Are you 17 and absolutely thick as a brick?
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The majority of planners are not planners at all.
The planning is done by software…the planners just transfer the information.
If you want to be a planner then get a 6 month contract taking orders in a fast food restaurant…ma Donald’s. Kfc. Etc…if you really enjoy that then go for a job as a planner… but assume it will be less rewarding
UKtramp:
AndieHyde:
Moral of this tale, If you aspire to managment of any sort. It’s kill or be killed and although I have learnt to smile when I kill those “above” me.It is a well known management tool, known as the smiling assassin. Used it a lot myself during my management days.
Okay…to be absolutely clear…Planners are not Managers…
UK Trump was a fridge repairer and has never managed anything…good managers are few and far between and certainly no half decent manager was a smiling assassin.
DonutUK:
Be prepared for drivers, who think about nothing else but themselves, who have never worked in an office environment, some who may be able to barely manage to walk upright and talk at the same, tell you all about how you should be doing your job and how much better they could do it.Oh, and how easy it is.
It’s a shame because there are some fantastic drivers out there, but they are the ones that just get on with the job, competently and quietly, and subsequently get forgotten about because planners are too busy dealing with the ones that need nurse-maiding through every job.
80/20 rule applies…you’ll spend 80% of your time dealing with 20% of your drivers…
The most important tip I can give to anyone working in a traffic office is this…treat your drivers with respect, even the difficult ones, because at the end of the day, the most valuable asset a transport company has is the drivers. You can have the best kit in the world, but if your drivers are crap/unhappy, your business will suffer.
Drivers think everyone in the office is thick just because they don’t get a reason why a decision to do something has been made, the driver just assumes the planner is stupid even though there could be all sorts of resource issues, customer requests, and all sorts of other things why it’s been done this way. Just because a driver doesn’t get told the reason it means the office is stupid.
Then planners, as you say, feel the need to have to baby sit certain drivers and only give them a little bit of information at a time because they can’t trust the driver just to get on with it and not go off doing their own thing.
Sometimes both sides have valid points and middle ground needs to be found.
Personally I couldn’t do it. Sitting at a desk answering phones all day? Couldn’t think of anything worse to be honest. Yeah I’d know what time I was starting each day and know what time I’d be home each day, but I reckon I’d hate every minute of the time in between!
AndieHyde:
UKtramp:
AndieHyde:
Moral of this tale, If you aspire to managment of any sort. It’s kill or be killed and although I have learnt to smile when I kill those “above” me.It is a well known management tool, known as the smiling assassin. Used it a lot myself during my management days.
While I agree, it is a thing.
You never see a person who has real skin in the game behave in this manner. They will encourage their minions to do the dirty work, but never themselves.Running my own company for 7 years has taught me to treat employees with respect and encouragment to get the best from them. It’s important because it’s my money that is funding their employment. Ancient wisdom in this case says you will catch more flies with jam as apposed to vinegar.
A work a day planner gets paid no matter what and isnt, by definition “your boss”. They are just another link in the chain, just like the driver they are responsable in asset managment.
When they get all shouty and unreasonable, park the truck up and throw the keys in a field and point out THEIR problem. Watch them climb down from the high horse.I know, I dont have a morgage to pay so I can take this mavrick approach but I have had to put up with this kind of $#it for most of my life and “bosses” will always use any leverage against you.
Better to die fighting as a free man, than to live a life on your knees as a slave
Take note of this fella. He has a spine.
DonutUK:
It’s a shame because there are some fantastic drivers out there, but they are the ones that just get on with the job, competently and quietly, and subsequently get forgotten about because planners are too busy dealing with the ones that need It’s a shame because there are some fantastic drivers out there, but they are the ones that just get on with the job, competently and quietly, and subsequently get forgotten about because planners are too busy dealing with the ones that need nurse-maiding through every job. through every job.
