[Steve Weatherley]

I am considering employing somebody to cover my window cleaning rounds as am very busy with the carpet cleaning side of things currently. Those of you who employ people for this purpose....

Do your staff come to your premises to fill up on water ?
How can you trust them not to do lots of jobs on the side with your van / equipment?

Your comments would be really useful

Just for the record I have a static system in my garage so would need to give the employee a key to the garage. I am considering buying an extra van and putting the pump / tank etc into the new van then my new employee can use this.

[Dean Taberner]

I have 2 employees for this very reason,

I trust my main guy as ive known him for nearly 27 years

Im 29 by the way

Dean

[waynebarry]

Steve I also do carpet cleaning and was trained by prochem ive got a few carpet jobs on the go but how have gone about getting so much work?
im the other way most of my work is window cleaning.

[Steve Weatherley]

I have been doing cc for 6 years now and do a lot of work for local letting agents. Mainly though it's just been word of mouth that has got me so busy. I also did the Prochem courses amongst others

[geefree]

so can anyone help him out here  :

[wfp master]

of course they will do jobs on the side if asked its extra cash for them..

[martinsadie]

of course they will do jobs on the side if asked its extra cash for them..

i bought a round off someone who employed lads to do it,after a few cleans a few people asked why i didnt do thiers,they wernt on the sellers book the lads picked the customer up and kept it all

[Steve Weatherley]

there must be some people out there who employ window cleaners successfully?

[Steve CM]

yes thanks

I have trackers fitted on my vans so i know where they are when they are. as for the doing bits on the sly (maybe not moving the van?) then i can't be a 100% sure but i do rotate the staff round so they are never just on one run all the time. also as long as my targets are hit and i'm making my margin then even if they do have the odd house i don't know about so what, i'm still making what i want! the rules are be straight with me and i'll be straight with you! if not theirs the door. i've never caught any of them out yet for having sly ones

[wfp master]

an extra £20 or £30 on top of there wages a day. of course they would do it and not tell you. if you were there its a diffrent story. would you say no if asked and you were in there shoes bet you wouldnt. had it happen to me but they got the new customers so they got first clean cash now they are mine. youve got to be there if you dont want them doing jobs on the side in your time and pocketing the cash.

[Steve Weatherley]

so perhaps offer them the value of the first clean for getting a new customer on board - kind of as a bonus?

[Steve CM]

so perhaps offer them the value of the first clean for getting a new customer on board - kind of as a bonus?

i do that. they get the first clean of any sign up

[wfp master]

aye thats fair

[geefree]

But how can people grow rounds and progress, if staff are taking new customers for themselves.

Must be a way around this, but probably not.

[Steve CM]

no gazza i know what you mean. i've doubled my turnover in 12 months so no room for growth

[geefree]

So you have honest staff and treat them well, sippose thats the key.

[Steve CM]

yeah i think i am probably am the best boss in the world

[rumple90]

GIVE THEM PLENTY OF WORK EACH DAY,NO TIME TO DO EXTRAS.

[Clive McDonald]

maybe it's a new thread but what was your growth pattern steve. One man (you?) flat out, get a helper and then another, leave them together while you get another van to work youself, build this up untill you need help. Repeat etc?

Or was it a bit simpler than that?

[Steve CM]

you on msn?