2015
Employee News MESILLA VALLEY TRANSPORTATION V O L U M E
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9525 Escobar Dr. 3590 West Picacho Ave. El Paso, TX 79907 Las Cruces, NM. 88007 T- 915-872-2250 T-575- 524-2835
I S S U E
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3750 Stewarts Lane Nashville, TN 37218 T-615 627-5117
J A N U A R Y — F E B U A R Y
901 Carriers Dr. Laredo, TX 78045 T 956 717-9849
10210 N Vancouver Portland, OR 97217 T 503 286-6110
www.m-v-t.com
Employee News J A N U A R Y –
F E B U A R Y
V O L U M E
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I S S U E 4 .
How to Deal with Customers: Customer Service Advice from your Customer "The customer is always right". How many of you have heard this phrase? But the real question is, how many of you agree with this phrase? Customer Service is an integral part of our job, it’s something that will never go away because let’s face it, we need our customers, difficult or not to survive as a business. But how do you deal with customers? Or even better, how do you deal with customers in a difficult situation?
Inspirational Women in Transportation
Scenario: You ar e on the phone with one of your customer s and they ar e just fur ious with a cur r ent situation your company put them in, and you are hoping that... 1. Either the power goes out so you don't have to hear them complain. Or 2. That they realize that it's not your fault and they apologize to you instead. Most likely, neither of these two situations will happen and you will have to suck it up and listen to the angry customer. There is no avoiding these issues. At some point in your career you are going to be put in a difficult situation whether it was your fault or not and explain to the customer what happened. We are all human and we will make mistakes. We all know how to correct a mistake after the fact, that's how we learn. In life, you have to mess up to learn. What I want to share is how to soften the blow from your customer when you do make that mistake. It all starts before the mistake even happens.
Holly and Jackie Jones Owners of Verde Logistics
INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Insider Letter
2
Smart Way
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Pre-Trip
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inspection The Geeks
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Smartway
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Dinner for Two
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Driver Day
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Build a relationship. I'm not saying you have to become BFF's, do lunch, or call each other every day. But, if you can develop a professional relationship with someone and show them that you are a reliable, professional person, they will respect you, even when you mess up. How do you build a professional relationship? -Keep your word. If you say you are going to do something, do it! -Follow up. Make sure that whatever it is that you are supposed to accomplish for that person gets done, and gets done well. -Use complete sentences when replying to emails. I honestly can't stand one worded responses such as: "Noted" "Checking" And my personal least favorite, "K". When I see these I think, "Really? Did I waste your time, because you just wasted mine!" Get clarification. If you don't understand what your customer is asking of you let them know. Tell them you want to clarify and repeat it back to them. Be a good listener. Take the time to identify your customers needs by asking questions and concentrating on what the customer is really saying. Listen to their words, tone of voice, body language, and most importantly, how they feel. Beware of making assumptions - (Ass-u-me: you will make an ass out of u & me.) thinking you intuitively know what the customer wants will not end well. Be proactive. If something is not going to make a deadline, let the customer know with ample time. Don't let them know after the fact. When a customer has to point it out to you is the worst. If I were the customer I would much rather you call me to let me know something will be late rather than me calling to let you know that the truck (you know, the one from the same company you work for, that you have access to track and trace and check up on) didn't make it. Answer in a timely manner. Don't make your customer chase you down all day. Even if you don't have the answer to their question right away, respond to them and let them know "I am looking in to this and will respond to you when I have an answer". Then, make sure you respond! If you can do these things, your customer will respect you. When your customer respects you, they are a little more lenient when you mess up. They will hear you out, work with you, and make the best out of the situation. Of course, they may still be upset, but it won't be with you. They will be more likely to channel their anger at the situation. Remember A company’s most vital asset is its customers. Without them, we would not and could not exist in business. When you satisfy our customers, they not only help us grow by continuing to do business with you, but recommend you to friends and associates.