Your name really suits you, no competent driver gets forgotten about, you are more thought of than the ones who have to be nurse maided as you put it. I do not need micro managing and would prefer to have no contact at all with our traffic other than “where to next and for what time” I am very highly regarded for exactly this ( and my refrigeration expertise) I am glad we have numpty drivers on our team for the very simple reason of the exact opposite to what you are saying. I would prefer to be forgotten in the same way I prefer to forget our traffic office. I need only be told a destination an time for pickup and delivery then forget the rest of the bull ■■■■, I had traffic on the phone with me every half hour or so when I first started a few weeks ago, they now are only on the phone with me when I ring them. Some drivers like to collect brownie points, not me I have plenty already.
I was a planner for a while… If you actually care about the job and the drivers you wont last… It will drag you down. For every good driver that will just crack on you will have 5 that will create the biggest mountains from the tiniest molehill… And then blame you, you see them all the while congregated around the coffee machine discussing who is gong where and why… Eventually you will end up ■■■■■■■ the only good drivers you have off and they will go elsewhere… Imho the bad drivers are a route cause in why many planners are the way they are. Having to listen to the tiniest problems constantly, whilst trying to deal with major problems just takes the soul out. Read through some of the posts on here may give you an idea…
some come on and ask for advice ect. And get decent replies. Others come on and just whine. I can think of a few… But either way if your going into it thinking you can change things them think again cos its highly unlikely you will get those above you to agree. Personally i managed to keep majority of drivers happy, reduced their hours a little increased deliveries by better panning and got them a pay rise. Less hassle at delivery as they got there on time ect… Bit more £ for employer and employee… End story i walked when employer decided he wanted more with the same workforce. I left and now none of the original drivers are there and the company is back to square one… Moral of the story. Thankless job…
Trucker-Si:
$$$:
But I’m not sure ive got the personality or the intelligence to do it. Any tips on how best I can fulfil my dream?Don’t do it!!! It’s a thankless job where you’ll never do anything right, in my experience you go about your day trying to make the best of a bad situation by trying to cover every job when you have a shortfall of trucks/drivers, which in turn will then get every driver whinging and moaning and going out of there way to make life difficult for you, don’t do it!
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This, entirely this. I’d also add a large part of your day also involves pushing blame around for stuff that has gone wrong.
AndrewG:
DonutUK:
It’s a shame because there are some fantastic drivers out there, but they are the ones that just get on with the job, competently and quietly, and subsequently get forgotten about because planners are too busy dealing with the ones that need nurse-maiding through every job.^
This
Place i sub for as an O/D wont employ anyone without at least 10 years international experience with a proven track record, consequently the TM’s just hand out paperwork knowing full well the job will get done and the truck and load is in safe hands. They have it pretty easy as most problems are ironed out by the drivers themselves without having to ring the office every 10 mins…
I’ve taken on newbies on international. Possibly it’s different because we double man mostly and so they don’t get let out on their own until the ‘senior’ driver says they are OK, but even after a few months they’be got it. Maybe I’m mostly lucky, but I can forget about them sometimes. 
Bertie was my planner, he didn’t say much and never answered the phone.
UKtramp:
DonutUK:
It’s a shame because there are some fantastic drivers out there, but they are the ones that just get on with the job, competently and quietly, and subsequently get forgotten about because planners are too busy dealing with the ones that need It’s a shame because there are some fantastic drivers out there, but they are the ones that just get on with the job, competently and quietly, and subsequently get forgotten about because planners are too busy dealing with the ones that need nurse-maiding through every job. through every job.Your name really suits you, no competent driver gets forgotten about, you are more thought of than the ones who have to be nurse maided as you put it. I do not need micro managing and would prefer to have no contact at all with our traffic other than “where to next and for what time” I am very highly regarded for exactly this ( and my refrigeration expertise) I am glad we have numpty drivers on our team for the very simple reason of the exact opposite to what you are saying. I would prefer to be forgotten in the same way I prefer to forget our traffic office. I need only be told a destination an time for pickup and delivery then forget the rest of the bull [zb], I had traffic on the phone with me every half hour or so when I first started a few weeks ago, they now are only on the phone with me when I ring them. Some drivers like to collect brownie points, not me I have plenty already.
