If you’re ready to take your business to the next level and start delivering your products and services directly to your customers, then you’re going to need to hire a driver. To ensure that this new member of your workforce does the job that you ask and expect of them, you need to consider a number of factors.
To find three of the things that you must consider when hiring a driving employee, make sure to read on.
The driver’s credentials
The first factor that you must consider is your potential driver’s credentials. Quite simply, it is essential that you do not employ anyone who cannot be trusted to drive safely, as them having an accident will reflect badly on you and your business. Each candidate that you interview should provide you with a full driving history. No excuses; if they cannot show you what you want to see, don’t even consider them for the job.
In this instance, you should check to see that they have an active insurance policy, that they have no moving violations from the past 12 months, and they haven’t got or had a suspended license. With regards to the latter, as stated by DMV Connect, a license can be suspended on a number of grounds, three of which include:
- An accumulation of too many driving points
- Multiple traffic violations
- Getting a DUI or DWI
You don’t want to employ anybody who has had their license suspended for any of these reasons. To be on the safe side, make sure to perform a full license check on all candidates before you commit to them.
The driver’s personality and appearance
It’s not just driving capabilities and credentials that you have to check when seeking to hire a new driver. You have to ensure they are the right fit for your business with regards to other qualities, including their personality and appearance. This is because they are going to be customer-facing employees of yours, and they have to be able to showcase your business in the best and most favorable light.
Unless your driving employee is a salesperson, he or she doesn’t have to be particularly savvy or have the gift of the gab. They just have to be able to speak pleasantly and confidently to your customers, no matter how tired they may be after spent time on the road. Similarly, they should always look presentable; in fact, they should look just as presentable as your office-based employees do.
Vehicle ownership
Whether your employee uses their own car or whether they use a company car to perform their driving tasks, there are always things to consider when it comes to vehicle ownership.
If it is a personal vehicle that they use, for instance, then you have to think about how you are going to ensure that your business’s brand is attached to it. Will you use magnets or placards? If you provide them with a company car, you have to consider what kind of insurance you are going to take out. If you need to insure more than one vehicle, take out fleet insurance.
When it comes to hiring a driver, make sure to consider the three all-important factors listed above.
