Clean It Up

UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: monkeyboy950 on January 05, 2009, 07:48:26 pm

Title: how u go about letting someone go(a worker)
Post by: monkeyboy950 on January 05, 2009, 07:48:26 pm
been working for me the last few months,usually does a good job and seems hard working enough,its all wfp stuff and he does make me money,but last few weeks had a few complaints about him,lost a few custies and then tonight had 3 from same area one said her window was all smears and marks and she had watched him do her house and 2 others in under 10 mins,they are 7 quid houses,another one said they had bird crap on the bathrooms still,i called him about it and said he would have to rinse more and all that,then 5 mins later get a call from a custie cancelling as there was bird crap still on window from work done today i know it was his house he done as he done all the street,im mates with him but i cant afford for him to lose me work,dont know how to go about it?? he is also my flatmate so its kinda difficult
Title: Re: how u go about letting someone go(a worker)
Post by: windowswashed on January 05, 2009, 07:52:27 pm
Have a polite word with him, ask him to slow down a little to concentrate on doing a more thorough clean instead of trying to rush jobs. Perhaps he's rushing jobs to impress you. Is he on an hourly rate or an incentive to work quicker?
Title: Re: how u go about letting someone go(a worker)
Post by: monkeyboy950 on January 05, 2009, 07:56:58 pm
he gets his days wage(which is very good part of that is he is a mate who lost his job),he wears a backpack and i use the reel and he is always streaking ahead,i have told him to slow down but he keeps on going i very rarely get complaints maybe one or two every now and then but last month its been a few or i have been collecting and noticed the window but custie said nothing
Title: Re: how u go about letting someone go(a worker)
Post by: ronnie paton on January 05, 2009, 08:02:39 pm
maybe the cancellations are due to them struggling for money iv had it b4 and when you ask to see the bird poo they say no and cancel.

some people are to pround
Title: Re: how u go about letting someone go(a worker)
Post by: Steve B on January 05, 2009, 08:04:30 pm
Tell him that you told him to slow down and because he did not listen you have now had a flood of complaints as jobs were not being done to a good enough standard. Maybe give him a chance as he is a mate to put things right.

Tell him if he was just an employee he would have to go, or ask him what he would do in your position.
Title: Re: how u go about letting someone go(a worker)
Post by: chrisyg on January 05, 2009, 08:06:59 pm
Reputation is everything in this game you lose custies they will talk & you lose business.

Say to him you have had complaints a number of them and you need to take them very seriously. Tell him to ensure he does a good job over anything!

If you lose custies, then you lose work and then he isn;t needed! Put it to him simply.

Also, go round to check on these houses you get a complaint on, insist on it for training purposes and redo them for free!


Title: Re: how u go about letting someone go(a worker)
Post by: monkeyboy950 on January 05, 2009, 08:08:38 pm
Tell him that you told him to slow down and because he did not listen you have now had a flood of complaints as jobs were not being done to a good enough standard. Maybe give him a chance as he is a mate to put things right.

Tell him if he was just an employee he would have to go, or ask him what he would do in your position.

yeah think i will say that to him i like working with him,good laugh and day flys in most of the time,just dont like getting complaints all it needs is someone to get a new window cleaner with ladders and i could lose streets of work,i wouldnt mind one or two but when its 4 from last week who i just got round to collecting,i called him about it then when im at my folks phone goes and its some guy from work today going off on one about bird crap still on window anyone else would have been thanks but no thanks see you later
Title: Re: how u go about letting someone go(a worker)
Post by: monkeyboy950 on January 05, 2009, 08:10:19 pm
i always do recleans for free,tell them i would rather know so i can put it right,but this guy was irrate about it usually a nice guy but said it had happened before but wouldnt be using me again
Title: Re: how u go about letting someone go(a worker)
Post by: Steve B on January 05, 2009, 08:17:40 pm
i always do recleans for free,tell them i would rather know so i can put it right,but this guy was irrate about it usually a nice guy but said it had happened before but wouldnt be using me again

The best thing would be to go round and see him in person and apologise and see if you can get the oppurtunity to put it right even if he no longer uses you in the future.

People always say the best form of advertising is word of mouth, it's also the most damming, so treat it as a damage limitation exercise.
Title: Re: how u go about letting someone go(a worker)
Post by: Oakley Windows on January 05, 2009, 08:17:58 pm
Didnt you say he's ur lodger?

Get him to read this thread; he's in the kitchen isnt he?  ;D

Dont worry I'll get him

'OI, SLACKAAAA!!! GET IN 'ERE!!'
Title: Re: how u go about letting someone go(a worker)
Post by: windowswashed on January 05, 2009, 08:18:23 pm
Get your mate to re-clean any jobs he messes up and to appologise to the customer for not cleaning it thoroughly. It will make him more aware of his carefree attitude.
Should start him off on a short trial period at a reduced rate and if he comes up to scratch you'll take him on permanently with better pay incentives to work hard.
Title: Re: how u go about letting someone go(a worker)
Post by: matt on January 05, 2009, 08:22:05 pm
how we used to get people to leave

lock them in the van for a night or 2, they get out and dont want to work for you again  :-X
Title: Re: how u go about letting someone go(a worker)
Post by: Steve B on January 05, 2009, 08:22:53 pm
Were all the complaints about the poor standard of work by your mate or was there anything more specific about him that customers were complaining about?
Title: Re: how u go about letting someone go(a worker)
Post by: Steve B on January 05, 2009, 08:26:14 pm
how we used to get people to leave

lock them in the van for a night or 2, they get out and dont want to work for you again  :-X

