[AuRavelling79]

They snap a pole or break a customer's gate or put wrong fuel in the van or reverse into a bollard and dent the bumper.

How do you deal with it? Who pays, especially if it is below the insurance threshold?

[Smudger]

I do.

Accidents happen and thats where history becomes a big part in handling  these things....

someone with a good record etc.. then there is no issue - after all  we have all got it wrong at some point - but if its a regular thing - esp. equipment damage I would issue a warning that any further occurances would lead to written warning and the possibility they may have to cover the costs ( this is a tricky point as, I can't be sure in employment law if you are allowed to do it or not ) thankfully never got that far)

so far in 8 years ive covered 2 scratched windows - I minor car repair and 1 wall ( garden retaining wall ) and 3 maybe 4 bits of equipment or which I would say 1 was definately broken due being mishandled

Darran

[simon w]

I used to fine one polish lad for missing windows. Depends on the worker if he's a grafter and earns me good money and it's a genuine accident I pay for the damage myself. If however I thought it was out of no respect for the job or my property I'd take things to the next level which would be asking for them to pay for replacement or sacking them if they couldn't care less. So my answer would be it depends on the individual. I've worked with guy's in the past who have broken company equipment on purpose so they didn't have to work and seriously abuse brand new company vehicles just because they didn't like their job. I've always had a low tolerance to this kind of employee attitude so they always know where they stand from day one and are free to leave just as soon as we've worked out their not suitable. 

[Stoots]

Thats the employers responsibility, if you want them to pay its needs to be in the contract and signed.

Last lad who worked for me bumped my van 3 times and cost me £300 reversing into someone's car.

Makes you want to ring their neck but thats what you signed up for when you took them on.

[Mike Burd]

It’s the employer’s responsibility.

I did sack one guy for 5 accidents in 3 months. Altogether about £6k damage on a 3 month old van. He had it from new.

[NBwcs]

So pleased I don't employ,

[Smudger]

So pleased I don't employ,

its great employing 

[Mike Burd]

So pleased I don't employ,

its great employing 

Yes it is. It's the customers that I don't like. Well, some of 'em.

[NWH]

I think the majority of people need to look to employ at some point but the most window cleaners I talk to still don’t do it properly or officially.

[KS Cleaning]

I think the majority of people need to look to employ at some point but the most window cleaners I talk to still don’t do it properly or officially.

If some of your posts are to be believed don’t you fall into this category too?

[NWH]

Don’t listen to any of my advise I talk complete rubbish if you want any advise on hot water or franchising I’m da man 😉.

[Don Kee]

Don’t listen to any of my advise I talk complete rubbish

I think most on here have worked that out now...

[jo5hm4n]

Personally i make my staff pay towards damage they have caused.

My workers are good but sometimes they just dont pay attention and make stupid mistakes that are more than avoidable.  Sometimes they just dont pay enough attention or their mind is elsewhere....

In 8 years ive not damaged my window cleaning van once, yet in 3 years 3 different employees have done damage atleast once each and one of my workers reversed into a parked car and wrote it off, also drove straight into another car scratched the bumpers etc...  yet ive not done any damage once in 8 years just think about that for a moment.

So personally for me staff need to be punished.  My view is that you dont punish staff for making avoidable mistakes they will never develop respect for your assets and wont ever take more care with them.  Since i started making staff pay 50% of the costs for any damage they cause which is 100% their fault and could of been avoided they have got way way better....

Say what you want but growing up my parents always made me pay if i broke stuff because i wasnt careful or too heavy handed.  It taught me the value of things and to be careful.

I always weigh up the situation though.  My worker snapped an slx pole that was 3 years old so i bought him a new one no charge to him ofcourse..

It has to be fair and within reason.

In the last year my workers have lost 3 window cleaning cones at £20 a pop.  They always forget and leave them at jobs and drive off So i charge them out of their wages.

Life was so much easier before staff but i love the freedom and flexibility i have now with staff doing all the cleaning.

[Mike Burd]

Personally i make my staff pay towards damage they have caused.

My workers are good but sometimes they just dont pay attention and make stupid mistakes that are more than avoidable.  Sometimes they just dont pay enough attention or their mind is elsewhere....

In 8 years ive not damaged my window cleaning van once, yet in 3 years 3 different employees have done damage atleast once each and one of my workers reversed into a parked car and wrote it off, also drove straight into another car scratched the bumpers etc...  yet ive not done any damage once in 8 years just think about that for a moment.

