Pilot at Annual Meeting and Expo for Government Transportation

Greg Forgrave, Move One, joined by Bob and Larry

Larry Wenrich, vice president, government sales, and Bob Moss, Saint Louis franchise co-owner, recently attended the NDTA-USTRANSCOM 2017 Fall Meeting. This is an annual meeting between two organizations: National Defense Transportation Association and the U.S. Transportation Command. For many years, Pilot has traditionally participated in the expo to be available to the customers and vendors on site. “Many of the Department of Defense decision makers that we deal with on a daily basis are present,” says Larry. This year, several of the military’s overseas agents participated in the meeting, and it was valuable for the Pilot team to spend time with them. Since 2008, Pilot has proudly served the Department of Defense (DOD), including all branches of the Armed Forces, GSA, NASA and other Departments of the U.S. Government.

Building Confidence to Deliver Assurance

It’s that time of year when not only the pace and volume of shipments increase, so does the workforce needed to guarantee success. In order to handle the record breaking months Pilot anticipates for November and December, our national customer service team in Lima, PA, will hire 47 seasonal hires to answer calls and track home deliveries for Pilot’s largest national accounts. A handful of these include returning agents, who not only bring experience but also act as resources as newer agents get oriented.

Training begins in earnest during the last week of October and continues through Thanksgiving. During this time and leading up to the holiday rush, seasonal agents become familiar with the transportation industry and Pilot’s services. At the same time, they develop a strong foundation of how Pilot differentiates itself as a provider. A visit to the local Pilot operation is an integral part of their training and builds firsthand knowledge of freight handling procedures. 

“These experiences build confidence and prepare new agents to handle calls in a professional manner, and ultimately provide assurance to each customer about their important delivery,” says Lisa Coyle, Chief Administration Officer. “We strive to build confidence in our agents. If they are secure in their customer service skills, then our customers will feel assured in Pilot.” NCS expects call volume will average 3,000-3,500 inbound calls daily in early to mid-December. Outbound calls average 2,000-2,300 during this time. Last year, Pilot received 4,675 calls in one day! 

Pilot Preps for Record Months Ahead

As Pilot heads into the heart of the fourth quarter, the company expects the handle record volumes in November and December, fueled largely by the e-commerce category. Managing this boost was among the discussion as the company’s senior leaders—representing its nationwide locations—gathered recently in Chicago. Operationally, Pilot’s network expects to handle an average of more than 5,500 daily e-commerce deliveries in its system during the course of the holiday season. Pilot’s national customer service workforce will increase by 65 percent with seasonal hires to answer calls and track home deliveries for the largest national accounts. Pilot closed 2016 with record revenue of $579.5 million and 1.6 million shipments and looks to be well beyond the $600 million threshold this year.

Global Customer Chooses Pilot for Relief Transportation

When disaster strikes, you need a trusted partner that can navigate the challenges with you. Pilot has that experience. Recently, our Hartford team was called upon to help a global customer that has employees located in Puerto Rico. After Hurricane Maria devastated the island, Pilot not only sourced and coordinated relief supply pickups in five different U.S. locations, but also secured three separate charters to get much-needed provisions to the employees. “Initially, we faced some difficulties finding dedicated vehicles going to Miami because the city was just recovering from Hurricane Irma,” says Earl McClain, international operations manager, who was the key coordinator for all three charters. Earl has worked seven days a week, communicating with all parties involved to ensure a smooth delivery in Puerto Rico. Among the more than 220,000 pounds of freight employees received were generators, bottled water, insect repellent, fans, portable stoves, propane, ice makers and ice bags.

Overcoming Supply Chain Challenges

John Hill, Pilot’s president and chief commercial officer, presented at the Manufacturing and Quality Expo in Charleston, South Carolina, on October 2. During his presentation, John spoke about several supply chain challenges facing today’s manufacturers, highlighting the evolution of e-commerce, mobile technology, the labor force and logistics site selection as four major catalysts of change in the supply chain landscape. Since Pilot is a strategic partner to many manufacturers, John offered attendees several ways to mitigate the risk of disruption in their own supply chain by looking at legal and regulatory, environmental, technological and economic factors. To learn how Pilot can make a significant impact on your company’s efficiency and supply chain productivity, visit www.pilotdelivers.com. 

Pilot Houston Connects with Customers and Families During Appreciation Event

On September 23, Pilot’s Houston station hosted an event for its customers and their families at the Houston Zoo. Spending the day at the 55-acre zoological park was a welcome distraction for the 154 guests, many of whom were directly affected by Hurricane Harvey. In fact, the Pilot staff actively secured additional tickets after the storm in order to accommodate as many guests as possible. “Even though this event was planned prior to Harvey, the timing worked out well as reflected in our turnout,” says Brian Nelson, district manager. “Plus, our customers appreciated meeting the Pilot staff in person and making connections that are only possible face-to-face.” In addition to all-day access to the zoo, the attendees were treated to a catered lunch and a raffle for Pilot items, gift cards and Texan game tickets. The zoo only suffered minor damage during Harvey, and all exhibits were open to guests.