Sincerely, Holly Jones
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Perspective by Jackie Jones: For those of you that don’t know me, my name is Jackie Jones. I started working at MVT (officially) in 2000 after graduating High School. Having my dad tell me that I couldn't just live at home and party all night (parents, they think they know everything) really pushed me towards work. My first position here was as a file clerk in the Billing and Collection Department. I soon learned how to bill and collect. Later I learned about property management and book keeping while working in MVT's finance department. Today, I own and operate Verde Logistics with my sister Holly. I also have a construction company with my husband. I owe a lot of my success to the many great leaders that I have had the chance to work with at MVT. As much as I would like to talk about the people at MVT that I would consider my mentors, I don't want to leave anyone out. So instead, after reading Holly's article/letter, I want to talk about customers. My customers in both Transportation and Construction have taught me that every day is a learning experience. Some days are good and some are bad. What determines if it’s good or bad is not so much what happened but our perspective. Our perspective determines more than we realize. Although this is not true for all customers, I think in a lot of cases, it is fair to say that: Customers are not always fun. They always think they are right. They want us to do the impossible. Customers want to control the way we do things. Customers aren't understanding and a lot of times they aren't forgiving. I'm going to tell you a story about a customer of mine. A customer that has the personality of many customers that we have all had to deal with and can relate to. I have a customer, his name is John. He is the type of customer that is never happy and never satisfied. Whatever I do, it’s never good enough. If we have a plan, he wants to change it. He is overly involved and wants to control my employees and my projects. It's Wednesday morning as I type this and two of my employees have already had four meetings with him this week and are scheduled to have another meeting this afternoon. If we do something to try to please him, it’s not enough. When we tell him plans on how we are working to improve, he turns his nose up at us and doesn't seem to care at all. At times I think he wants us to fail. John doesn't want me or my company to do work for him, he is only tolerating us for the moment. In the six plus years that we have had him as a customer, I don't recall a time that he said he was ever happy with us, thanked us, told us we did a good job, or that we are appreciated in anyway. He is always ready to point out our short comings and I think he likes to remind us of our past mistakes. I hate to admit it I cringe when I see an email from him and I dread answering his phone calls. Sometimes, I just want John to disappear. I think John is my Enemy. Wouldn't life be great without having to deal with customers and people like this? Now, let me tell you the other side of the story...the side that we tend to forget about or just don't want to see. Every day, whether John knows it or not, John is pushing me to be my best. If it wasn't for people or customers like John, I wouldn't be pushed to do better. I wouldn't have someone to point out things that may have been or are being overlooked. He is helping me grow and think about things differently. John puts me in situations that I would never put myself in personally. He has taught me how to handle conflict, think outside the box, and try to stay one step ahead of him and others. He has taught me that things, life, work, whatever it is, is not always fair. He has taught me that he is the customer, and I am the service provider. As much as I want to tell him to jump off a cliff, it is my job, -no wait-, it is my privilege to have him as a customer. Without customers like John, I wouldn't be pushed out of my comfort zone. I should do more to show John that I appreciate him. I should thank him for pushing me. If it wasn't for his push or the push from others like him, I wouldn't have been able to grow my business and I'd probably be in the same spot I was in six years ago with the same mediocre business. John makes me want to be better and do better. He forces me to take an honest look at my business and myself. I can't wait for the day that he is happy with me or my employees. I have realized that day may never come. The only thing I can do is to continue improving. Do I wish John was nicer? Yes. Do I wish he was easier to work with? Yes. Would my business be better without him? No. I have to teach and remind myself that John is not my enemy. He is a person, who happens to be my customer. As hard as it is, I have to remind myself constantly that his ways, words and actions towards me are not personal. It’s just business. The truth is, he would be the same and treat anyone else the same way. It's the way he is. I don’t need to change John. I need to change the way I deal with people like him. With that being said, if it wasn't for people like him, I wouldn't be where I am today. By pushing me out of my comfort zone, he has helped me to grow in ways that others couldn't. He has made me stronger, smarter and more confident. In writing this, I even feel bad because John is not a bad person. He's really not even mean. At the end of the day, he is a person, just like me, who is trying to get his job done. You see, it’s all about perspective. With much success comes much responsibility. We have to take the good with the bad. We may not be able to change our customers, but we can always change the way we act, handle, and respond to them. Every day is a learning experience. What will you do with what you learn from each day? I choose to grow, and I know that with every bad, rude, horrible, uncomfortable experience, I am made stronger. I hope that my story has made sense and helped anyone who may be struggling with a difficult customer or person. Thank you all for being a part of MVT, and giving me the opportunity to share my story.
