You are here:

Dispatcher

Dispatcher

Apply to be a Dispatcher

Consolidated Towing is always accepting applications for qualified individuals.

Please read the following job description before contacting us regarding employment. Should you decide to complete an application, you will find the link at the bottom of the page.

Applications can be emailed or delivered by hand. All applications require a signature, so will eventually need to be signed. We love “in person” delivery, so we can put a face with a name whenever possible. Although resumes are always appreciated, they cannot be accepted in lieu of a completed application.

JOB DESCRIPTION:

Consolidated Towing is staffed 24/7 with drivers and dispatch. We currently answer phones and dispatch for not only our company, but several others around the state of Oregon. As such, dispatchers are required to learn not only the guidelines of our company, but the policies and procedures for our dispatch accounts as well.

The dispatching for other companies generally is limited to after regular business hours, weekends and holidays. While all dispatchers are familiar with the after- hours accounts, some have a very limited exposure to them, while others work on seemingly nothing else!

Dispatchers are the “face behind the phone” and start every interaction between the company and the customer. Phone calls vary in their type and length, depending on the needs of the party on the other end. We often say that “nobody wakes up and wants to call a tow company” on any given day, but hearing a helpful, friendly voice on the phone makes even a bad situation, Tolerable.

Phone calls for service come from a variety of sources. Those sources include the motoring public, 3 rd party companies, fleet or maintenance personnel and law enforcement. Regardless of the source, the ability to get the correct information from the caller is essential.

Most people have limited experience calling a tow company. Many know little or nothing about what to say, but they know they want “the company with the orange trucks” and its dispatch’s job to make that happen. Phone calls are a careful balance of getting the information quickly (to get help to them faster) and listening to the customer’s frustrations about what is wrong with their car.

EXPECTATIONS:

Dispatching can be very hectic. Multi-tasking skills are essential. Dispatchers’ phone work includes incoming breakdown calls, follow-up calls and driver status calls, just to name a few. Utilizing the “hold” button to balance all of this helps maintain control and puts the dispatcher in charge. Other calls deal with vehicles that have been towed to our yard or people looking for a car that they “think” has been towed.

Team Orange doesn’t apply to just the drivers. It is a moniker that encompasses everyone in the company. We work each and every day as a team, talking back and forth about virtually every tow call and driver on any given shift. Supervisors are available 24/7 to answer questions when needed. It is important that dispatchers realize that not every situation is “controlled by the clock” and there are times when it will be necessary to stay on duty to help a co-worker through a hectic time or perhaps back them up when they are in the middle of a complicated situation.

HOURS AND SHIFTS:

As stated, this is a 24/7 business that is staffed every hour of every day in Dispatch.

Schedules are not rotating, but set in advance when hired. Schedules are posted weekly and include the following typical shifts:

Days (8a-7p)
Swing (2p – midnight)
Graveyard (midnight – 8a)

REQUIREMENTS:

  • Applicants must pass a 15-year criminal background check in order to dispatch for any police contracts (this is done at the interview stage)
  • Applicants will be required to perform a pre-employment drug screen after the interview and background check and be subject to random screenings throughout their employment.
  • Applicants must be able to write legibly and spell correctly. Information on dispatch cards is handwritten before being entered into the computer. Dispatch cards are not only used by co-workers but seen by our accounts.
  • Applicants must be able to type a minimum of 35wpm (a typing test will be administered) and be familiar with computers. The ability to enter information off of a dispatch card quickly and accurately is crucial.
  • Applicants should be detail-oriented and organized. They should know what it takes to share a workspace and that everyone is responsible for keeping it clean and functional.
  • Applicants should be prepared for long periods of sitting.

REMOTE WORK OPPORTUNITIES:

Since dispatching is done via the phone and computer, the possibility of remote work is high. Dispatchers who wish to work remotely must plan on “in office” training prior to this stage. Training time is based on skills and experience but would be no less than 6 months. Remote work requires a full “work station” in the remote location, which most importantly means space available for phones, computers and office hardware.

consolidated-towing-8-gray-2