[clinton]

Be good to let us know how you get on with the del of the leaflets derek

Looks like 250 per hour then per man hours,just i have not got round to doing the leaflet drop yet as have work in.

You can only try derek with your mate.

Did you ever think of him putting money into your set up and have a sort of partnership so he gets an incentive

[sherco]

I used to have 10 guys working for me a few years ago on another buisness, you don't make enough money with one guy to make it pay, you need several to warrant all the extra cost and time. Now i don't employ anybody and i never would again, its a nightmare, not turning up for work, turning up late, being resentful of what your earning, employment rules, holiday pay etc etc. My advice would be put your prices up so you do less jobs for more money.

[ianharper]

Hi

Be very careful that you don't train your competition.

When taking on anyone you must be sure that they are bring something to the table. as then they will be needed and your view about them will be different.

Respect and good luck

Ian Harper

[derek west]

cheers ian.
a  lot of comments saying don't do it.
its strange to me that i want to spend 10k a year on a helper which in my view will double my productivity and make me busier through leaflet distribution, and all but a few say don't do it, then on another thread theres a lot of guys willing to spend 10k plus on premises which won't make much difference other than stopping the wife nagging.
am i missing something.
derek

[garyj]

Yes, you are new, hungry, determined and optimistic. We are old jaded sour old f4rts. On the whole I think carpet cleaners are a solitary bunch and are used to working on there own.

I think if you have the money and the stamina hit it now, coming up to Xmas is the busiest time anyway.

So many carpet cleaners are worried to death about someone taking there work not realising that 9 out of 10 people have not got it in them to start there own company anyway.

It would not be worth the paper it is written on but but a competition clause in the employment contract saying they will not set up in your area for 12 months. If they still go against that after signing it at least you will know that person was not worth having around anyway and it is something you can point out to any customers that you might lose that he is an untrustworthy scum bag.

By the looks of your set up, training, website and marketing so far you are already in it for a penny or two so why not go the whole hog.

I am envious of the drive you have at the moment, in a couple of years you will either be very rich or bankrupt, and what I have gleaned about you so far my money is on you making it.

 

[suffolkclean]

I totally agree with Sherco, we had 5 staff at one point and it was an absolute nightmare. People not turning up having to arrange cover, apologise to customers on behalf of staff.

It's better to charge more & do the work yourself which is what my husband and myself do. We are really at the stage we could do with an extra pair of hands now and again but do not want to hassle that goes with employing people. Someone with a business said to me when we had staff working for us 'Oh be careful you don't want to get too big' I thought at the time that's not very ambitious, but 6 months on I totally agree with her.

I think employing a friend is a very dodgie business, if he's done something wrong that your not happy about will you speak to him or just leave it as he's your friend. It's a tough one

[carlton care]

It's very sad, but true, that we live in a time when it's very difficult to find anyone interested in working, part of the problem is the crazy government policies which make many worse off if they work !!!!!!!!!

[garyj]

I am far more geared into commercial cleaning, the same as Suffolk Clean and have had as many as 50 staff at one time. It is very difficult to get half decent staff as it is not a career but a stop gap.

this is different because carpet cleaning IS a career AND a full time job and pays far more. A commercial cleaner will be charged out at around £12-£14  per hour and they will receive around half of that as wages, more than likely for around 10-15 hours a week, that sort of money is not buying commitment or loyalty.

Given my time again I would not have started a commercial cleaning company but gone straight into carpet cleaning in the way Derek has.

With all due respect to Suffolk Clean I don't think you can compare commercial or domestic cleaning staff with a carpet cleaning operative. Looks to me like Derek is building a business or even a small empire rather than creating a job for himself. 

[derek west]

gary
cheers for the comments gary, i put this thread on so i could digest all the negative comments i would get, i knew i'd get them, and before you all have a go, i welcomed them all, once digested i could make up my own mind (if i hadn't all ready) if it was a wise move,
it was really refreshing to get your comments and as youve probably all ready guessed, he starts monday, fingers crossed.
clinton
me and my staff have a small job monday and a big one tuesday so i wont be getting as many leaflets out as i estimated, still going though so i'll let ya know how many per hour with 2 doing it.
suffolkclean
i'm no expert on employing people. but i'm very logical .if you employ someone with the sole view to increasing your own wages, then you'll be forever replacing that person with new staff,  if however you employ someone to give them a good income and a decent life style, then they'll bend over backwards to keep there job, they'll also enjoy there work more. and the extra money they generate from enthusiasm will and should benefit both the employer and the worker. i could be wrong on this but if my theory works out then not only will i make a good living but i'll be giving a good friend a good living too. i may even cut him in on the business if he does well and wants too.
he is my friend and a good one, one i wouldn't want to lose, but he understands me and what his job is, and thats to work hard so i can pay him good money. if i thought he wasn't a grafter then i wouldn't even consider him but i know he is so no worries there. oh and if he did something wrong i'd tell him, and he knows i would.
anyway some fantastic comments for me to mull over and chase up, especially the NI, ins and elf an safety.
cheers guys,
top banter
derek
ps.. gary, cant you sell the contract cleaning company and start again doing domestic, must admit, i couldn't see a boss of an office smiling from ear to ear and wanting to hug me like some of my domestic customers do. now thats job satisfaction.

[garyj]

ps.. , cant you sell the contract cleaning company and start again doing domestic

[kinder clean]

Hi Derek

I would think twice about setting on a friend, your decisions as an employer will get clouded.

Theres always a chance he will set up on his own in 12 months time and steal all your custys when he sees the potential and like Mike said the resentment factor sets in especially if your good friends, in this current uncertain climate it may be a good idea to wait a few months.

With all the good intention in the world, delivering flyers for 6 hours plus a day, especially now the cold spells on its way is, mind numbing, hard, boring work, give the guy a few weeks and he'll be looking for a job at Tescos.

A better option might be to employ someone (cash in hand) for say 10 hours a week just on the flyers side and ride out this uncertain period. Taking someone on is a big commitment.

Paul

[garyj]

The leaflets that are delivered now will be bringing Derek results now, in 6 months and even a years time, we all know that.

Seems to me that most carpet cleaners are scared of the employee becoming a competitor whereas the reality is that is far more likely to happen in the contract cleaning sector where the employee is in daily contact with the company, but it very very rarely happens.

Best person to give advice here must be Paul King, he is the ONLY carpet cleaner I can think of that actually employs other people to do the work and I bet he is also the richest person on here.

Of course it is a risk taking someone on, but it is an educated risk the same as it was an educated gamble to become self employed in the first place.

Ever heard the expression if you try to keep hold of something too tightly you will lose it? I know nothing about running a carpet cleaning company with more than one person but it is the only way to grow, you have to take a chance and it looks like this chap has the bottle to give it a go.