Sincerely, Jackie Jones
VOLUME
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ISSUE
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P+8= P (BP)
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Article written by: MVT’s Training Department
Pre-Trip Inspection + 8 minutes = Protection (Big Picture)
“Why am I spending so much time on inspections when I need to keep my wheels turning? Every minute I waste inspecting everything, is time lost which means I’m losing money that could feed my family.”
Recently, I engaged in a conversation, with one of our drivers, regarding pre-trip inspections who stated “Why am I spending so much time on inspections when I need to keep my wheels turning? Every minute I waste inspecting everything, is time lost, which means I’m losing money that could feed my family.” Unfortunately, this is not an uncommon statement. In fact, it is a regular occurrence where the trucking industry developed an ethic, surrounded by a culture of drive until the wheels fall off or until you get caught and told to fix it. Resting on “the wheels need to be turning in order to make money” generates the concern and question of “why” is it necessary to perform a pre-trip inspection. Perhaps, the greater concern asks, do our MVT Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) Drivers perform the necessary measures, known as inspections that provide for safe, efficient and compliant operability of their equipment? The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulation (FMCSR) require drivers to conduct three (3) types of inspections, Pre-Trip, On-the-road and Post-Trip. FMCSR also requires a Pre-Trip inspection every time a CMV Driver drives on/over the road (OTR).
Pre-Trip Inspections occur each time a truck remains parked for an extended period of time. Common instances for performing a pre-trip inspection include starting to drive after your 10 hour break, completing a 34 hour reset/restart, returning to work from home time, and receiving a new truck or trailer. ARTICLE CONTINUED ON PAGE 6:
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EMPLOYEE
NEWS
CONTINUED:
Pre-Trip Inspection + 8 minutes = Protection (Big Picture) By: MVT’s Training Department
A pre-trip inspections consists of reviewing the last driver’s inspection report, a vehicle (truck/trailer) overview (external examination) of the body for external damage, engine compartment, wheel assembly, cab interior, lights, visual walk around, signal lights/turn indicators, brake lights and the validation of all required documentation/paperwork .
8 minutes are the minimum duration (time) for completing a pre-trip inspection.
All driv-
ers will log all pre-trip inspections on the PeopleNet Electronic Log System. Upon placing yourself on duty, use the remarks section to enter “PTI” for pre-trip inspection and conduct your inspection for at least eight (8) minutes. For greater efficiency and effectiveness, perform every pre-trip inspection in the same, systematic sequence. Methodically conducting pre-trip inspections will reduce neglectful oversight, identify damaged, inoperative or expired components, which include documentation vital to safe and regulatory operations and promote successful inspection practices.
Protection equals a pre-trip inspection in a minimum of eight (8) minutes, logged into On -duty status on the PeopleNet Electronic Log System. Protect yourself from reoccurring violations by checking the registration of the truck and trailer, fire extinguisher, permit book, possession of a valid CDL, fuses and maintaining extra fuses. Protect the greatest MVT asset: you the driver. The highway of compliance begins with each and every one of us and expands throughout the trucking industry.
