For auto transport businesses looking to simplify operations and gain a competitive edge, technology offers a winning path forward. Still, the adoption of new tools raises key questions like: Will my team adapt? Will this new tech deliver results? Will the ROI be worth it? The answer to all is a resounding “yes” — but that’s only guaranteed when onboarding is prioritized.

Once you’ve invested in technology that addresses your team’s needs, onboarding should be your next step. It’s a process that not only teaches your team to use your new system but also instills in them the confidence to use it effectively. The ultimate goal here is to empower your team to use your new technology to its fullest potential and deliver a strong ROI.

Here are three reasons you can’t skip onboarding — your team, and bottom line, will thank you:

Reason 1: Onboarding is a small-time commitment with big impact

There’s an unshakeable myth that onboarding is a grueling, super technical process. This simply isn’t true. Systems designed to streamline your operations generally offer an onboarding process that’s as smooth as its technology promises to be. Today’s auto transport platforms offering every tool your team needs in one place are meant to be easy to use for on-the-go operations. That means it’s not overly complicated, and its onboarding shouldn’t be either.

Onboarding can ensure your team enjoys rapid setup with minimal downtime. How? Well, the process may start during your buying phase. Here you can get a rundown of what to expect and gain access to play-by-play content to help get your team up and running quickly.

When your onboarding process outlines the essential functions your team needs to know first, like route optimization, load management, and payment processing, they’ll see its immediate benefits — that’s a quick win for everyone. This can earn you the coveted new tech buy-in you need for a successful implementation and help guarantee your team uses the tool as it’s intended.

Reason 2: Onboarding helps your employees embrace change without fear

Every form of change can face resistance. The unknowns automatically attached to new tech, however, are an added challenge for teams to overcome. Workers are often attached to the way things are done. They are comfortable with their workflows and have a set way for completing their tasks. That’s not to say their processes from load matching to delivery coordination, invoicing and payments can’t be improved by a tech-powered tool simplifying their day-to-day.

It’s important they know new tools are designed to simplify their workload, not complicate it. The No. 1 way to achieve this is by onboarding with your technology partners. The onboarding phase can ease fears about your newly adopted tech and ensure your employees don’t face a rocky transition or a heavier workload due to incorrect use. What’s more, it’s a surefire way to ensure your team doesn’t miss out on ways to fully utilize, and reap the benefits of, a new tool.

Understanding how the tool works and knowing that they have support from your partner as they ramp up, builds up confidence. So, rather than being intimidated by a new tool, workers are empowered by knowing how to use a tool that makes their job faster and easier.

Reason 3: Onboarding builds up your in-house expertise 

When auto transport companies invest in tools that go unused, they don’t simply waste money. Their team also misses out on all the shortcuts and conveniences the tool provides. This isn’t just a short-term loss. The losses of an idle or misused tech tool add up every day. The result: slower operations, missed opportunities, and bigger financial losses over time. Auto transport leaders who forego onboarding run the risk of benching their new tool and its benefits.

Companies, however, that embrace onboarding, and designate an in-house captain to run point on the tool, expand their team’s resources. This plays out to be a game changer across different scenarios, including when your team transitions to its new technology, if they run into issues, and when bringing new employees aboard. With a team expert on your tech who knows where to turn for help, you can ensure the cycle of making use of the tool continues on a positive path.

After you’ve taken the initial steps to scout out, narrow down, and invest in a new technology for your auto transport business, onboarding is the can’t-be-skipped next step.

As your company moves through 2025 and considers investments in technology platforms that can enhance various aspects of your operation, remember the importance of onboarding. It comes in clutch to reduce fears, empower teams, and maximize your ROI for future success.

 

Bek Abdullayev is the founder of Super Dispatch, the industry-leading automotive transportation management platform. 

Connect with Bek on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/bekabdullayev.