Home › Forums › Heavens Best Forum › Misc › Finding a Good Employee
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May 2, 2006 at 2:53 am #146138AnonymousInactive
Not a big issue for us. Work comp did go up a bit.
May 3, 2006 at 12:07 pm #146139schradbrParticipantThere are some really good and interesting comments on this board. I thought that I would add my 2-cents worth.
We have just reached the point where we (the owners) are going to be able to almost entirely concentrate on “working ON our business, not IN our business.”
We have just finished training our third full-time employee. We also have one part-time guy who does night and weekend work.
One of our guys has been with us for more than 2 years, the other for just over 1. Last year each guy made over $50,000 gross pay, with benefits (health insurance). Our pay structure is mostly commission – it rewards the guys for excellent service and high productivity. All of our vans are run with one person.
As to some other questions, adding employee(s) does not increase auto or liability insurance. Workmans comp is based on the $$$ that you pay employees, so there is a direct relationship between employees and that cost.
One of the keys for us is training – we spend several weeks before the new person is really in front of customers, and then we really wean him along before we try to push hard on being fast. It is always easier (and more effective) to train someone to do the job right, and then to work on speed, than the other way around.
I hope that this helps.
May 3, 2006 at 9:17 pm #146140AnonymousInactiveAs I have been noting, Finding the balance between letting out the leash too fast and not fast enough is the tricky part. But I think a few weeks should be enough. If the guy is not getting it after 3 weeks, he probably isn’t going to after 6 or 8 or 52.
As far as being fast, I preach “Be Efficient” not “Fast”. There are so many ways to shave time from each job with out actually rushing the cleaning and compromising the quality. Just be efficient.
I also preach “value” not “price” but that is another sermon for another time.May 3, 2006 at 9:18 pm #146141AnonymousInactiveSo Barry, Your guy making $50k did how many dollars for you?
May 4, 2006 at 9:25 pm #146142pachecoParticipantJust today, I shared my hope and desire with a business-owner/customer, to expand beyond my son and me…he said that it would be much smarter to stay small and build a strong business….he suggested that at 4% unemployment, just what kind of employee could I find around here?
Food for my thinker I guess. I highly admire Barry and Jim for their business growth. I hope to emulate their model in the future.
Thanks for the illustrations Barry and Jim..
Dave
May 5, 2006 at 1:20 am #146143AnonymousInactiveI just sold my business . . . I want to work for Barry!
May 5, 2006 at 1:34 am #146144AnonymousInactiveCareful what you wish for Ferris……………..
May 5, 2006 at 2:19 am #146145AnonymousInactive@bferris wrote:
I just sold my business . . . I want to work for Barry!
What? You mean you didn’t make $50k last year??
May 5, 2006 at 2:42 am #146146AnonymousInactiveI was kidding Ron, I did $50,000 last month.
May 5, 2006 at 2:47 am #146147AnonymousInactiveI know….wait…what….$50k last month? Is that revenue from just carpet cleaning or from you being a state owner as well?
May 6, 2006 at 12:25 am #146148AnonymousInactiveRon, Ron, Ron . . . relax, kidding again.
May 6, 2006 at 12:35 am #146149AnonymousInactivegottcha
May 9, 2006 at 2:54 am #146150AnonymousInactiveThis is how we started week 5. I am continuing to trian the “new guy”. He has been left alone on a couple of jobs to sink or swim and is treading water. But in a couple of hours on his own, on a couple of different days he improves much quicker than when I’m standing over him. Today we worked at a big hotel working in different areas. I was able to check in on him, check his quality and offer a few pointers. He is starting to move the buffer smoothly and much quicker. We actually made good time today!
May 10, 2006 at 12:48 am #146151AnonymousInactiveDennis,
This is all like one big replay of my experience a year ago. Same stuff, same issues, quite stressful. I have found even now, that my employee will get through with as much work as I give him. If I give him a light load, it takes him just as long to do it as if I gave him a heavy load. If he works with me, he automatically becomes indecisive and slow! So, guess what . . . he’s on his own as much as possible., and we load him up good. He always knows I’m evaluating him on quality and time. He’s turned out to be a good employee for the most part.
I talk to Brian Sutton often. He’s in the very same scenario as you. Hopefully it continues to improve. Good luck.
May 10, 2006 at 12:49 am #146152AnonymousInactiveSutton is slow and inefficient too?????
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