BP, meaning big picture, extends far beyond an individual. Pre-Trip inspections protect the performance of an efficient truck and trailer, maximize a driver and truck operation (time) on the road with less time in courts and repair shops. Driver compliance creates opportunities for incentives, increases customer demand, transforms abilities and reputation from a routine driver to a responsible, professional driver and expands the MVT reputation of dependable service. The big picture consists of you (the driver), Mesilla Valley Transportation, the trucking industry and Department of Transportation in the compliant, safe and accountable transit of commercial merchandise, products and goods throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. The answer to: P + 8 = P (BP) is simple Pre-Trip Inspection + 8 minutes = Protection (Big Picture). It begins with you. Save time and money in 8 minutes.
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From the I.T. Department A Letter from Alex Cruz Let's travel back in time to a place where your contract took hours to be written, days to get to your customer and weeks to receive a response. Many of your major decisions depended on past experience, local know-how and that gut feeling. No, this is not the twilight zone, in fact many companies back in the day worked in such conditions and prospered greatly (Ford, Westinghouse etc.). Fast forward to today where globalization has pushed industries to new levels and we see communications between companies are instant, quotes are sent within minutes and all this is accomplished by the technological tools which are available to us today. Mesilla Valley is no exception. As a highly competitive company it has the pride of obtaining many of today's leading technologies and tools in the industry that help it refine it's practices for maximum efficiency. This is where the MVT's Information Systems (I.S) Team comes in (a.k.a the geeks). An innovative group comprised of various talents, expertise and experience, the I.S Department is always prepared to take on the challenges of helping our company remain competitive in the highly technological society we live in today. Always with the motto of improving efficacy, and always doing so with passion. Should you ever find yourself in the quagmire of "What if's" and "if only' s" be sure to get in touch with us, because we may have the solution in the palm of our hand.. CONTACT US AT: EXT: 7400 and or helpdesk@m-v-t.com
Need Help? Step by step Instructions to set Pin to receive voicemail
Hit the messages button the envelop on your phone
Then you will hear messages queue “you have # new message (s)…” If you have Unheard Messages Hit the # key then hit the * this will cancel listening to voicemails and will send you to account options. Then select option 4 for Setup Options. Otherwise hit 4 for setup options Select 3 for preferences Select 1 to setup Pin Setup a pin at least 5 digits long. System will ask you to confirm pin twice. Once the system advises Pin has been set you can hang up the call.. EMPLOYEE
NEWS
Smartway Excellence. By Lorrie Grant The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recognized several fleets for “joining arm in arm” to cut carbon pollution, a challenge that agency Administrator Gina McCarthy said has helped bring innovation to the trucking market. McCarthy made the comments to attendees of American Trucking Associations’ Management Conference & Exhibition here Oct. 7. “We turned the challenge of cutting pollution into saving truckloads of money,” McCarthy quipped, before EPA’s SmartWay Excellence Awards were announced. Cheryl Bynum, EPA's National Director of the 10-year-old SmartWay Program announced the awards. Among the fleets honored were ATA members: ABF System, CR England, CRST Van Expedited Inc., D.P. Curtis Trucking Inc., Doug Andrus Distributing, FedEx Express, Frito-Lay, Gordon Trucking Inc., H-E-B Grocery Co., Knight Transportation Inc., Mesilla Valley Transportation, Prime Inc., Roehl Transport Inc., Ruan Transportation Management Systems Inc., Sunbury Transport Ltd., TransX and Werner Enterprises. “For a decade, ATA has been a vocal supporter of the SmartWay Transport Partnership, and for a decade, our members have been working to reduce carbon emissions and save fuel using the proven techniques endorsed by SmartWay,” ATA President Bill Graves said. In total, EPA honored 44 fleets for their work with the SmartWay Transport Partnership. “Gone are the days of smoke-belching rigs going down the road,” said Duane Long, chairman of Raleigh, North Carolina-based Longistics and incoming ATA chairman. “Today’s trucking industry is committed to sustainability like never before, and SmartWay is a demonstration not just of that commitment, but a model for industry-government partnerships.”
