An Extra Set of Eyes
Dustin Franz bought an RPS route twenty years ago in Pasco, WA. Today, he's a successful FXG contractor with multiple routes. He's traveled an interesting path to profitability.
Buying a route was his first time owning a business. Much of how he learned to deliver packages came from his own experiences plus talking to contractors in his terminal.
Others taught him what they had learned from their own mistakes, and they really couldn't teach him how to be more profitable any faster. It was no fault of their own. They hadn't been trained themselves.
Dustin performed some online research and determined he needed outside assistance.
Read More
Topics:
Business Structure,
Business Tools,
Business Results,
Management,
ISP,
FedEx Ground,
contractor,
Profit,
coaching
Are your drivers forced to comply with safety rules?
Or do they want to comply?
If you prefer the latter, maybe you should consider Ashiq Mizan’s unique approach.
Do Your Drivers See the Big Picture?
Ashiq Mizan is a CSP in Philadelphia, PA, who had grown increasingly frustrated with his drivers’ lack of safety training compliance.
Despite the safety training lessons being super-easy, compliance in October was around 5%. Not only did his drivers' indifference put his money at risk, but it also showed that they were missing the bigger picture.
Read More
Topics:
Compliance,
FedEx,
Ground,
ISP,
FedEx Ground,
Business,
Contract,
Selling,
contractor,
Purchase,
safety
YOU CAN'T LET DRIVERS RUN YOUR BUSINESS
Business owners (CSP's) are generally likable. Drivers want to work for them. People enjoy being on their team. Nothing wrong with that. It's a good thing.
However, it's a problem when CSP's are too nice. Tracy Taylor learned that lesson early in his career as a Contractor.
"I had 12 employees, 15 trucks and two operations hundreds of miles apart. My people needed me to make tough decisions instead of letting them manage themselves," he recalls.
Read More
Topics:
Business Structure,
Business Tools,
Business Results,
Management,
ISP,
FedEx Ground,
contractor,
Profit
Is FedEx about to be purchased?
The answer is probably not...maybe.
Truth is we'll never know for sure until it happens. But don't lose sleep over it because it's not under your control.
However, it's good business to think about and reasonably prepare for change. Focus on things you can control.
Let's take a look at what a sale of FDX might look like for CSP's.
Read More
Topics:
Business Structure,
Business Outlook,
FedEx,
Ground,
ISP,
FedEx Ground,
Business,
Contract,
Selling,
contractor,
Purchase
RETAINING EMPLOYEES IN TIGHT LABOR MARKETS
Steve Ellis has been a contractor for almost twenty years. Many business owners who've been operating that long think their processes work because they've "always done it this way."
However, Steve's openness to studying and changing his processes make his operations exceptionally successful in a state with some of the lowest unemployment rates in the country.
Read More
Topics:
Business Structure,
Business Tools,
Business Results,
Management,
ISP,
FedEx Ground,
contractor,
Profit
THE PERILS OF BUSINESS OWNERSHIP
Marena and Ralph Markel bought their first FedEx Ground route in 2005.
Of course, they were inexperienced owners, but they were committed to their future and each other. Like many couples who work together, each spouse brought different skills and strengths to the business.
After experiencing significant growth, the pair were overwhelmed by the responsibilities of leading a large team of commercial drivers including:
- Scheduling
- Payroll
- Compliance
- Training
Would the couple remain happily in business?
Read More
Topics:
Business Structure,
Business Tools,
Business Results,
Management,
ISP,
FedEx Ground,
contractor,
Profit
We’ve been preaching it, to those who would listen, for years.
Recently, FXG finally admitted it.
You’ve been a part of it for years. But I bet a lot of you don’t even know what it is.
Now, you are actually living it.
It’s not being disguised anymore.
FXG has been telling you change is coming, but downplaying its severity in order to not upset the apple cart...too much.
So what is it?
Read More
Topics:
Business,
contractor
Some of you reading this have already negotiated your first ISP agreement.
Maybe more than one. Others, still have not gone through the process yet, and are wondering what to expect.
Whether you are a veteran, or going to be a rookie, we thought we'd take this opportunity to share with you what we have learned from helping more than 800 of you (as of August of 2017) successfully get through the process.
Read More
Topics:
Business Tools,
ISP Negotiation,
Ground,
ISP,
FedEx Ground,
Business,
Contract,
Negotiation,
contractor
Here we are at the end of another year.
Read More
Topics:
Business Structure,
Business Results,
FedEx,
Business Metrics,
Business,
Investment,
model,
Metrics,
Selling,
contractor,
Profit,
vendor