So personally for me staff need to be punished.  My view is that you dont punish staff for making avoidable mistakes they will never develop respect for your assets and wont ever take more care with them.  Since i started making staff pay 50% of the costs for any damage they cause which is 100% their fault and could of been avoided they have got way way better....

Say what you want but growing up my parents always made me pay if i broke stuff because i wasnt careful or too heavy handed.  It taught me the value of things and to be careful.

I always weigh up the situation though.  My worker snapped an slx pole that was 3 years old so i bought him a new one no charge to him ofcourse..

It has to be fair and within reason.

In the last year my workers have lost 3 window cleaning cones at £20 a pop.  They always forget and leave them at jobs and drive off So i charge them out of their wages.

Life was so much easier before staff but i love the freedom and flexibility i have now with staff doing all the cleaning.

Haha. You’re obviously joking. 

[jo5hm4n]

Personally i make my staff pay towards damage they have caused.

My workers are good but sometimes they just dont pay attention and make stupid mistakes that are more than avoidable.  Sometimes they just dont pay enough attention or their mind is elsewhere....

In 8 years ive not damaged my window cleaning van once, yet in 3 years 3 different employees have done damage atleast once each and one of my workers reversed into a parked car and wrote it off, also drove straight into another car scratched the bumpers etc...  yet ive not done any damage once in 8 years just think about that for a moment.

So personally for me staff need to be punished.  My view is that you dont punish staff for making avoidable mistakes they will never develop respect for your assets and wont ever take more care with them.  Since i started making staff pay 50% of the costs for any damage they cause which is 100% their fault and could of been avoided they have got way way better....

Say what you want but growing up my parents always made me pay if i broke stuff because i wasnt careful or too heavy handed.  It taught me the value of things and to be careful.

I always weigh up the situation though.  My worker snapped an slx pole that was 3 years old so i bought him a new one no charge to him ofcourse..

It has to be fair and within reason.

In the last year my workers have lost 3 window cleaning cones at £20 a pop.  They always forget and leave them at jobs and drive off So i charge them out of their wages.

Life was so much easier before staff but i love the freedom and flexibility i have now with staff doing all the cleaning.

Haha. You’re obviously joking. 

No, why would i be?

[dazmond]

I think the majority of people need to look to employ at some point but the most window cleaners I talk to still don’t do it properly or officially.

why?

with  WFP you can earn a good wedge without employing,without the stress/hassle and working short hours too.....quite a few jobs i clean these days would be impossible off ladders on my own but no problem whatsoever with WFP.....

[JandS]

I'm with dazmond on this.....I like nothing more than starting at 9am on a beautiful summer day and being sat with a cup of tea in my garden by 2/2.30pm having earned a good wedge and not having to worry about other people using my equipment and vehicles and all the other paperwork etc employing someone it comes with.........start when I want stop when I want and only me myself I to worry about.

[Stoots]

I'm with dazmond on this.....I like nothing more than starting at 9am on a beautiful summer day and being sat with a cup of tea in my garden by 2/2.30pm having earned a good wedge and not having to worry about other people using my equipment and vehicles and all the other paperwork etc employing someone it comes with.........start when I want stop when I want and only me myself I to worry about.

Theres certainly a lot to be said for being solo but dont you also get those days where you really cant be arsed, you are knackered from working so much but cant take a day off because you are so busy. Thats when i start considering employing. Or when its a beautifull summer day and you think i could be off fishing today or off to the coast or whatever if i wasnt a slave to this job. 

[Mike Burd]

I'm with dazmond on this.....I like nothing more than starting at 9am on a beautiful summer day and being sat with a cup of tea in my garden by 2/2.30pm having earned a good wedge and not having to worry about other people using my equipment and vehicles and all the other paperwork etc employing someone it comes with.........start when I want stop when I want and only me myself I to worry about.

Theres certainly a lot to be said for being solo but dont you also get those days where you really cant be arsed, you are knackered from working so much but cant take a day off because you are so busy. Thats when i start considering employing. Or when its a beautifull summer day and you think i could be off fishing today or off to the coast or whatever if i wasnt a slave to this job.

You don’t get to take time off with employees. Every day they work, you have to work too. The only true time off is the week between Christmas and New Year. At least that was true until October last year but now I have a full time day to day manager for customers and staff.

[Smudger]

I'm with dazmond on this.....I like nothing more than starting at 9am on a beautiful summer day and being sat with a cup of tea in my garden by 2/2.30pm having earned a good wedge and not having to worry about other people using my equipment and vehicles and all the other paperwork etc employing someone it comes with.........start when I want stop when I want and only me myself I to worry about.

