[Glynn]

Wanting your thoughts.

I have been (probably) pushing myself the last few years , trying to do more and more.
My friend Lee Gundry advised me to  "train up a lad ", after seeking lots of them and realising that most of them are total toxxars I was introduced to  X , he's 17 and a half  yrs old, presentable, well mannered and Willing to Learn !.
Only trouble is ME !
I am so "set in my ways" , I arrive at a job - from there its like a regimented affair, 1,2,3 & 4 (job done) so to speak. Now all of a sudden , we travel to an appointment, unless I speak it's silence !. Once on a job I will say - do this do that ( in a very nice educational way ) and then let him do some basic cleaning or spraying tasks.
At the end of day one, I asked him, how did you like it today ? He replyed - It was a lot more intersting than I imagined , I really enjoyed the day !

At the end of the second day (this time he took off his jacket, because I meant sure that he sweated a bit more (few stairs ) )
He still replied, I really like this job !.

Q - Since I like my own company , do I carry on and take the plunge to an eventual "ease' of my own workload, or end it now ?.

Glynn

[HolmansUKLTD]

Sounds like youve found a gooden there mate

Keep him

Uless hes a bit wierd

Nick

[Phil Marlor]

If he is keen, cheap and a good worker carry on with him for now & see how it pans out.

Who knows it may lead to you sending him out on his own, then you can go on holiday and still be earning , although things can get more complicated when he is fully employed by you.

Phil

ps, Glynn, how do you get your van on your profile?

[Shaun_Ashmore]

wait till he's asking for more money or he doesn't turn in perhaps with all the money you pay him he wants a holiday, then there's your holidays does he have the same or do you let him take your van out or give him the week off?

I had to pay 2 weeks paternity money as well as holidays to my tech, as well as him coming to work sometimes 3 sheets to the wind, he also became moody and complacent forgeting equipment, and in general not looking after it or customers belongings.

Irrelivant of what work he does customers won't think he does as good a job and the relationship you have with them will then change.

Then as a red bloody male he will be trying to get off with you daughters.

But it will ease you back and may be replace that pain with a large headache!

Pass the Anadin

Shaun

[Glynn]

Phil,
The photomneeds to be on a web  site, once it is, you go into "your profile"and where it says " your picture (or whatever it says) you then type the web address ie in my case  if you go to my web site and hold down the mouse on my van , it would ask you if you want to open image in new window etc, if you did this , then the address in the address bar at the top on the screen would then read
http://www.leylandcleaningservices.co.uk/sidevan.gif
you would the type this into " your pic , in your profile.

Hope this helps, as I am neither a computer trainer nor a cleaning trainer for that matter.

regards

Glynn.

[Derek]

Glynn

Perhaps I am being very cynical...forgive me.

If the lad you are considering taking on has more than two working brain cells there is always the chance that he will 'go it on his own' at some point

In other words you could be training a potential competitor who knows you, your working practices and your clients.

Been there old son... many years ago...'once bitten twice shy' although it happened to me more than once.

Derek

[Ian Gourlay]

I think you should end it now.

[Doug Holloway]

Glynn,

There are 2 isssues here.

Firstly a lot of us carpet cleaners are solitary animals , set in our ways , enjoying the peace and quite of not having to talk for the sake of it.
However none of us are getting any younger and cc is a tough business.

Secondly , the only true training to a high level of competance is experience and by teaching a youngster how to really clean well , you are enhancing our industry .
If they eventually become a competitor then good luck to them.

It happens in lots of other industries,ie Barclays d'ont stop recruiting trainees in case they eventually work for Nat West

 My Daughter has just started work as a beautician ,after 2 years at college.What attracted her to this particular salon was the owners willingness to send her on training courses ,  at her expense so that my daughter becomes a highly trained , hopefully expert beautician in a few years.

It is quite possible that she may eventually become a competitor , but in the mean time the owner will have made money from her efforts.

Cheers,

Doug

[Shaun_Ashmore]

Some people don't want to work for themselves and like the comfort zone of a wage, yes they will complain that it is too low or the hours are too long or the work is getting harder but that is the nature of having employees.

Some employees offer bonuses for production this keeps their employees focused (providing they have an ounce of gumption)

Shaun

[Mike Halliday]

Glynn, I had a lad work for me a couple of years ago, I found it helped to give him specific duties, he was in charge of; vaccing, scrubbing, while i was packing away he put out next-door -nieghbours cards. like this he knows exactly what he should be doing.

as for the silence in the van he's only 17 he probably is a little unsure of himself you should take the lead and ask him open questions to make him talk to you, after a while he should start opening up.

how about an anti-competition contract so if he does leave you he can't contact any of your customers or work within a 6 mile radious of your bussiness

Mike

Ps thanks for the blower web address on the ICS board

[paul@ctcs]

Train your kids or get the Mrs to help

Problem solved!

[woodman]

has it occured to you Glynn that you might be a bit of boring git.

He probably goes home to mum & dad and his mates and says that miserable old sod hasn't said a word to me  all day.

Sorry couldn't resist it

[Dave_Lee]

Glynn,
Re: Mikes comments - Make it a 15 mile radius. I thought I noticed someone in the van with you the other day. Your a bit like me Glynn, I think, not very good at delegating duties. I have always believed that if you want a job doing your way the ONLY way to do it, is to do it yourself - someone else doing it - is always going to be second best. I think this is probably true with any good pratically minded person.
I too work harder and longer than I think I should be doing, but as long as I can, I dont worry about it, If I really want a day off to do other things that I am interested in - I just diary it and take it.
I have thought about taking on a lad too a few times, but having listened to others who have tried it, and seen what has happened to some businesses as a consequence, I have decided against it. If business got such that I couldnt cope, as it has almost done on several occasions, I would simply turn down the less lucrative jobs rather take someone on, or if the job was worth it, call in another Pro to help.
Everyone to their own, and all that.
Dave.

[Len Gribble]

Why not make it 100 miles radius it ant worth the paper it writhen on.

You could pay them £20hr at the end of the day, sadly employees don’t care they trash your equipment but mainly they know what workload they have to do on the following day and call in sick, where dose that leave you with the customer?

Very negative about employing permanent staff to many rules and reg’s but you can take bank holidays out of there holiday entitlement. Also min wage has now gone up

I would go down the road as Dave networking call in another Pro.


Len

[paulchambers]

There is a legal document a solicitor can write up . if he does try and start up himself  good for him but you can stop him working in a certain radius of you    Paul

[lee_gundry]

these competitor documents will Not stand up in a court of law.It acts as a deterant

basicaly you cannot denie a person, to earn a living.

Lee G

[Dave_Lee]

What about if you, put a clause in the contract of employment, to the effect that if they leave and start up in the same business within a certain mileage radius - they agree to pay an agreed fee towards training costs etc.
Dave.