How do you know-part two

[hogjowl]

Darcie’s “How do you know” thread has highlighted one or two common problems in our industry that we need to discuss. Darcie and her husband (forget his name) have just expanded their business from 1 or two vans to 4? Something like that anyway. It was at 3 crews that I lost all interest in employing
people.
What I found was I couldn’t motivate people to clean properly. Some of my problem was also probably in my training, or lack there of. I got tired of the constant complaints and problems and decided to scale back. As they quit, I didn’t hire anybody to replace them. I increased my prices and carried on alone until my son came to work for me. I also increased the quality of my work.
It’s appears that Scott (THAT’S his name) was able to drastically improve the carpet that his employee was having difficulty with. What changed? What did Scott know that his employee didn’t? Why was Scott motivated to do what his employee wasn’t?
Is it just that young people today won’t work?
Is Scott’s training program in need of improvement?
How hard is it to motivate people to do quality work?
Maybe they’re hiring practices need improvement?
Darcie and Scott are attempting to grow their business into a successful multi-van business. We all attempt that at some point in our early years. What’s the difference between those who do and those that fail at this?

 

[Trip Moses]

I think some people are able to turn that corner where the customer complaints have no effect on them. It’s just part of doing business.

 

[hogjowl]

This is not about you

 

[Hack Attack]

*who

 

[Hack Attack]

carpet cleaning isn't rocket science

stain work is more specialised

the cleaners who I clean after don't seem to have a consistant system in place, and the results show it

Admittedly, I still probably see more wool in a fortnight than most you guys see in a year. But they seem to treat every carpet the same regardless of fibre, soil load and type

 

[Desk Jockey]

Things are much easier if you are off the truck, working on the business and not in it.

No disrespect intended but if you feel disrespected...FU! I don't care!

Nothing is easy. EVER!

If your intent is growth, which barring special circumstances, always should be.

Then you must realize the managers job is putting out fires and developing policies to minimize the occurrence.

It's not an easy job! However the compensation should be worth the headaches. Yes, holding a wand all day is much easier.

Being a manager isn't for everyone, you found that out. You're plenty capable of doing it, you got tired of doing it.

It's ok, not everyone is Superman, there are wimps out there too.

Sorry had to!

 

[hogjowl]

carpet cleaning isn't rocket science

stain work is more specialised

the cleaners who I clean after don't seem to have a consistant system in place, and the results show it

Admittedly, I still probably see more wool in a fortnight than most you guys see in a year. But they seem to treat every carpet the same regardless of fibre, soil load and type

What does that have to do with this thread?

 

[steve_64]

Darcie’s “How do you know” thread has highlighted one or two common problems in our industry that we need to discuss. Darcie and her husband (forget his name) have just expanded their business from 1 or two vans to 4? Something like that anyway. It was at 3 crews that I lost all interest in employing
people.
What I found was I couldn’t motivate people to clean properly. Some of my problem was also probably in my training, or lack there of. I got tired of the constant complaints and problems and decided to scale back. As they quit, I didn’t hire anybody to replace them. I increased my prices and carried on alone until my son came to work for me. I also increased the quality of my work.
It’s appears that Scott (THAT’S his name) was able to drastically improve the carpet that his employee was having difficulty with. What changed? What did Scott know that his employee didn’t? What was Scott motivate to do that his employee wasn’t?
Is it just that young people today won’t work?
Is Scott’s training program in need of improvement?
How hard is it to motivate people to do quality work?
Maybe they’re hiring practices need improvement?
Darcie and Scott are attempting to grow their business into a successful multi-van business. We all attempt that at some point in our early years. What’s the difference between those who do and those why fail at this?

You have to have patience with people to be a good leader.

 

[Hack Attack]

What does that have to do with this thread?

the difference between Scotts work and his employee, will be experience vs systems in place for consistancy

the difference between you and your employees will be experience vs systems in place for consistancy

 

[hogjowl]

So, Darcie needs to go to SFS?

 

[Hack Attack]

did it help you?

 

[hogjowl]

Nope

 

[Hack Attack]

I don't even know what SFS is

when you hit a bad one or problem soiling, experience tells you to mix a bit stronger, dwell a bit longer, agitate, rinse more, dry stroke more etc

a system tells an employee to let prespray dwell another 10 mins while setting up the rotary

 

[hogjowl]

So he should just buy a different prespray!

 

[Hack Attack]

No, SFS!

 

[Cleanworks]

Darcie’s “How do you know” thread has highlighted one or two common problems in our industry that we need to discuss. Darcie and her husband (forget his name) have just expanded their business from 1 or two vans to 4? Something like that anyway. It was at 3 crews that I lost all interest in employing
people.
What I found was I couldn’t motivate people to clean properly. Some of my problem was also probably in my training, or lack there of. I got tired of the constant complaints and problems and decided to scale back. As they quit, I didn’t hire anybody to replace them. I increased my prices and carried on alone until my son came to work for me. I also increased the quality of my work.
It’s appears that Scott (THAT’S his name) was able to drastically improve the carpet that his employee was having difficulty with. What changed? What did Scott know that his employee didn’t? Why was Scott motivated to do what his employee wasn’t?
Is it just that young people today won’t work?
Is Scott’s training program in need of improvement?
How hard is it to motivate people to do quality work?
Maybe they’re hiring practices need improvement?
Darcie and Scott are attempting to grow their business into a successful multi-van business. We all attempt that at some point in our early years. What’s the difference between those who do and those that fail at this?

We would have to understand what Scott did differently from the employee. Was the employees equipment not working properly? Did Scott use different chemistry. How does the carpet look when dry? I remember years ago when I was selling a truck mount, I did a demo at the purchasers customers empty office. Using the exact prespray, machine and wand, the area I cleaned was noticeably cleaner that what the purchaser did. Just a difference in wand control.

 

[darcie smith]

So, Darcie needs to go to SFS?

Already been

 

[darcie smith]

Darcie’s “How do you know” thread has highlighted one or two common problems in our industry that we need to discuss. Darcie and her husband (forget his name) have just expanded their business from 1 or two vans to 4? Something like that anyway. It was at 3 crews that I lost all interest in employing
people.
What I found was I couldn’t motivate people to clean properly. Some of my problem was also probably in my training, or lack there of. I got tired of the constant complaints and problems and decided to scale back. As they quit, I didn’t hire anybody to replace them. I increased my prices and carried on alone until my son came to work for me. I also increased the quality of my work.
It’s appears that Scott (THAT’S his name) was able to drastically improve the carpet that his employee was having difficulty with. What changed? What did Scott know that his employee didn’t? Why was Scott motivated to do what his employee wasn’t?
Is it just that young people today won’t work?
Is Scott’s training program in need of improvement?
How hard is it to motivate people to do quality work?
Maybe they’re hiring practices need improvement?
Darcie and Scott are attempting to grow their business into a successful multi-van business. We all attempt that at some point in our early years. What’s the difference between those who do and those that fail at this?

Thank you for posting this. We just grew from two trucks to three. I could spend the entire day typing out all the little quirks about our business and why Scott did a better job than John, but the condensed version is twofold: almost two decades of experience vs less than one year, and John was having one of those days where nothing goes right. On his initial walk-through when he got there the customer asked him about some area rugs she’d like cleaned and he told her they’d have to come back to the shop, which annoyed her because she wanted them done but didn’t want to pay to have them done (“can’t you just go over it real quick while you’re here?”). He started cleaning and she started complaining. He went back over a couple spots at her request and she was after him about why he didn’t make a better difference and where was Scott anyway because he did such a good job where she lives before. He called me and said nothing was making her happy so I told him to wrap up and leave because it was pointless to continue with him frustrated and her hostile. She didn’t give him a chance, but he needs to learn to take his time and not to treat every job the same.

It’s not about motivation for John, he has a house, a divorce, and a 3yr old to pay for. We don’t live in an area populated enough where every job every day for his training period is a carpet job, and the variety of jobs he’s been on just don’t give him enough experience to tackle things that are out of the ordinary. He will grow more skilled as time passes and he has more jobs under his belt. He’s been on his own for two weeks and this has been his only crazy customer. I’ve been checking in with his other jobs and no issues so far.

 

[Papa John]

Finding an employee who cares as much as the O/O is nearly impossible.

 

[Dolly Llama]

wow...
Marty made a good thread?