dle1uk:
I was a planner for a while… If you actually care about the job and the drivers you wont last… It will drag you down. For every good driver that will just crack on you will have 5 that will create the biggest mountains from the tiniest molehill… And then blame you, you see them all the while congregated around the coffee machine discussing who is gong where and why… Eventually you will end up ■■■■■■■ the only good drivers you have off and they will go elsewhere… Imho the bad drivers are a route cause in why many planners are the way they are. Having to listen to the tiniest problems constantly, whilst trying to deal with major problems just takes the soul out. Read through some of the posts on here may give you an idea…
some come on and ask for advice ect. And get decent replies. Others come on and just whine. I can think of a few… But either way if your going into it thinking you can change things them think again cos its highly unlikely you will get those above you to agree. Personally i managed to keep majority of drivers happy, reduced their hours a little increased deliveries by better panning and got them a pay rise. Less hassle at delivery as they got there on time ect… Bit more £ for employer and employee… End story i walked when employer decided he wanted more with the same workforce. I left and now none of the original drivers are there and the company is back to square one… Moral of the story. Thankless job…
This ^^
I have also left a planning job when the company decided it want to make redundancies and wanted me to do all the dirty work!
DonutUK:
dle1uk:
I was a planner for a while… If you actually care about the job and the drivers you wont last… It will drag you down. For every good driver that will just crack on you will have 5 that will create the biggest mountains from the tiniest molehill… And then blame you, you see them all the while congregated around the coffee machine discussing who is gong where and why… Eventually you will end up ■■■■■■■ the only good drivers you have off and they will go elsewhere… Imho the bad drivers are a route cause in why many planners are the way they are. Having to listen to the tiniest problems constantly, whilst trying to deal with major problems just takes the soul out. Read through some of the posts on here may give you an idea…
some come on and ask for advice ect. And get decent replies. Others come on and just whine. I can think of a few… But either way if your going into it thinking you can change things them think again cos its highly unlikely you will get those above you to agree. Personally i managed to keep majority of drivers happy, reduced their hours a little increased deliveries by better panning and got them a pay rise. Less hassle at delivery as they got there on time ect… Bit more £ for employer and employee… End story i walked when employer decided he wanted more with the same workforce. I left and now none of the original drivers are there and the company is back to square one… Moral of the story. Thankless job…This ^^
I have also left a planning job when the company decided it want to make redundancies and wanted me to do all the dirty work!
Perfect job for you I would have thought. Can’t imagine how you would be first on the hitlist for redundancies.
UKtramp:
DonutUK:
dle1uk:
I was a planner for a while… If you actually care about the job and the drivers you wont last… It will drag you down. For every good driver that will just crack on you will have 5 that will create the biggest mountains from the tiniest molehill… And then blame you, you see them all the while congregated around the coffee machine discussing who is gong where and why… Eventually you will end up ■■■■■■■ the only good drivers you have off and they will go elsewhere… Imho the bad drivers are a route cause in why many planners are the way they are. Having to listen to the tiniest problems constantly, whilst trying to deal with major problems just takes the soul out. Read through some of the posts on here may give you an idea…
some come on and ask for advice ect. And get decent replies. Others come on and just whine. I can think of a few… But either way if your going into it thinking you can change things them think again cos its highly unlikely you will get those above you to agree. Personally i managed to keep majority of drivers happy, reduced their hours a little increased deliveries by better panning and got them a pay rise. Less hassle at delivery as they got there on time ect… Bit more £ for employer and employee… End story i walked when employer decided he wanted more with the same workforce. I left and now none of the original drivers are there and the company is back to square one… Moral of the story. Thankless job…This ^^
I have also left a planning job when the company decided it want to make redundancies and wanted me to do all the dirty work!
