, you're gonna see certain certain carriers emerge and gain and pick up a lot of market share.
Aaron Craddock:And also the ones that that take care of their employees and and have a good culture, which I know culture is one of the things you guys focus a lot on. Right. Like, those are the people that are gonna win because when the competition heats up and everybody's trying to poach your drivers and and pull them away and give them more money and Right. Different things like it it's gonna be it's gonna be culture, and and treating them well. Right?
Aaron Craddock:Like, just across the board. So so paying them well, treating them well. And so people are gonna get you're not really gonna see that shake up until the competition heats up. And then that's where some driver counts are gonna shift, where you might have one a 400 truck fleet be able to grow to a 500 truck fleet as as as they need, and then you're gonna see other 600 truck fleets go down to 300 trucks. I mean, it's gonna be it's gonna be rough, because we don't know some of those cultural aspects because people haven't been able to move as easily as in the past.
Keith Stelzer:Yeah. And I think that's where, you know, you you hit the point. You're hitting the nail right on the head with, like, pay and home time. Right? There's always a better paying job.
Keith Stelzer:Right? I mean, no matter what no matter what you do, right, there is a better paying job out there. Right? There's always a a job that has a little bit better schedule. Right?
Keith Stelzer:But it but, you know, who are the people behind that? You know, who what are the relationships that that are there for the long term? And I think that that's huge. Right? And and people, you know, we don't like to admit it, but people I'm not gonna say they don't leave companies, but more often they do leave managers.
Keith Stelzer:They do leave the people that they work for. And, you know, I think that's something that we can never lose sight of. You know. And and when you're when you're thinking about your culture and and what you're gonna do to prevent turnover, you you have to be focused there. I also think as you're as you're hiring people in too, you need to be putting at the forefront.
Keith Stelzer:Right? I mean, if if we wanna be best in class and, you know, be great for our customers and do all the right things and and try to always, you know, do our best to make the the best decisions in in the best interest of of them and us. Right? You also better be bringing in really good people too. So it's not the time to skimp on, you know, know, who you hire.
Keith Stelzer:Right? Or or cut cut corners on on the the the the quality of people that you wanna build your organization with. And I think that's something that, you know, if if you wanna be really good in a spit in a specific space or a niche space or a customer service face you know, space, you really need to to make sure that's a part of a part of your focus too. Right? And and, again, lead managers and and and managers sometimes also, you know, hire the wrong people.
Keith Stelzer:Right? I mean, so so it kinda goes both ways.
Aaron Craddock:Yeah. Keith, like, one of the things that you mentioned, like, in our in our pre call, like, both talking with Ginger and and meeting with me this morning was, like, specifically slowing down, which is something you usually don't hear. You usually hear speed to hire. Right? We wanna get these drivers in.
Aaron Craddock:We wanna get these admin people in, HR people, like, as quickly as possible. But but you were telling me a little bit about the importance. So just just for our audience, which is, like, structured recruiting, c suite recruiters. Yeah. Like, what is your advice on maybe maybe slowing down a little bit and some strategy around that?
Keith Stelzer:Yeah. I think number % believe reaching out, touching base as as quickly as possible is extremely important in our industry, especially when you're when you're going after great professional drivers. Right? You you need to be one of the first few that that they're talking to when they're looking to make a change. Right?
Keith Stelzer:But Okay. It doesn't mean that that process of bringing them on board and going through the process of introducing them to your company needs to be rapid fire. Right? So I think that's where, you know, again, I I'm, you know, a % in alignment that, hey, you need to be, connecting as quickly as possible. But that that process that you're you're working through with that individual, you know, needs to needs to make sure that it's it's a fit for both parties.
Keith Stelzer:Right? And I think that's where sometimes our industry doesn't do itself justice. Right? I mean, you know, we move too fast. We don't we don't ask enough questions.
Keith Stelzer:We don't make sure the fit is good, and that can cause, you know, obviously, the the problems that so so many of our industry counterparts have. Right? Where if return over is, you know, seventy, eighty, 90, hundred percent. So, so that's something that we really try to take our time and and focus on the front end here, whether that's engaging, you know, our our professional drivers that are coming on board with with their operations team before they're here, you know, getting to under understand, build relationship, and really make sure it's the right thing or whether it's a a front end, you know, more scientific assessment to make sure it's kind of the right fit, both ways.
Aaron Craddock:So that that was gonna be my next question is, like, what do you guys do? You said, like, some sort of, like, assessment that kinda slows it down, and it almost sounds like some type of interview process. Like Yeah. So so a couple different questions. Like, do you do an assessment?
