What are your most common employee issues?

Its all about TRAINING and repetition of that training. We have just revised our employee handbook and training manuals. We also have a manual for trouble shooting equipment. I do not think you will ever get the quality, from employees, that you yourself would do. Its not their company but if you constantly re enforce whats in the training you will cut down on the call backs. If you are going to have employees for a service business you are going to have call backs its the nature of business.
 
Christopher said:
+10 I am the same way, stuff gets left out, left on the trailer wheel fenders, hose reels unlocked, hoses not rolled up all the way, etc...

I always have to do a walk around but I do it before any hoses are rolled up because with some workers it does not matter rolling or unrolling the hoses, it is time on the clock.

I have a new helper that I have this year and he is working out good, almost to where I can trust him with almost anything that I have trained him to do but I still do the walk arounds, it is my company image that is on the line, not his.

When done using tools, put them back where they go right away, not later, not when the job is done and that helps to prevent lost tools.

Great post Nick!
Click to expand...

You would think if there getting paid by the hour they would take there time and put everything back where it needs to be, instead they are using that time to check there VIP messages on there phones and smoke.
 
innovativewash said:
Its all about TRAINING and repetition of that training. We have just revised our employee handbook and training manuals. We also have a manual for trouble shooting equipment. I do not think you will ever get the quality, from employees, that you yourself would do. Its not their company but if you constantly re enforce whats in the training you will cut down on the call backs. If you are going to have employees for a service business you are going to have call backs its the nature of business.
Click to expand...

We had our lawyer draw up our handbook so it wasnt "Violating" anyones civil rights, but it was worth it in the long run. To save some money you could probably find something online that you could use and implement your own words.
Did you create your own?
 
never employed anyone but i have been employed in a number of different fields and taken some management courses . if you can't find someone who takes pride in their trade/craft (hard to do now adays) and you can afford it maybe a decent monthly or bi monthly bonus for no call backs? idk just a thought.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk
 
Just had one of mine send in a report with a picture of completed work showing another employee making a goofy face. Lucky I didn't have those reports going direct to the customer yet.

Running the machine out of water is another problem. Good thing I have those pumps from Paul.

Leaving a roof without walking around and checking for open units.

I found that making them deal with problems they created on their own time cuts the inattention down tremendously.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk
 
Lots of great stuff here- repetetive training is a great one..I do a "huddle" every morning were working and we go over whatever job were doing.. we talk about safety and the dynamics of the job

i have found that incentives work a lot of times with some of my guys..i have monthly goals which if they hit they get a bonus..It has become pretty useful for some guys, others just don't care and i get rid off eventually.

being on time, getting positive customer satisfaction reviews which we collect on every residential job and no call backs are things we measure..its helped but not foolproof.
 
Long story short I learned to look internally when there are problems because 9 times out of 10 its a managment problem. Hire good people train and educate them to perform routines and job duties.

[/QUOTE]How true is this. Last millennium when I first went into the electrical contracting field I was taught this by a very successful business man. He was far more direct about it. He said" If there's been a staff F$@k up have a look at yourself first because 90% of the time it will be your F$@k up." Oh so true. Training, training , training. Making it clear to staff what your standards are and your expectations of them. Once they are fully trained MORE TRAINING!! If they don't, can't or wont meet your Standards show them the door because they will kill your business and your hard won reputation. As we all know we live or die, in business, by our reputation.
 
Ron Musgraves said:
Hire drug free helps


Oct event San Diego free free text me for more details !!
Click to expand...
Our biggest problem was the neighbors of the roof we are cleaning waving cash in the face of our employees, and them keeping it, or calling in "sick", and going out with my equipment, working for themselves!

Now, all my roof cleaners are family, and they will still "steal", but at least they buy their own roof cleaning chemicals now, and tell me what they did, LOL

I Love my Son, and my brother, and he has a family to support, plus my Grandson.
He busts his ass for the company, so what if he is able to hustle up some extra cash ?

247361_4330378545406_637866533_n.jpg281871_247755535253347_5777423_n.jpg
 
A couple months ago I got a call from a guy requesting a quote for roof cleaning. When I gave him my price of $400 he must have gasped all the air out of the room. I tried to calm him down a little and try to explain things, and he said he would let me know. Lol I didn't have high hopes for the job obviously, but I called him back a couple days later to check up anyway. He said he found an employee of another roof cleaning company that was going to do it for $250. Considering the fact that a 55 gallon drum of bleach cost $180 plus tax delivered here, I imagine the owner of the other roof cleaning company had no idea this was going on. Lol

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk
 
Kiloman said:
Wow Josh you areaying way to much for that bleach ouch.
Click to expand...

Actually, I think bigger companies get a much better price for buying in bulk. And Univar didn't even want to deal with me if I was ordering less than 3 drums at a time. The company I order bleach from didn't even want to sell me pure SH. they tried to sell me a product called "Housewash". Basically bleach, soap, and (I'm guessing) water. Ready to downstream! Only $150 a drum! Lol

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk
 
Becoming friends with employees can spell disaster. I had a guy that would show up late and you could tell he was hung over. If you can't hang with the big boys, don't go to the bar. #fired


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
Chris Dubbs said:
Becoming friends with employees can spell disaster. I had a guy that would show up late and you could tell he was hung over. If you can't hang with the big boys, don't go to the bar. #fired


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
Click to expand...

Then maybe you shouldn't have been taking him there "Boss" lol
 
JDhomeservices said:
A couple months ago I got a call from a guy requesting a quote for roof cleaning. When I gave him my price of $400 he must have gasped all the air out of the room. I tried to calm him down a little and try to explain things, and he said he would let me know. Lol I didn't have high hopes for the job obviously, but I called him back a couple days later to check up anyway. He said he found an employee of another roof cleaning company that was going to do it for $250. Considering the fact that a 55 gallon drum of bleach cost $180 plus tax delivered here, I imagine the owner of the other roof cleaning company had no idea this was going on. Lol

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
LOL, this is one reason why the big residential roof cleaning company with multiple employees is IMHO an obsolete business model.
We once ran 3 roof cleaning trucks, and got robbed blind by our employees.
It is just way too easy for them to steal from you.
 
midatlanticpower said:
We had our lawyer draw up our handbook so it wasnt "Violating" anyones civil rights, but it was worth it in the long run. To save some money you could probably find something online that you could use and implement your own words.
Did you create your own?
Click to expand...
Yes and it took years to build.
 
Ron Musgraves said:
Hire drug free helps


Oct event San Diego free free text me for more details !!
Click to expand...
we drug test all employees. had to let go 6 last season for failures. You fail you go home instantly.
 
On the window cleaning side its the tracks that we get the most call backs , I teach my guys that cleaning glass is just part of the whole window package we call it the Zn of window cleaning but most people hate to detail window tracks. Pressure washing again its usually the little details like corners around a bay a window, a chimney or odd roof line that they miss.

If they cant take a tool back to the truck immediately I teach them to put equipment they are finished with in the main walking path so somebody has to see it and we get most of of picked up when we are finished. As Dun Rite said we have a Morning Huddle, I use to be a Boss that thought show up , work as directed and what the day looks like is not your concern.However I found the single most positive moral and management tool I've done is tell all of them what the day looks like such as Job #1- 9am, 2 story bigger vinyl and brick, power wash ,windows in & out . I even text the info to them the night before if they are going to meet me there, they seem to really appreciate it. I also give them my best guesstimate at the time we will be finished that day. But to stay on the tread its always the details that we get called back for .. but not too much anymore.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top