There you go problem solved!
Title: Re: how u go about letting someone go(a worker)
Post by: monkeyboy950 on January 05, 2009, 08:43:51 pm
Were all the complaints about the poor standard of work by your mate or was there anything more specific about him that customers were complaining about?

windows were streaky,main big windows were marked,basically not taking his time to rinse the window which i have told him about before,then there was crap on the window which he didnt clean properly
Title: Re: how u go about letting someone go(a worker)
Post by: DaveG on January 05, 2009, 08:54:43 pm
Get him to clean them  all again for free and apologise to custies
Title: Re: how u go about letting someone go(a worker)
Post by: window wonder on January 05, 2009, 09:21:42 pm
Sure its not your windows they are complainng about !

Tell Billy boy to get his act together or he will be needing a new job and a new flat!!! ;D
Title: Re: how u go about letting someone go(a worker)
Post by: monkeyboy950 on January 05, 2009, 09:24:19 pm
Sure its not your windows they are complainng about !

Tell Billy boy to get his act together or he will be needing a new job and a new flat!!! ;D

You should have heard the answer machine message i just got about it,been a few complaints but not this irrate plus got complaints of streaky windows and leaving bird poo on them
Title: Re: how u go about letting someone go(a worker)
Post by: mattywig on January 05, 2009, 11:39:29 pm
He's had complaints about 1.) streaky windows and 2.)bird poo on the windows. I'll tell you the reason why, it's because 1.) he's using wfp which often streaks and 2.) he's using wfp so can't see the bird poo because he's miles away from it standing on the floor.  I know that technically only one reason but I thought it was such a big reason it was worth mentioning twice.  Correct me if Im wrong though
Title: Re: how u go about letting someone go(a worker)
Post by: mark dew on January 06, 2009, 05:37:52 am
He's had complaints about 1.) streaky windows and 2.)bird poo on the windows. I'll tell you the reason why, it's because 1.) he's using wfp which often streaks and 2.) he's using wfp so can't see the bird poo because he's miles away from it standing on the floor.  I know that technically only one reason but I thought it was such a big reason it was worth mentioning twice.  Correct me if Im wrong though

I'll correct you.  ;D
Monkeyboy also used wfp and his windows were ok.
It's a toughie. I assume he's heard the messages on the answerphone.
Is any part of his pay tied to a bonus for good work?
It sounds more like a training issue than anything else.
I hope you get it sorted amicably cos you have cornered yourself a bit by taking on a mate who is also a flatmate. You need this to work out really.

If you are determined to get rid you need to do it asap and as gently as you can. But do you really want a skint flatmate with no job cos you fired him from the last one?
Could you not tell him about the situation and re-train him. Giving a month before you assess and then reassess each month afterwards.

Maybe you could print up a specific leaflet reminding them of your guarantee. Tell them it is for training purposes.   
Title: Re: how u go about letting someone go(a worker)
Post by: ronnie paton on January 06, 2009, 10:35:39 am
iv had my problems with employees, what you have to think is he doing on purpose(unlikely) so like already said run him through it make him aware of how important it is to rinse.
I make my employees aware of how it actually works(WFP that is)

You do find that some rush and dont do a good job beacause they believe they will finish quicker, make him aware that he needs to get the speend right with the quality of i=his work, re assure him though that it is just a teething problem and if he takes is time alittle more all will be fine.

Good luck good employees are hard to fine if he turns up and works without moaning its likely with a little training and a push in the right direction he will be fine.

Remeber always praise were praise is due!
Title: Re: how u go about letting someone go(a worker)
Post by: Van the man on January 06, 2009, 05:52:11 pm
Parting company with your employee is the easy part.
You should be concentrating on getting your lost customers back and restoring your good reputation, because it`s much quicker to get a bad reputation than it is to get a good one.
If it were me, I`d go and see them personaly, apologise profusely, tell them you`d never had a problem with your employee before and that he`s now been given a final warning, tell them you won`t be charging them for the poor clean and as, they are such a valued customer you`d like to give them an additional free clean the next time. Also, after the next few cleans call them each time and ask, "Are you happy with everything?"
You`ve got the potential to turn a looming "bad reputation" into enhancing a "good one".
Remember, "Good news travels fast, bad news travels even faster".
Title: Re: how u go about letting someone go(a worker)
Post by: elite mike on January 06, 2009, 06:32:33 pm
 ;D
Title: Re: how u go about letting someone go(a worker)
Post by: Helen on January 07, 2009, 09:33:55 am
Is he on the books officially? If not you have no problems with "letting him go" as you won't have issued a contract. You shouldn't be working in this way, but it does happen. If he is "official" then you are going to have to do it right. Verbal warnings etc etc. Search the acas site this will help. Also sit him down and talk, you are mates afterall and he should understand. It's your business and you need to have it done right, mates or not!