Aaron Craddock:And then also, who partners with them in that journey? Like, do they switch from the recruiter to several different roles, or or is there, like, a cohesive approach Yeah. To the whole onboarding process?
Keith Stelzer:Yeah. You know, we've through the years, we've broken broken it down a little bit and then and then brought it back together. You know, we've done it a few different ways, but we believe and we just you know, we we we've been kinda in the mindset that, hey, One relationship owner for that that professional is the best way best way to do it. Certainly, that that individual needs to be a little bit of a jack of all trades as far as their expertise, but I I'm just proud of of the the great recruiters we have here. That being said, you know, the recruiter owns that relationship with our professionals all the way until they're here in, in orientation and training at at Paper Transport.
Keith Stelzer:But through that process, you know, there is that that front end assessment that that the candidate is working through. You know, that's kinda right after the application process. And then once that that happens, there's there's, you know, the the relationship building with the recruiter, the interview with the recruiter, and then we're we're connecting them with our operations team and having them do a a secondary conversation with their their operations leader to make sure that, hey, they're both on the same page. There there's clarity on the role. There's clarity on the function.
Keith Stelzer:There's good expectations exchange. Right? And and then, you know, from there, it gets back into the recruiter's hands and and we kinda close that close that thing up and and get things scheduled and and get them to to their the the location where they're gonna onboard with us. So, you know, I think we we had broken that apart in in other years, right, where, you know, compliance gets their hands on a little bit earlier. Certainly, compliance is involved in the process, but the recruiter is never losing touch with the the professional driver in in our process.
Aaron Craddock:And what does that improve? Because it because because having switched, it sounds like switch to that, away from it, tried different things. Like, how did you arrive back at that? What was the metric you were measuring that that kinda determined that that is the best route for this season? Right?
Aaron Craddock:And, again, it might change again.
Keith Stelzer:But Yeah. You know, I think, you know, higher rates, have have just been better in in this in this, manner. Unfortunately, I hate to say say say it a lot, but, like, no show rates are are are much better, you know, this way as well. Meaning They're lower. Lower.
Keith Stelzer:Right? So I think those are the two two key factors that that we're looking at. And then, inevitably, we're always paying close attention to retention. I don't know if there's been a a huge impact there, but, obviously, you know, with the recruiter owning that relationship more fully all the way through the process, there's a little bit more partnership there too, right, with with, the professional and and the recruiter as a resource even after hire. So it's it's very common that a recruiter will get a a phone call, a a stop by, a message from a driver that's been hired in regards to some questions they might have or or something they just wanna touch base on.
Keith Stelzer:So I think that's that's huge. The one thing I will say as well is we just get continuous feedback. You know, I I have lunch almost every week with our our new drivers to pay for transport and, you know, there's just such positive feedback about our our our driver operators. And I think our industry, again, sometimes just makes it hard to trust. Right?
Keith Stelzer:And and, you know, one thing I'll I'll say is I think, you know, we we typically do a pretty darn good job of of building up that trust and then delivering, right, on that. Right? I mean, we're not we're not selling a $75,000 job for at a hundred thousand dollars. Right? You just can't do that, in today's world.
Keith Stelzer:And, you know, that that's where just every time I'm I'm having lunch, the feedback I get from from our professionals coming in is, you know, I I heard from you right away. You know, I answered all my questions, really helped me to understand, you know, and make sure this was the right fit for me and just just so so personable, so kind, so helpful. Right? And that's just, oh, I don't know. I can kinda fills my cup up when I hear those things.
Keith Stelzer:Right? Yeah. So just makes you feel good about about what you're building in addition. And that's part of who we are here at People Transport, part of our culture of of being a people focused, company.
Aaron Craddock:I know that there are some directors recruiting and some VPs recruiting listening right now thinking, like, my recruiters oversell things and the drivers don't like them. So, like, how do you guys accomplish that? Like, how do you have a team of just recruiters that the drivers don't view as, like, your sleazy salesperson, but view as, like, a partner? Yeah. Like like, how are you accomplishing that?
Aaron Craddock:And and then how are you getting them How are you all getting on the same page in terms of trust communicating? Here's exactly what the job looks like. I mean, not I know none of us do it perfectly, but as best as we can.
Keith Stelzer:Right. Yeah. You're always gonna make mistakes, and you're gonna you're gonna miss on this or be misaligned a little bit here or there. But I think, number one, not not only are we making sure we're bringing in the right professional drivers for us, right, and and for them for them, we're doing that on on who we bring in here into the office as well. Right?
