Join us for a deep dive with Eric Rodriguez, CEO of VendorFlow, who cracked the code on driver communication after watching countless fleet apps fail with 20% adoption rates. Eric shares how his team pivoted from building another driver app to creating a unified communications platform that meets drivers where they already are - SMS.

In this episode of This Side Up, Eric breaks down the harsh realities of driver-facing technology, why forcing adoption never works, and how smart integrations with telematics systems like Samsara can dramatically improve safety, compliance, and productivity. If you're building for fleets, struggling with driver adoption, or curious about the future of logistics communication, this conversation is packed with hard-won insights.

Key Topics Covered

→ Why 80% of drivers reject fleet apps and how to solve it
→ The SMS-first approach that eliminates training and adoption friction
→ Smart routing between SMS and in-cab alerts based on driving status
→ Preventing safety violations through communication rules and AI camera integration
→ Building successful partnerships with telematics providers like Samsara
→ The future of RCS (SMS 2.0) in fleet operations
→ How to focus your target market and avoid the multi-audience trap
→ Structuring lean teams around direct customer feedback

✦ About Eric Rodriguez ✦

Eric is the CEO of VendorFlow, a unified communications platform purpose-built for transportation. With over 12 years in venture-backed tech, Eric and his team (mostly ex-Next Trucking) learned firsthand why driver apps fail and built a solution that actually works.

Segments

00:00 - Intro
01:09 - From Next Trucking to VendorFlow
01:51 - The 20% Driver App Adoption Problem
03:18 - SMS-First Philosophy and Adoption Strategy
05:28 - Building Strategic Partnerships Through User Feedback
06:59 - Product Development and Customer-Driven Teams
09:44 - Target Market Focus: Fleets vs Brokers
18:26 - Episode Sponsor: Intermode
19:42 - Unified Communications Platform Overview
23:03 - Smart Message Routing and Safety Integration
26:14 - ELD Integration and Productivity Features
31:05 - The Future of RCS and Rich Communication
34:57 - What's Next for VendorFlow

Show Notes

https://www.thissideup.fm/episode/how-vendorflow-solved-driver-app-adoption

Connect with Eric

LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericrod/
Website:
https://www.vendorflow.co

Show Information

This Side Up Podcast digs deep into the minds of founders, builders, and operators reshaping the future of commerce and logistics. Subscribe for more conversations with industry leaders who are actually building the future.

Podcast Website: https://www.thissideup.fm/

Produced by: Intermode - https://www.intermode.is/

Host: Andrew Verboncouer - https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewverboncouer/