It's a Team's Life
Dealing with Attitude
The other day when accepting a load, we knew that we were going to have to deal with a very grouchy dock worker.
This gentleman many years ago either decided that he hated life, hated his job, or that he was going to make everyone as miserable as he is. The best way we have found to deal with him is to smile and not let his bad day affect our day. Being polite and professional at least curbs this person’s attitude somewhat as he has nothing to pick at.
There used to be another place that we had to load where this gentleman was very abrupt, but he was always professional and he really had our respect. His inspection of our truck was always very thorough and professional. We knew before entering this facility that every light on the truck had to work, and it did not matter if they were DOT required or not. Over time we got to know him a little better and he shared pictures of his little girl he was very proud of and when he transferred we were disappointed to see him go.
In both of these examples, these two gentlemen are doing the job that many others do who enjoy their work. They all follow the same rules, enforce the same rules, and go to work the same days and hours but enjoy their jobs and it shows. These people are a joy to work with and we look forward to seeing them.
Overall, we have found most people we deal with to have a pretty good attitude of what they do and are proud of their job. They are very proficient and we leave their facility confident in how they loaded their product and took care of their paperwork.
Dealing with people who hate their job or their life can be a very difficult and frustrating task. Learning to not let their attitude affect our way of doing business keeps us from stooping down to their level of irritation and ruining our day.
Bob & Linda Caffee
TeamCaffee
Saint Louis MO
Expediters since January 2005
Expediting isn't just trucking, it's a lifestyle;
Expediting isn't just a lifestyle, it's an adventure;
Expediting isn't just an adventure, it's a job;
Expediting isn't just a job, it's a business.