Keith Stelzer:So, you know, it's not a maybe a a simple process coming coming to work here, paper transport in the office. And and part of that again is is also and I I know I'm gonna go back to this again, but we do a a behavioral and kinda personality assessment on the front end too, you know, for our office teams and making sure that, hey, they're they're fit, for us is good. But also, this one is more specific even that they're they're the right fit for the role that we're placing them into. So I think, you know, that's something that I think, has made a world of difference for us. We've been utilizing that for for over ten years now, and it's been a a great tool for us and something that has just really helped us, I think, to put the right people in the right roles.
Keith Stelzer:Beyond that, you know, I talked about the bridge to operations, kind of the bridge to the the relationship that's gonna be the key relationship for that driver, that driver manager to driver relationship. You know, when a a candidate is talking to their operations team, right, they're reaffirming some things. Right? So there's there's a little bit of a double check kinda built in place and into our process as well. Not that there's not a just a great deal of inherent trust in our recruiters, but that's a great a great way for us to make sure that, hey.
Keith Stelzer:You know, my recruiter wasn't saying one thing, and I'm talking to an an operations person that's actually, you know, managing the team of people doing this job right now, and they're misaligned. Right? Those two things need to need to come to alignment through that process. And so so
Aaron Craddock:being over recruiting and safety, so are you are you working with the the different ops people and leaders there? Like, who who's doing the work of building that culture to where everybody is on the same page and, like, pulling in the same direction? Because because that what you have is special because not every, you know, fleet has that, especially I mean I mean, you guys are pretty big as well. Yeah. And so who who is doing that, like, coaching and working together and alignment?
Keith Stelzer:Yeah. I mean, you know, I don't think you could point to kinda one person, one department, you know, one area that that's doing that. I think it it has to be across the organization. You You know, culture is a hard thing to put your finger on. Right?
Keith Stelzer:Everybody wants to talk about about their culture. It is a really hard thing to put your your finger on. I think here, we just do a a few things to kinda make it purposeful. Right? Like, you know, we we have we have things around the office.
Keith Stelzer:We start our week every week with with, an all office meeting, you know, just for five minutes, right, to hit on that that week's culture message and and safety focus and focus for the week. And so I think it's it's just continue to do some of the small things, you know, to make sure that you're you're all pulling in the same direction. Right? That being said, you know, I think transparency within our organization is a really key key component of that. And then, you know, just making sure to do your best to tear down silos.
Keith Stelzer:Right? We all get siloed in in at times. Right? But, you know, really working hard to to kinda fight against that. And, you know, I wish I could tell you, like, hey.
Keith Stelzer:We do this or we do that, but I I think it's just a a compilation of small things. And then, you know, making sure that that, you know, for us, we have 15 culture statements, that those are in alignment with our our core values and that's in alignment with our mission. I know that that's all simple business speak, but, you know, the reality is living it versus just having it on the wall or on paper is is a is there's a big difference there. And and you have to find the ways that that work best for you and your organization to live in.
Aaron Craddock:Yeah. The that's so good. Like, I I was I was, like, taking notes feverishly on that. So, like, doing the small things well, and then I liked the five minute all office meeting and that I just love that. I love that it's short like that.
Aaron Craddock:And then you said you touch on culture, so there's that weekly cohesion on that. And then safety, which is so important, and I know you guys are are leading in some of the efforts on on on safety, on some different boards and things like that. Yeah. And then just focus focus for the week. Yeah.
Aaron Craddock:I love love that clarity. Again, it's it's just sort
Keith Stelzer:of a point today. And I wish, Aaron, I could tell you, you know, hey. This person has just been so instrumental. And I will say there's been some very instrumental people in in our history here at Paper Transport, you know, whether it was our original founders or previous president or or CEO. Right?
Keith Stelzer:I mean, you know, everybody has to be to be on board. But I think inevitably, I I think here anywhere that that has a a good culture, a solid culture, right, you have you have the vast majority of of your employee base, right, that's committed to it. Right? It it can't just be leadership. Right?
Keith Stelzer:It can't just be, you know, the the front lines doing the the hard work. Right? It has to be everybody in the mix, and and then you need to protect that. Right? So those that that won't get on board with it, right, and and won't support it.
Keith Stelzer:Right? Maybe this maybe that's just this place isn't the right place for them. Right? Maybe they need to find some work somewhere else that that is the right place, that that does align with with what they, you know, what their their culture, you know, values are. Right?
