Driver Contest Builds Morale, Aids Customer Service

To progress in the highly competitive vending business, especially in an area feeling the squeeze on manufacturing plants, Appleton, Wis.-based Zaug's Vending & Food Service Inc. took another look at its fundamental mission — excellence on the job and for the customer.

Sometimes confined to a single sentence on the company business plan, this mission led Zaug's management to create an internal competition, a companywide employee performance program for route drivers. "We were looking at how to improve in the areas of clean, filled and working — and essentially to improve how we looked in the field," said Cary Zaug, vending operations manager.

Son of Allen Zaug, president of the company which has grown to 125 employees over past 68 years, Cary is credited for the highly successful route driver program called "Clean, Filled and Working." The program ran in Zaug's Manitowoc and Wisconsin Rapids branches as well as the Appleton headquarters.

An Assessment Based Program

Running from Feb. 28 to Sept. 2, Clean, Filled and Working consisted of seven managers going out to the field to evaluate the vending routes on an assessment form similar to the routine inspection forms Zaug's had originally been using. Point values based on the assessment form were published on a biweekly basis in the break rooms in all three locations.

The grand prize was a trip to NAMA National Expo, all expenses paid. While there, the winner would be able to experience the variety of vending products and equipment, as well as learn about other operations — not to mention have an opportunity to compete in the NAMA route driver rodeo.

The only dark cloud at the onset of the program was the concern NAMA might not hold the rodeo that year. However, Zaug's was still set on running Clean, Filled and Working, sending the top performer to the NAMA Expo. "We wanted to get them (route drivers) exposed to their industry," said Zaug. "It's not just a job. It's their chosen career. NAMA is something they wouldn't experience otherwise."

But the management also knew NAMA's route driver rodeo would strengthen its employee development initiative as a further incentive. Once a sponsor for the rodeo was found, Zaug noticed a change. "Drivers were excited about the prize — attending NAMA — but there was increased interest once the rodeo was announced," he said.

Prizes and Characters Equal Fun

"One of our concerns was the length of it [Clean, Filled and Working]," admitted Randy Schultz, vice president. But in order to see progress, the contest had to run for a substantial duration. To keep drivers inspired, Schultz and the other managers built some additional, immediate rewards into the program that could be awarded throughout the six months.

If the sales staff visited a facility and found a well stocked, immaculate machine, they stuck the Clean, Filled and Working Mascot, "Howie Duit," inside. This notified the route driver he or she had won a prize such as a cordless drill or two-way radio. "If we found a machine rated 100 — and that's tough to do — we felt they earned it," added Schultz.

Besides developing Howie, Zaug's used cartoon characters to represent the route drivers on the posted score sheets, to make it fun and not single anyone out with a photograph. Randomly assigned figures from Superman to Spongebob Squarepants stood beside the scores, which got closer toward the end of the program as competition got fiercer. "People started to notice their names," said Zaug about the driver-to-driver competition.

In addition to the grand prize, there were second and third places as well as one for most improved, won for the most increased score based on the original assessment. Other NFLstore.com cash prizes were given out as "Honorable Mentions" to drivers recommended by supervisors who noticed them really embracing the program.

Drivers Cautious, Customers Enthusiastic