Dean Lott surpasses the standard definition of a traditional route driver. In fact, Lott, a route driver for Five Star Food Service, does everything that is required of him and more.
For Five Star Food Service, Lott constantly looks for ways to improve the business such as helping to cut back on stales and increasing safety improvements.
For his locations, Lott puts an emphasis on customer service by making a point to get to know each location’s staff and cater to his clients’ requests.
“Dean knows that he is in the service industry,” said Cathy Hamby, district manager at Five Star Food Service-Oxford, AL branch. “He not only makes a point to know the contact person, plant manager and the people at his locations, but he takes ownership and pride in his route.” Lott’s dedication to his company and his clients has made him the 2015 Second Quarter Route Driver of the Year Winner.
Part of the team
Lott sets the bar high for others at Five Star. He makes up his own route book to keep up with his schedules. In addition, he puts all of his stops on an Excel form and keeps detailed notes about each account and how they should be handled. Lott continuously looks for ways in which he can increase safety improvements for himself, the company and other drivers. He also pays attention to stales. “He probably saves the company about $3,000 a year with the suggestions he makes,” said Hamby, his boss and nominator of this award.
He knows customer service
Besides being a star employee for his company, Lott also works hard at being someone locations can count on. “He just has great customer skills and knows the business,” Hamby reiterated. “Dean knows what the term “customer service” is all about.”
Lott gives his contact people his cell phone number so they can reach him in an instant instead of having to go through the company. Although, sometimes they feel so strongly about the hard work Lott does that they contact Five Star anyway. “We receive emails and thank you letters about Dean all the time,” said Hamby. “He is part of the customer’s team as well as ours.” In fact, many of Lott’s clients invite him to their company functions.
Say it with a smile
Above all else, Lott takes pride in his work. He makes sure that his customers know him; he keeps his machines clean and takes each complaint seriously. Not only that, but he addresses each concern in a positive way. “His motto is, ‘How can I make your day better?’” said Hamby. “Dean always comes to work with a smile. He cares about his company and his customers.”
Adrienne Klein | Contributing Editor
Adrienne Zimmer Klein is a freelance writer with a background in the vending, micro market and office coffee service industry. She worked as an associate editor and managing editor at Automatic Merchandiser and VendingMarketWatch.com from 2013 until 2017. She is a regular contributing writer at Automatic Merchandiser.