Keith Stelzer:Those types of things.
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Aaron Craddock:Visit truckingclicks.com or call (512) 982-0816 today. Yeah. So who is the right person to work at paper transport? Whether it's driver, office staff, anything, like, who who are the right people?
Keith Stelzer:Yeah. I'm gonna steal a statement I've heard from from others. But, you know, we we can be a place for anyone, but we're not we're not a place for everyone. Right? So, I mean, that that's something that I think brings brings dear dear to me, and I think I I I can't put a a perfect, you know, plug in place here for who it is.
Keith Stelzer:What I'll say is we look for some some key things, especially, both the professional driver side and then the office side. We look at it a little bit little bit differently and and how that's gonna work together. You know, our industry is fast paced. Right? So, you know, if you come into this industry, you know, there might be a few areas that you can be in that you don't have to have kind of that that mentality of being fast paced.
Keith Stelzer:Right? But for the most part, you know, if if you're if you're working in the world of transportation, you need to be able to kinda bounce around and bounce from the, you know, item to item. Right? And I think that's something we we take a really close look at, you know. And it's not maybe even just specific to to us, but it's kind of a fit to the industry, more than anything.
Keith Stelzer:And then I think on the professional driver side, it's it's really about you kinda kinda you're fit to to to doing the right thing. Right? And and, you know, that that certainly is always the safe thing. But beyond that, it's about the balance of of balancing, you know, the demands of the job, which, you know, our professional drivers, they have one of the hardest jobs in the world. Right?
Keith Stelzer:And and, you know, that that's something that I think is is really important is how they kind of how they look at things and how they approach things and that they approach it in a balanced manner. The other item on the office side is right, you need you need to be able to make decisions. And the the industry, the the the the day, you know, every everything moves too fast for you to for for you to not be be confident in in in making even just some simple decisions. And that that's the other other thing. I I think we we really spent some time really diving into what we're when we're talking to people about, well, joining our industry and and joining our organization.
Aaron Craddock:Yeah. That that really hits home for me because, like, I kinda pride myself in, like, being a fast moving person, like, in the industry. But I even I made my word, like, my word I do a word of the year every year. My word is acceleration this year. And and it's really just purse it's like, I I was I was leaving the office a little early yesterday at 04:00 to spend some time with my two year old, So we do these little mini adventures.
Aaron Craddock:Yeah. So I had to leave right at four. And so at 03:55, there were, like, two things that I need to keep moving. And I was like, okay, Aaron. Acceleration.
Aaron Craddock:And it's hard for me because I want those responses because it was like somebody introing me into this association and then Yeah. This other intro into a potential client. And so I wanted to, like, have the perfect answer, but it's like, no. You just, like, you've gotta move. Yeah.
Aaron Craddock:Because, like, the because a week from now, that person is also in the transportation industry, and that's gonna be so far behind. Like, they're not even gonna be thinking about it. Like, they're on their radar. If I respond, it's like, okay. Missed your window.
Aaron Craddock:And, yeah, yeah, it's just such a fascinating industry from that standpoint. And and this year, I think it's gonna accelerate more, which is hard to believe. But there's gonna be more technology rollout this year. Things might heat up and or just complexity shifts with more local versus Yeah. Versus regional and OTR.
Aaron Craddock:Like, there's just a big change there. And then AI.
Keith Stelzer:You know, I know we
Aaron Craddock:that way you hear it all the time, but I was speaking with one of my developers this last week. We were in a performance review, and he was talking about how the average developer because he because he works with, like like, a lot of developers around the country. Yep. And he's like, that that now takes them a quarter of the amount of time to, like, get a project done on average. That that was the way he estimated it.
Aaron Craddock:Wow. Just because you can ask AI to code things. Right. And so I honestly have just been thinking, oh, this is a buzzword. Like, we're we're kinda making this too much of a thing.
Aaron Craddock:Yeah. But when he said that, he's like he's like, I now have to be four times as effective because of Yeah. Just how things are changing. Yeah. And my whole job is gonna completely change.
Aaron Craddock:And he gave an example. He's like, I there was this tool that in the past took me a year to build, and then I and then I redid it, and it took me a day. Like, I'm like, what in the world? He's like, yeah. Just because all I have to know is the prompts on how to build it now, and then I just check the code.
Aaron Craddock:I was like, what in the world? I've never heard of such a thing. Like, that's crazy how quickly.