Theres certainly a lot to be said for being solo but dont you also get those days where you really cant be arsed, you are knackered from working so much but cant take a day off because you are so busy. Thats when i start considering employing. Or when its a beautifull summer day and you think i could be off fishing today or off to the coast or whatever if i wasnt a slave to this job.

J&S and Daz have it sussed - they have enough work for short days, always having record weeks - and 3 to 4 5 star holidays - both are fit so its no problem

I get plenty of time off, I pop into the unit at 7.30 the guys are on the road at 8 - I can go home or go quoting - if there's no bespoke works then I don't even need to do that.
employing has saved not only me but the family as well with my on going health I couldn't be capable of cleaning one house a day never mind 25+

Remember we all have different objectives in our businesses

Darran

[Mike Burd]

I'm with dazmond on this.....I like nothing more than starting at 9am on a beautiful summer day and being sat with a cup of tea in my garden by 2/2.30pm having earned a good wedge and not having to worry about other people using my equipment and vehicles and all the other paperwork etc employing someone it comes with.........start when I want stop when I want and only me myself I to worry about.

Theres certainly a lot to be said for being solo but dont you also get those days where you really cant be arsed, you are knackered from working so much but cant take a day off because you are so busy. Thats when i start considering employing. Or when its a beautifull summer day and you think i could be off fishing today or off to the coast or whatever if i wasnt a slave to this job.

J&S and Daz have it sussed - they have enough work for short days, always having record weeks - and 3 to 4 5 star holidays - both are fit so its no problem

I get plenty of time off, I pop into the unit at 7.30 the guys are on the road at 8 - I can go home or go quoting - if there's no bespoke works then I don't even need to do that.
employing has saved not only me but the family as well with my on going health I couldn't be capable of cleaning one house a day never mind 25+

Remember we all have different objectives in our businesses

Darran

Who deals with all the phone calls, the payment reconciliation, the invoice queries, chasing debts and so on. Quieter in the winter obviously but still numerous calls a day. In the summer it’s relentless.

[Smudger]

the wife she's an employee  as well

seriously -payments are pretty automated - don't get many invoice queries - most stuff is paid for in advance that requires invoice and those that don't we could do on a Friday but tend to have all that sorted by 9.30

yes phone calls are more of a problem but we also use a divert service if we really don't want to talk to anyone - we no longer stress about every little enquiry or late payment

we are doing a 25k leaflet drop in the next 3 weeks so I expect I will have to put some more effort in over the next 6 weeks 

Darran

[dazmond]

I'm with dazmond on this.....I like nothing more than starting at 9am on a beautiful summer day and being sat with a cup of tea in my garden by 2/2.30pm having earned a good wedge and not having to worry about other people using my equipment and vehicles and all the other paperwork etc employing someone it comes with.........start when I want stop when I want and only me myself I to worry about.

Theres certainly a lot to be said for being solo but dont you also get those days where you really cant be arsed, you are knackered from working so much but cant take a day off because you are so busy. Thats when i start considering employing. Or when its a beautifull summer day and you think i could be off fishing today or off to the coast or whatever if i wasnt a slave to this job.

the reality for me is i very rarely get knackered from working too much and fed up with this job.......i simply dont get to that point on a regular basis.....

1.i look after myself physically these days
2.better diet
3.I WORK SHORT DAYS 4 OR 5 DAYS A WEEK(5 or 6 hour days)
4.better equipment(lighter poles and electric reels)
5.i dont take on add on jobs i deem as a pain(inside windows/connys/gutter clearing,etc)

ive refined my work so  much over the years its almost the perfect round now....certainly for me....

if i want a day off ill take it off no problem Adam.....REMEMBER!YOUR IN CHARGE!

[dazmond]

I'm with dazmond on this.....I like nothing more than starting at 9am on a beautiful summer day and being sat with a cup of tea in my garden by 2/2.30pm having earned a good wedge and not having to worry about other people using my equipment and vehicles and all the other paperwork etc employing someone it comes with.........start when I want stop when I want and only me myself I to worry about.

Theres certainly a lot to be said for being solo but dont you also get those days where you really cant be arsed, you are knackered from working so much but cant take a day off because you are so busy. Thats when i start considering employing. Or when its a beautifull summer day and you think i could be off fishing today or off to the coast or whatever if i wasnt a slave to this job.

