This is a guide on how to handle situations where drivers, (especially new or untrained drivers), are complaining about SAF jobs, if alone, or with a jockey.

The basis of the procedure is formed around getting all the information from the driver, ensuring the accuracy of the information, and determining if what the driver sees is different to what the customer booked PRIOR to even considering calling the customer.

Ask the driver to take a picture of the actual total boxes to compare to what is booked in. Drivers sometimes overestimate the number of boxes they are looking at, or underestimate how big the stacks of boxes may appear from the quantity listed on the paperwork.

If the number of boxes counted is more than what should be collected, call the customer to ask if they want all of it collected. If yes, check if we have the time and space to finish the collection or if it needs to be rescheduled. In case we need to reschedule the additional collection, explain the issue to the customer. Either way, explain any additional costs to the customer and if the customer is prepaid, ask for payment via credit card over the phone prior to telling the driver to proceed to finish the job.

If the actual number of boxes matched what’s booked in, explain to the driver that this is the number of boxes that should be collected (you can use the image presented to explain how the number of boxes are being counted).

Check the access of the site attendance. If the access is hard, explain to the driver that the reason the job is taking a long time is that it is listed as hard access, which has already been allowed for in the price charged to the customer.

Tell the driver to ask if there is a trolley or other equipment that they can use so they can take more boxes per trip. Tell them to take as many boxes as safely possible per trip in the most efficient way possible for them to get it all done as easy as possible.

If the driver is already complaining even though he has not seen the job yet, and it is listed as easy access, explain to the driver that the job should have easy access where the boxes are all together right near where he can pull up. There may even be a forklift on site to help him load the boxes, and if not, tell him to ask the customer for assistance if required as they booked the job as easy access so if it's any harder than that, the customer should help or be charged more.

Always remember that it is best to make the driver feel assured that he can do the job, and you know what you are talking about, so they will trust your words and be at ease with the job.