SmartWay aims to accelerate the availability, adoption and market penetration of advanced fuel efficient technologies and operational practices in the freight supply chain, while helping companies save fuel, lower costs and reduce adverse environmental impacts. EPA helps SmartWay Partners move more goods, more miles with lower emissions and less energy. Over 3,000 partners $16.8 billion dollars in fuel costs saved Saved 120.7 million barrels of oil -- the equivalent of taking over 10 million cars off the road for an entire year. 51.6 million metric tons CO2 reductions 738,000 tons NOx reductions 37,000 tons PM reductions
SmartWay stands for cleaner, more efficient transportation options that improve air quality by reducing emissions that cause smog and climate change. The SmartWay logo identifies companies that commit to reduce transportation-related emissions.
See more at: http://www.ttnews.com/articles/showtemplatemce2014.
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Fun date night Ideas for a long distance relationship By: Emily Roof Valentine’s Day– it’s the one day of the year that we get a little extra fancy about saying “I love you” to our special someone's. For couples who are apart, however, being surrounded by lovers while miles away from each other can make Valentine’s Day feel like the absolute worst. If you’re part of a long distance relationship, fear not– here are a few fun ways that you can spend Valentine’s Day together even when you’re far apart. Watch a movie together- If you and your partner enjoy going to the movies when you’re together, you have two different options for making a Valentine’s Day Movie date happen. Before date night, decide on whether you want to watch a film that’s currently in theaters, or see something recently released on Netflix or Amazon Prime Video. … or you can both decide on a film to watch that is currently in the theaters at the same time. If you choose to watch a film at home, you can fire up your favorite video chat app and go. If you’re watching the film in the theater, you’ll need to put your device away (boo!), but can plan to call or message each other immediately afterwards and share all of your feels about what you’ve seen with each other Romantic Top 10 list- Spr ead the sweetness thr oughout the whole day by star ting out with a Valentine’s Day text on the morning of the 14th: “Today, I’ll send you 10 things I like about you!” Then, send items on your list throughout the day, such as, “You always share your frozen yogurt with me” and “Your kiss still gives me chills.” This proves that you really care and that it’s for all the right, unique reasons. Plus, spreading out your gift over time will make your long-distance love feel special all day long. Skype by candle light -You can still have a romantic dinner face-to-face, even if you can’t hold hands at the table. How? Pick a time for dinner, agree you’ll both get a candle to light beside your computer, and either choose your own surprise meals (“I got a cheese steak, what are you eating?”) or plan on eating the same type of meal, especially if it’s something that you both find meaningful. Then sign into Skype and chow down together by the flickering glow. As far as intimacy (and your credit card!) goes, it may actually beat that quiet table in the corner of some garishly decorated restaurant. Ship a Care package- Mail your sweetie a boxed “car e package” filled with small tr eats that show just how intimately you know your sweetie. For instance: a small pack of Band-Aids for the blisters your sweetheart always gets while hiking, some miniature marshmallows for hot chocolate, and a pack of paper clips because your true love can never, ever find one on a cluttered desk at the office. It shows you really pay attention and care enough to send lots of love, even if it’s just the little things. Look ahead- Finally, as you talk over the phone or Skype each other this Valentine’s Day, plan to do something special when you meet up. This not only keeps the atmosphere from succumbing into regrets and recriminations but keeps the mood upbeat and hopeful. Discuss with your partner what you would do when you see each other. This may be as simple as cooking a meal together or as adventurous as planning a hike in the mountains and spending a romantic night under the stars. Whatever it is, keep in mind preferences of both partners so that either of you doesn’t feel like sacrificing one’s own interests for the sake of the other. A good idea would be to keep an ongoing list and updating it with the items that you want to do together the next time you meet up. EMPLOYEE
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http://www.cookinglight.com/entertaining/holidays-occasions/recipes-for-two/recipes-for-two-scallops-linguine Ingredients
Preparation: Combine first 4 ingredients in a medium skillet; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 5 minutes). Drain mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl, reserving liquid; discard solids.
