dispatcher.

Dispatchers primarily organise transports, whether of goods or people. Your responsibilities depend on where you work. Find out more about your duties as a dispatcher here.

As a dispatcher, you work in various areas. Essentially, your focus is on the transportation of goods or people. The different types of dispatchers include:

• Dispatch emergency control centre: You are the first responder in times of need. You take emergency calls and assess the situation. Then, you alert the appropriate emergency services. These could be the fire brigade, police, or ambulance services. By doing so, you help save lives. All emergency calls are documented thoroughly and accurately.
• Transport dispatcher: You coordinate freight and passenger transports. This involves creating route plans and preparing accompanying documents. You ensure that your truck drivers or chauffeurs comply with laws and regulations. Thanks to you, goods and people arrive at their destination on time.
• Disponent cargo: This area is all about freight trains. You organise freight trains within Switzerland and on international routes. Your job is to ensure that the trains arrive on time. To do this, you need to coordinate enough locomotives, train drivers, and track slots. A smooth freight operation is the reward for your efforts.

Your gross salary as a dispatcher depends on various factors. The size of the company and the industry have a significant impact. The region also influences your monthly pay. If you work as a highly qualified manager in a large organisation, you will earn more than an administrative assistant. As a dispatcher, you often have irregular working hours and shift work around the clock, 24/7. In return, you receive allowances that sometimes exceed statutory regulations. When searching for an entry-level salary on popular job platforms, the average is around 60,000 CHF per year, which amounts to approximately 5,000 CHF per month. Find out more about your gross salary as a dispatcher here.

Your career as a dispatcher begins with solid vocational training. Good prerequisites include having completed a basic professional qualification as a Road transport specialist EFZ or a Merchant EFZ in Transport and Logistics. As a truck driver, you already bring practical experience to the table. You can acquire the necessary commercial expertise through further training. After two or three years of professional experience, you can qualify further as a transport and logistics dispatcher with a Swiss Federal Diploma of Vocational Education and Training (FET). This provides a strong foundation for specialising further or advancing into management roles. As a dispatcher, you don’t rest on your laurels. You stay up-to-date with legal regulations, rules, and traffic agreements. In international road transport, you are familiar with cross-border regulations and requirements.

The transport of goods and passengers is growing rapidly in Switzerland, whether by road, rail, or air. Emergency call centres are also constantly on the lookout for qualified, empathetic dispatchers. As a result, job opportunities are quite diverse. You can find a position with a road transport company, a freight forwarding firm, or municipal services. If you're drawn to the social sector, it’s best to look for roles in control centres. Are you interested in a position where you can make a real difference? Take a look at our listings for dispatchers on this page.

You become a dispatcher with specialised knowledge, organisational talent, and professional experience. Therefore, career changers with a basic commercial education also have good chances. You have the best qualifications if you come from backgrounds such as foreign trade specialist, logistics professional, or customs declarant. Having work experience in dispatching will strengthen your application. If you lack specific expertise, you can acquire it through courses offered by the professional association.

Your role as a dispatcher offers exciting career prospects. You can specialise in municipal vehicles, refrigerated vans, or passenger transport. If you're seeking a challenge in logistics management, you can further your training to become a Transport and Logistics Operations Manager. This provides good opportunities for advancement into management positions. If you want to broaden your skills, pursuing a degree is a great option. With a Bachelor's degree in Business Economics, for example, you could qualify as a Logistics Manager responsible for the entire fleet. Looking to develop further as a dispatcher? Take a look at our tests and tips.

As a dispatcher, you cover a variety of tasks. Primarily, you find the best routes to deliver goods or transport people to their destinations. For this, you need expertise and market knowledge. Other important skills include:

• Organisation skills: As a good dispatcher, you always handle multiple tasks at once. You allocate personnel or goods efficiently to drivers. Short-term orders don’t unsettle you. At the same time, you organise all necessary permits. You select the best routes, supported by specialised software. If there are any breakdowns during the journey, you organise replacements. You always have everything under control.
• Problem-solving skills: In your job, things don’t always go smoothly. Despite careful route planning, accidents can happen. The vehicle might break down and become inoperable. An unexpected roadworks could cause detours. In such situations, you pick up the phone immediately. You organise a towing service. At the same time, you inform customers that the delivery will be delayed.
• IT skills: Telematics systems support you as a dispatcher and make your daily routine easier. Thanks to GPS, you always know where the vehicle is and can spot delays. If there’s a change to the unloading station, you inform the driver via the navigation system. If the customer notices damage to the packaging, the driver can upload pictures digitally. Special software saves you time and simplifies communication.
• Communication skills: In your role, you interact with colleagues, business partners, and customers. The sales team urgently needs to send out a shipment for an important client. You explain why this particular route isn’t feasible and outline the alternative options. The management team wants to understand why not all routes are fully booked. You patiently explain the reasons. Drivers complain that they have too much to deliver and are on the road for too long. You promise to consider their schedules when planning future routes. Customers complain that they have received the wrong items. You listen to everything, identify the causes, and find a quick solution. Your communication skills support you throughout.

There are many good reasons to work as a dispatcher at Randstad:
✓ exciting jobs at well-known companies
✓ a reliable point of contact whenever you need one; personalised advice matters
✓ attractive employment conditions and good social benefits
✓ further education courses and personal development opportunities
✓ clear information in the myRandstad app
✓ do you have a fixed-term contract? Often, there’s the opportunity to secure a permanent position afterwards. Many well-known companies also recruit their staff directly through Randstad

your training budget as a dispatcher at randstad.

If you work as a dispatcher for Randstad, you have access to training courses. As part of the temp training programme from swissstaffing, you can attend various training sessions. You will be reimbursed for the course fees later, provided you pass the course exam. Your consultant from Randstad is there to support you if you have any questions. This way, you can acquire additional language skills or job-specific knowledge—all during your working hours as a dispatcher.

Have you found your dream job as a dispatcher? It’s not just qualifications and certificates that determine the success of your applications. Careful, error-free, and personalised documents will definitely help you in your job search. Here are a few useful tips to optimise your chances:

Here you will find frequently asked questions and the answers regarding the role of dispatcher.