Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: pauld on February 20, 2011, 02:16:50 pm

Title: Steps to insure Employees don,t cut corners
Post by: pauld on February 20, 2011, 02:16:50 pm
Years ago I had a large round and (Stupidly) employed friends to work for Me.Surfice to say I hired and fired them more often than an escort changes Her undies ! (Hopefully)  :)

Now I just have a single round that I do Myself but am thinking of expanding over the next 12 months and taking on 1 or 2 workers/Not friends !!!

A couple of Questions i,d be interested in hearing Your responses to.

1/ Anything You have in place to insure Your employees don,t cut corners on Houses? I was thinking for example pay Them 60% but keep 10% back for 3 months So if there are any Genuine complaints They lose The other 10%.
2/ On the Subject of wages WHat Percent people are paying There Employees?
3/ Has anyone used The Door knocker companys and if so what was there experience with them?
Title: Re: Steps to insure Employees don,t cut corners
Post by: A & J Owen Window Cleaning on February 20, 2011, 02:52:02 pm
personally i wouldnt entertaine friends   makes it harder to fire em it all comes down to good training and patience 
Title: Re: Steps to insure Employees don,t cut corners
Post by: Johnny B on February 20, 2011, 10:27:10 pm
I had a friend working for me until recently. It really doesn't work unless you don't mind being messed about.

He was a nice enough lad, but he always had an ailment of some sort (ie some injury he picked up while doing a 3 hour stint in the gym). He always seemed tired and had less energy than me. (He is 21 and I am 48).

After 3 years of this I finally had to say goodbye 3 weeks ago.
Shame really, but business is business.

John
Title: Re: Steps to insure Employees don,t cut corners
Post by: Griffus on February 20, 2011, 10:43:56 pm
I had a friend working for me until recently. It really doesn't work unless you don't mind being messed about.

He was a nice enough lad, but he always had an ailment of some sort (ie some injury he picked up while doing a 3 hour stint in the gym). He always seemed tired and had less energy than me. (He is 21 and I am 48).

After 3 years of this I finally had to say goodbye 3 weeks ago.
Shame really, but business is business.

John


Sounds like more of an age thing than a friendship one. Friends can and often do work out. Very generally speaking, youngsters tend to be either unreliable, unproductive or, worst case both.

Title: Re: Steps to insure Employees don,t cut corners
Post by: mikeyfaerosyth on February 20, 2011, 11:14:54 pm
thats good johnny :)
Title: Re: Steps to insure Employees don,t cut corners
Post by: lyndy on February 21, 2011, 08:06:53 am
I don't think people read all of the post,he is not going take on friends.We pay ours on an hourly rate,you may find you have to go through 2 or 3 guys before you get the right one
Title: Re: Steps to insure Employees don,t cut corners
Post by: Roy Harding on February 21, 2011, 08:29:11 am
I had a guy once who used to say the customer did not want it cleaned, he used many different excuses (painting building work on holiday) and he pocket the cash. So I made a slip that that the customer just filled in and signed and put the tel number. Then I could confirm that they did not want a clean.

Roy
Title: Re: Steps to insure Employees don,t cut corners
Post by: Steve CM on February 21, 2011, 08:45:34 am
I had a guy once who used to say the customer did not want it cleaned, he used many different excuses (painting building work on holiday) and he pocket the cash. So I made a slip that that the customer just filled in and signed and put the tel number. Then I could confirm that they did not want a clean.

Roy


When that happens i ring the customer up to confirm. don't have the slip though
Title: Re: Steps to insure Employees don,t cut corners
Post by: Richard iSparkle on February 21, 2011, 09:19:37 am
if you pay employees a month in arrears you've got a bit of leverage with them.  if it turns out that they are missing out cleans etc, well they haven't been doing their job have they so you can adjust their wages...
Title: Re: Steps to insure Employees don,t cut corners
Post by: newbroom on February 21, 2011, 09:22:58 pm
Vehicle trackers so you know where they are
spot check work
give work sheets with no figures on and do collecting yourself

Just some suggestions
Title: Re: Steps to insure Employees don,t cut corners
Post by: mikecam on February 21, 2011, 10:21:05 pm
Years ago I had a large round and (Stupidly) employed friends to work for Me.Surfice to say I hired and fired them more often than an escort changes Her undies ! (Hopefully)  :)

Now I just have a single round that I do Myself but am thinking of expanding over the next 12 months and taking on 1 or 2 workers/Not friends !!!

A couple of Questions i,d be interested in hearing Your responses to.

1/ Anything You have in place to insure Your employees don,t cut corners on Houses? I was thinking for example pay Them 60% but keep 10% back for 3 months So if there are any Genuine complaints They lose The other 10%.
2/ On the Subject of wages WHat Percent people are paying There Employees?
3/ Has anyone used The Door knocker companys and if so what was there experience with them?

Best ways to make sure employers don't cut corners are to make sure you get a written contract, make sure they pay you at least the minimum wage and also that they allow for your breaks each day. Remember they'll need to provide you with 28 days holiday per year (inc Bank Hols). Make sure they don't take any unauthorised deductions from your wages and push for a guaranteed hours contract as there is lots of fly by nights about who promise you lots of work when in reality they don''t have it. And last but not least, make sure they provide you with a risk assesment for the job you're doing, ongoing on job training and PPE. Oh, and employers liability insurance  ;D
Title: Re: Steps to insure Employees don,t cut corners
Post by: lyndy on February 22, 2011, 06:50:45 am
The post above is someone else who didn't read the post,people trying to be funny all the time is boring!!
Title: Re: Steps to insure Employees don,t cut corners
Post by: STEVE-UK on February 22, 2011, 08:28:17 pm
do you let your employees collect money on residential rounds or collect yourself and not tell them any prices?