Perfect job for you I would have thought. Can’t imagine how you would be first on the hitlist for redundancies.
dle1uk:
I was a planner for a while… If you actually care about the job and the drivers you wont last… It will drag you down. For every good driver that will just crack on you will have 5 that will create the biggest mountains from the tiniest molehill… And then blame you, you see them all the while congregated around the coffee machine discussing who is gong where and why… Eventually you will end up ■■■■■■■ the only good drivers you have off and they will go elsewhere… Imho the bad drivers are a route cause in why many planners are the way they are. Having to listen to the tiniest problems constantly, whilst trying to deal with major problems just takes the soul out. Read through some of the posts on here may give you an idea…
some come on and ask for advice ect. And get decent replies. Others come on and just whine. I can think of a few… But either way if your going into it thinking you can change things them think again cos its highly unlikely you will get those above you to agree. Personally i managed to keep majority of drivers happy, reduced their hours a little increased deliveries by better panning and got them a pay rise. Less hassle at delivery as they got there on time ect… Bit more £ for employer and employee… End story i walked when employer decided he wanted more with the same workforce. I left and now none of the original drivers are there and the company is back to square one… Moral of the story. Thankless job…
Good post.
I’ve done it in the past and it is a thankless task - as shown by the majority of replies in this thread.
I’ve never known an industry with more whinging workers than HGV drivers - and I’ve worked in various places. 9 out of 10 aren’t happy, probably 7 out of 10 are always ‘looking for summat else’ and as a planner you put up with all of it.
Where I work we have a great fella, been doing it for 20 odd years and never had a licence himself. He knows the job inside out and will always try and help you with nights home / early finishes. But still he has to deal with the few who always whinge whatever job they’re given.
I wouldn’t do it again - and most of them actually earn less than the drivers.
I’ve worked in & visited a few companies where the management side ( i.e. the planners) are safely protected behind locked, sturdy doors & can only be seen through glass that is several inches thick with nothing more than a 6" dia semi circle or long defunct microphone & speaker system to communicate with them.
Is this because all HGV drivers are mentally deranged, psychopathic thugs capable of the indiscriminate murder of anyone within arms reach?
I don’t hate them . . . I pity them.
No mention of skin blemishes, Lynx Africa, ■■■■■ gel, a fractured grasp of reality or working in an office that only has one door…and that has exit written on it. Oh, and bitten fingernails.
AndieHyde:
Get some pointy shoes and an Audi, the rest are just details.
Correct, but somewhat of a sweeping generalisation?
Surely the shoes need to be brown and pointy, and half a tub of monkey sp&ff in the overtly trendy haircut required too?
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Winnifred1:
AndieHyde:
Get some pointy shoes and an Audi, the rest are just details.Correct, but somewhat of a sweeping generalisation?
Surely the shoes need to be brown and pointy, and half a tub of monkey sp&ff in the overtly trendy haircut required too?Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Oi! I’m a planner! I don’t own pointy shoes or an Audi! As for hair,''tis but a distant memory. Mind you, I’ve only been a planner for 18months (driver of nearly 30yrs before)Maybe I need to invest in said shoes and Audi and a Wayne Rooney weave thingy to make me a pro!
GOG47:
Winnifred1:
AndieHyde:
Get some pointy shoes and an Audi, the rest are just details.Correct, but somewhat of a sweeping generalisation?
Surely the shoes need to be brown and pointy, and half a tub of monkey sp&ff in the overtly trendy haircut required too?Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Oi! I’m a planner! I don’t own pointy shoes or an Audi! As for hair,''tis but a distant memory. Mind you, I’ve only been a planner for 18months (driver of nearly 30yrs before)Maybe I need to invest in said shoes and Audi and a Wayne Rooney weave thingy to make me a pro!
Wayne Rooney and a pro in the same sentence, nice work.