I think you know the answers to most if not all those questions.

The smArt people tell me you should have good cookie cutter training.(Like Stanley )
It needs to be professional, organized (as in an actual manual) and presented by an instructor that has the ability to make folks understand.

experience and confidence comes with time

The work ethic thing is a whole 'nother can of worms.

..L.T.A.

 

[steve_64]

Finding an employee who cares as much as the O/O is nearly impossible.

I disagree.


We just run them off.

 

[Trip Moses]

I have two vans but no employee’s. I don’t want to run both vans from the wand. My goal is by spring to have two expirenced techs hacking out the schedule and I’ll be at the office. I don’t see my income increasing but I know that I cannot keep this pace. I like my customer base and my price points, but I’m at a tipping point. I don’t see value in retracting and staying solo. I do see value in getting off the truck. We’ll see. Im not afraid of failure. I know what the bottom looks like.

 

[Cleanworks]

I have two vans but no employee’s. I don’t want to run both vans from the wand. My goal is by spring to have two expirenced techs hacking out the schedule and I’ll be at the office. I don’t see my income increasing but I know that I cannot keep this pace. I like my customer base and my price points, but I’m at a tipping point. I don’t see value in retracting and staying solo. I do see value in getting off the truck. We’ll see. Im not afraid of failure. I know what the bottom looks like.

This is what's motivating me to consider selling out and finding somewhere cheaper to live. I can't do this forever so I have a choice. Move where the cost of living is less and work part-time or go full blast with my current business and train and hire techs. Sometimes, looking down the road, you don't always like what you see

 

[Trip Moses]

This is what's motivating me to consider selling out and finding somewhere cheaper to live. I can't do this forever so I have a choice. Move where the cost of living is less and work part-time or go full blast with my current business and train and hire techs. Sometimes, looking down the road, you don't always like what you see

I don’t really see it as going full blast with techs. I don’t want to work the dog out of anyone. Not saying you do. But I can see maintaining my income minus the daily physical labor. Payroll becomes a tool, the same as anything else.

 

[hogjowl]

Honestly, I think the biggest stumbling block most cleaners face is pricing.
After that it’s training and keeping employees.

 

[Cleanworks]

I don’t really see it as going full blast with techs. I don’t want to work the dog out of anyone. Not saying you do. But I can see maintaining my income minus the daily physical labor. Payroll becomes a tool, the same as anything else.

I have a rug shop that I would think about expanding if I stay. Currently, I have around 29 dry cleaning stores who take in rugs for me. If I had someone to pick up and deliver, I could easily expand that to 40 or even 60. Revamp the shop with new equipment or move to a larger shop. Getting off the truck doesn't mean less work, just a different kind of work.

 

[hogjowl]

I don’t want less work.
I just want office work.
I’d also love to find a person who knows advertising who actually built a business worth copying. Howard is the only one I know of.

 

[Papa John]

I disagree.


We just run them off.

I disagree.
I gave my former employees a "Long leash" and didn't meddle too much in their job performance as long as the money was rollin in.
I let a lot of BS go unanswered because I was too distracted chasing Chicks and good times.

 

[steve_64]

I have two vans but no employee’s. I don’t want to run both vans from the wand. My goal is by spring to have two expirenced techs hacking out the schedule and I’ll be at the office. I don’t see my income increasing but I know that I cannot keep this pace. I like my customer base and my price points, but I’m at a tipping point. I don’t see value in retracting and staying solo. I do see value in getting off the truck. We’ll see. Im not afraid of failure. I know what the bottom looks like.

We have 4 employees but we still work as much or more than the others. I was running two vans for awhile.
They all take pride in their work but one doesn't treat it the way we do. Not yet anyway.
We do a variety of work too.
I've seen and had the crappy employees but most have been good. It was usually about me not providing their needs to see a future with me.

 

[steve_64]

I disagree.
I gave my former employees a "Long leash" and didn't meddle too much in their job performance as long as the money was rollin in.
I let a lot of BS go unanswered because I was too distracted chasing Chicks and good times.

I had a boss like that but all he wanted to do was golf. I knew the job better than him.

And it sounds like you didn't care much about your job. Maybe he cared more than you did.

You didn't give him the support he needed it sounds like.