Keith Stelzer:Yeah. That that's huge. I mean, you you could you spend a lot of time talking about AI, and I think that's that's the other thing. Right? I mean, our industry is certainly fast paced, but you need to be sound on your decisions.
Keith Stelzer:Right? You have to make still good foundational decisions, but we need to embrace embrace change and embrace, technology and and what, you know, what in the world it might do, you know, to our industry and continue to do, you know, for the better. So I think that's that's something that, you can spend a lot of time thinking and talking about that one. So and I and I think when you talk about pace and decision making, right, especially especially if you you you're involved in the day to day, it's just so important there. Right?
Keith Stelzer:I mean, for for strategic planning and and and long term, you know, plans for your organization and, you know, strategy. Right? Yeah. You need to spend some some mind space there. Right?
Keith Stelzer:And and spend some time thinking through those those big things. But our industry just demands, you know, day to day adaptability and and, ability to to kinda make the next move. Right?
Aaron Craddock:And so yeah. So that's one of the things you guys are testing on on the front end is just are looking for is just are they are they adaptable?
Keith Stelzer:We're we're we're finding it in a a pretty, you know I I believe to be scientific way through our through our Yeah. Your assessment. Right? I mean, yeah. It's not we call it a test, but I I guess you could you could label it that.
Keith Stelzer:But more more of a an assessment.
Aaron Craddock:Assessment. Yeah. Yeah. Sorry. I No.
Aaron Craddock:Spoke on that. No. The assessment on the onboarding. Yeah. Well, are there there's a couple things I wanna run through, like like, really quick.
Aaron Craddock:Let's say, like, one minute rapid fire rounds because everybody wants me to ask these. Is, like, are you noticing anything, like, in terms of marketing trends changing in terms of how you source drivers specifically? Like, that could be, like, certain things working well or things you're looking at this year.
Keith Stelzer:Yeah. I think, you know, the the top of the the funnel, I guess, AD, you know, phrase that way. But some of your key places, right, your Indeed's of the world, right, they're still driving a a big bulk of of what's coming in. Right? You still have to post on job boards.
Keith Stelzer:You still have to be engaged. That's probably the biggest the biggest board, right, for for almost any any career path. Right? But I think for us, you know, some of the newer things, that we're really starting to to see come to fruition are just, you know, some some some more focus and engagement, you know, on social media. And I think we you know, we've been focused there for years and years.
Keith Stelzer:Right? It's like, okay. But it, you know, it's hard to track the returns. It it takes seems like it takes longer to get the returns there. But I think, you know, as as we focus more and more there, I think we're just starting to see, you know, a bit more click through, follow through, right, in in some of those those veins.
Keith Stelzer:And I think, you know, I can't say it's it's one or the other. It's not just Facebook or or TikTok or or YouTube. Right? It's kind of a compilation or a combination of those things. And I think strategy there has started to pay off a bit more.
Keith Stelzer:I think we're we're getting a little more follow through and and, recognition there so that that's helping to kinda kinda build the longer term pipeline for our organization. Outside of that, I don't think there's been like this this quick hit that that we're seeing, you know, just just be a a a a quick home run. But I just think, you know, the energy and focus there and then focusing on creativity in that space too. Right? Like, doing some some fun things, doing some funny things, you know, showing who you are in that space, is huge.
Keith Stelzer:And I I maybe not as good as that as as our people that actually do that work. You know, thank goodness they're better than me. But but, yeah, I think that's that's been been key to us. And that's when I you know, myself not not being a social media junkie, like, it's just not it's really not me, but, you know, thank goodness we have people here that know what the heck they're doing in that space.
Aaron Craddock:Yeah. That's one thing I'd, like, a goal for this year is to try to laugh more and, like, enjoy things. Because, like, by default, I'm just very serious in, like, mood, goals, mission. But a lot of people have just challenged me to, like, just have more fun with it. And I really like that creativity and having fun with it in your marketing and advertising like that.
Aaron Craddock:Yeah. That might be that little breakout success, this year. What are you seeing, like, in terms of just, what do you anticipate with the industry? I know you said you're, like, planning and set for growth, but, not that any of us really knows, but, like, what do you yeah. What do you anticipate?
Aaron Craddock:What are you what are you just kinda seeing in general or feeling in the market going into, like, as we enter you know, we're entering February right now.
Keith Stelzer:Yeah. So I think, you know, you're you're seeing more capacity bleed off, but I think it it still is really slow at times. And I think, you know, that's the concerning part. So, you know, there's a little bit of a worry around, hey, you know, has enough come out that that and if if things start to bounce back or are more gonna come in really quickly again. But I think, you know, the the the number of brokers that came into our industry over the last few years just was astronomical.
