NatRoad’s survival guide is aimed at making life easier for operators following recent price increases
The National Road Transport Association (NatRoad) has given its members a seven-step guide to weathering the current economic winter following a wave of price rises from July 1.
NatRoad CEO Warren Clark says his organisation is recommending strategies to navigate the challenges being thrown at the road transport industry and they involve pre-planning and managing relationships.
“There’s never been a more important time to be on good terms with your employees and customers,” Clark says.
“You can’t do much directly about things like diesel prices – apart from using our Ampol discounts if you’re a NatRoad member because they’re the best available – but you can look at your own business, no matter how large or small.
“Clear communication with customers and employees is not a ‘nice to have’ in tough times but a ‘must’. We’re facing a very complex business environment but our industry is nothing if not resilient.”
Clark says the seven step survival guide provides some broad principles to staying afloat, with NatRoad advisors always on hand to answer specific questions from members.
He says operators should regularly update clients about the changes in operating costs and how they affect the pricing of services.
RELATED ARTICLE: Government committee acknowledges slow truck reform
“We are recommending operators provide a detailed breakdown of costs to clients to help them understand where increases are coming from, such as fuel costs, insurance charges or wages,” he says.
“This can help in negotiations as it shows the business is not arbitrarily raising prices.”
Clark says investing in efficiency improvements could help reduce operating costs.
“This could include more fuel-efficient vehicles or optimising routes using routing software, but when seeking efficiencies it’s important not to compromise safety,” he says.