1 cup dry white wine 1/4 cup minced shallots 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger 2 tablespoons whipping cream 1 tablespoon butter, cut into small pieces
Return wine mixture to skillet. Add cream; cook over medium heat 1 minute. Add butter, stirring until butter melts. Stir in tomato, 2 tablespoons cilantro, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Add linguine; toss well. Cover and keep warm.
2/3 cup chopped seeded plum tomato 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon black pepper 1 1/2 cups hot cooked linguine Cooking spray 3/4 pound large sea scallops 1/8 teaspoon salt Chopped cilantro
Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Sprinkle scallops with 1/8 teaspoon salt. Arrange scallops in pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until done. Add scallops to pasta mixture; toss gently to combine. Garnish with cilantro, if desired
Ingredients 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped 3 ounces white chocolate, chopped 1 pound strawberries with stems (about 20), washed and dried very well
Directions Put the semisweet and white chocolates into 2 separate heatproof medium bowls. Fill 2 medium saucepans with a couple inches of water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Turn off the heat; set the bowls of chocolate over the water to melt. Stir until smooth. (Alternatively, melt the chocolates in a microwave at half power, for 1 minute, stir and then heat for another minute or until melted.) Once the chocolates are melted and smooth, remove from the heat. Line a sheet pan with parchment or waxed paper. Holding the strawberry by the stem, dip the fruit into the dark chocolate, lift and twist slightly, letting any excess chocolate fall back into the bowl. Set strawberries on the parchment paper. Repeat with the rest of the strawberries. Dip a fork in the white chocolate and drizzle the white chocolate over the dipped strawberries. Set the strawberries aside until the chocolate sets, about 30 minutes.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/chocolate-covered-strawberries-recipe.html
**If you can’t make the car give away stop by the nearest MVT Terminal to celebrate Driver Appreciation and enjoy a cookout on us in appreciation of all your hard work! **
Laredo, TX
Nashville, TN.
Denver, CO.
Register Today: www.bataanmarch.com
MVT Employees interested Contact Trish Duque for more information: trish.duque@m-v-t.com
Letter from the Editor
With this New Year we have tons going on. With Driver Appreciation day just around the corner, a strong marketing campaign getting new drivers and employees on board, a safety campaign getting ready to put into place, MVTI’s great accomplishment in opening a school on Fort Bliss, the 2015 Speedway racing season coming underway… Great things are happening. All around us! I hope you all can feel my excitement when I say that! Attitude is absolutely everything. And it starts with YOU. If you want to see this company do great thing, you have to believe it will happen and then become part of it! Last year around this time, I was getting ready for the annual Bataan Death March. I convinced Vanessa Solis who was a new employee at Border International to participate in this race with me. Poor thing... She had no idea what I was getting her into. As a matter of fact I had no idea what I was getting myself into! Neither of us had participated in this run before. I have to admit, it was the hardest thing I have ever done. We only did half! (14.2 miles) but we did finish the race and in good time at that. But there were times during the race I felt like giving up, It was hard!! The hills, the soft sand..agh! But then a fellow racer would pass. Not only was he running, he was running with a prosthetic leg. An injury from war. That kind of commitment and determination just stunned me. If he could do it so could I. “What am I whining about?” I would think. I have everything in the world to be thankful for, yet there are men and women out here who have risked their lives for my freedom and suffered harsh recoveries and YET still had a Positive attitude. The Bataan Memorial Death March is a challenging march through the high desert terrain of White Sands Missile Range, conducted in honor of the heroic service members who defended the Philippine Islands during World War II, sacrificing their freedom, health and, in many cases, their very lives. It’s a great race with so much meaning behind it. If you have the opportunity to be part of it, I highly recommend it. It’s an experience I will never forget. With a life lesson on no matter how hard things may get, YOU can and will get through it.
Emily K. Roof
Marketing Director “A Negative thinker sees a difficulty in every opportunity. A Positive thinker sees an opportunity in evert difficulty”
Making the Difference Everyday
The MVT Way