Keith Stelzer:Right? You've seen a a drop off on that side as well. So I think, you know, paying attention to those couple things. Like, what is capacity doing? And then, you know, what is what is the one way market doing?
Keith Stelzer:You know, are things that that we're paying attention to. You know, outside of that, you know, just staying really close to the customer base. Like, what what's going on in their world? Right? I mean, and what's what's going on with with the volumes of freight.
Keith Stelzer:Right? What are the what are the tariffs gonna do? What are some of these these big things that that are in in our in our world right now? Like, what are those impacts gonna be? And I'm trying to just really actively listen, you know, with with our our customers too.
Keith Stelzer:So but I wish I could say, hey. We're we're we're keen on this. We're keen on that. I I think it's just, again, a a handful of things.
Aaron Craddock:Yeah. And all that is just evolving very quickly. It's like if we even touch on with specificity, the tariff situation currently, it'll be outdated in a in a month when this Right. Releases. Right.
Aaron Craddock:Because it's changing so fast. Yeah. But yeah. That that's good. Like, so basically, as a fleet, you're focused on your key clients, like, what they're thinking, what they're feeling, what they're, like, just really centered on just their pain points and where they see things going.
Aaron Craddock:So it's very what you're seeing in the market is just very specific to you guys and and Yeah.
Keith Stelzer:And I Dedicated for you. You know, the the focus of your customer base too, you know, can kinda tell you where they think things are going. Right? I mean, are they are they talking in short term, medium term, long term ways? Right?
Keith Stelzer:I mean, when when, you know, there's there's to be a little bit more medium and long term focus, right, that that means that things are starting to shift, right, a little bit. So, so I think that's something to key on to.
Aaron Craddock:That's good. Yeah. One of my predictions in it is just yeah. Everybody like, we going back to what we talked about in the middle, just like a cautious optimism. Yeah.
Aaron Craddock:I think everybody's just gonna go into it a little leaner, a little smarter Yeah. With a little more technology just because things were so bloody from just with a lot of companies having to lay off a lot of people. Yeah. On the recruiting side, on the driver side, just letting attrition happen. Yep.
Aaron Craddock:You know, some things where yeah. I think it's just gonna be cautious optimism and Yeah. None of the aggressive stuff like we've seen in the past.
Keith Stelzer:I I agree. I think you're right. And and just gotta balance that. We need to be we need we do need to be careful, you know, around this this recovery. And inevitably, you know, the the times last few years probably didn't keep up with with inflation, you know, up until up until this year.
Keith Stelzer:Right? So, you know, there's a lot of cost factors too. And just just being disciplined, right, as you're as you're as you're looking to to expand or grow is gonna be really key and it's what's best for our our industry too. Right? I mean, it doesn't help when we undercut each other to to break even or take a loss.
Keith Stelzer:Right? There's there's no point in that. So so I think, you know, that that's something that I think you're gonna see a little bit more discipline, as as time goes on here. And and hopefully, that just carries over, right, even to the the next time around, you know, because our our market cycles. Right?
Keith Stelzer:Kind of a perfect example of of supply and demand traditionally.
Aaron Craddock:Yeah. And coming out of COVID, I mean, we're still dealing with, like, what we're dealing with today is just the collapse of everything during COVID and then the run up everyone thought was a new normal and profitability was through the roof and then long tail crash.
Keith Stelzer:Right. Right. Yeah. It was the highest and highest, and now it's, like, the lowest and longest. It's like, man, you know?
Keith Stelzer:So you're right. So but yeah.
Aaron Craddock:Yeah. I like the cautious optimism.
Keith Stelzer:Now we're we're in a much different spot in in a really positive space, you know, for for all of our benefit.
Aaron Craddock:Yeah. Awesome. Well, thank you so much, Keith, for your time today. Really, really appreciate it. I just think we added a ton of value to the industry.
Aaron Craddock:And so I just yeah. I really appreciate your time in the middle of your busy day jumping on for our audience.
Keith Stelzer:Yeah. No problem. Thanks a lot, Aaron. Thanks for having me.
Aaron Craddock:Thank you for joining us today. Our goal with the Hire Truckers podcast is to provide industry insights, marketing trends, and motivation to level up your recruiting game. If we added value, take a few seconds to share this with your network.
Keith Stelzer:Have a
Aaron Craddock:great week.