J&S and Daz have it sussed - they have enough work for short days, always having record weeks - and 3 to 4 5 star holidays - both are fit so its no problem

I get plenty of time off, I pop into the unit at 7.30 the guys are on the road at 8 - I can go home or go quoting - if there's no bespoke works then I don't even need to do that.
employing has saved not only me but the family as well with my on going health I couldn't be capable of cleaning one house a day never mind 25+

Remember we all have different objectives in our businesses

Darran

great post Darran.....if i didnt have my health id be stuffed......my business would be over.....

i also like being out and about on the tools...ive  worked outside all my life

[TomCrowther]

I have one Franchisee and one employee. Having the employee enables me to take on bigger jobs and do the roof cleaning safely and without getting exhausted.
All depends on the individual. 8 weekly and Lee Pryor do what's right for them and Dazmond etc do what suits them. Horses for courses.

[Stoots]

I have one Franchisee and one employee. Having the employee enables me to take on bigger jobs and do the roof cleaning safely and without getting exhausted.
All depends on the individual. 8 weekly and Lee Pryor do what's right for them and Dazmond etc do what suits them. Horses for courses.

Which do you prefer and why?

Franchising vs employing i mean

[Richard iSparkle]

I'm with dazmond on this.....I like nothing more than starting at 9am on a beautiful summer day and being sat with a cup of tea in my garden by 2/2.30pm having earned a good wedge and not having to worry about other people using my equipment and vehicles and all the other paperwork etc employing someone it comes with.........start when I want stop when I want and only me myself I to worry about.

Theres certainly a lot to be said for being solo but dont you also get those days where you really cant be arsed, you are knackered from working so much but cant take a day off because you are so busy. Thats when i start considering employing. Or when its a beautifull summer day and you think i could be off fishing today or off to the coast or whatever if i wasnt a slave to this job.

the reality for me is i very rarely get knackered from working too much and fed up with this job.......i simply dont get to that point on a regular basis.....

1.i look after myself physically these days
2.better diet
3.I WORK SHORT DAYS 4 OR 5 DAYS A WEEK(5 or 6 hour days)
4.better equipment(lighter poles and electric reels)
5.i dont take on add on jobs i deem as a pain(inside windows/connys/gutter clearing,etc)

ive refined my work so  much over the years its almost the perfect round now....certainly for me....

if i want a day off ill take it off no problem Adam.....REMEMBER!YOUR IN CHARGE!

Great post Daz

[Stoots]

Yeh its a good post daz but i get knackered working 4 or 5 days a week.... Maybe im trying to cram too many jobs into a day or maybe im just getting old fast. Either way i dont find this job as easy as a few years ago.

[NWH]

If you’re a grafter enough is never enough £10 was enough then 20-30-40-50 and so it goes on,they aren’t Southern figures you understand 🤣🤣🤣

[dazmond]

Yeh its a good post daz but i get knackered working 4 or 5 days a week.... Maybe im trying to cram too many jobs into a day or maybe im just getting old fast. Either way i dont find this job as easy as a few years ago.

sounds like your health could be failing a bit mate...i dont blame you for trying to employ and ease the physical workload esp at your age...by the time you reach my age(49)you ll probably out of the game altogether if you dont go down the employment/franchise route....

i find it easy.....to me the modern window cleaning business is SO MUCH EASIER THAN YEARS AGO!

having spent 17 years on ladders and collecting 2 or 3 nights a week its a doddle to me.....i sometimes have to pinch myself that im not dreaming!ive got it that good......ive never been so happy and content with my worklife/business as i am today....

[dazmond]

I'm actually looking forward to the spring and summer months......new shorts,work shoes,polo shirts and hoodies on the way,fitted my 3 new xtreme sections so my main pole is like brand new again...

Hopefully the gyms will be open again on the 12th April,then not long after I can start playing live drums again with my band!I'm 50 in October so hopefully we can have a big party!👍😁.....

[AuRavelling79]

I'm actually looking forward to the spring and summer months......new shorts,work shoes,polo shirts and hoodies on the way,fitted my 3 new xtreme sections so my main pole is like brand new again...

Hopefully the gyms will be open again on the 12th April,then not long after I can start playing live drums again with my band!I'm 50 in October so hopefully we can have a big party!👍😁.....

Dazmond - AKA Lieutenant George in Blackadder 4. (After listing all his comrades that have been killed or wounded.)

"If it wasn't for the thought of going over the top tomorrow a chap would get a bit mis ..."