How do you pay your techs? Hourly or commission? We are currently paying hourly, but are running into the problem of a new tech (1 month) we hired still being pretty slow (compared to others) on completing jobs - costing us more in hours. We ran into an old employee of ours, who is now working for a different cleaning company, and told us, he is getting paid 30% commission on every job he does. He is on a van by himself with this new company, but they also do mobile detailing, we don't. We currently run 2 techs per vehicle. What's recommended or works best in your gracious opinion? Do you pay workers comp still on purely commissioned positions?
How do you pay your techs? We pay hourly with a commission structure.
Our FTE per employee is budgeted for our monthly goal. Our commission is set to encourage tech presenting all our services on each service visit.
Slow employees. This will always be a problem. Get used to it. No one is going to work as hard, long, care more, treat equipment correctly, better than you. Welcome to being an owner. It still gets me going when this happens also. Extra training might help but I think speed is some what who a guy is. He is ether fast or he isn't. I want accurate.
When an employee is slow I try to ask What's good about them? Do they show up on time? Do they have minimal call backs? Do they present our company well? Can they add on services to tickets? Are they honest? Are they fun to work with? Do other employees like them? If the answer is yes, yes, yes, you have a winner get over the fact he might not be a $1200 dollar a day production guy. I would take a good $650 - $850 guy every time. I need one now got any candidates? These guys don't get the raises. These are the guys you put on the half or overflow truck. These are the guys you get done by noon but got you $350 dollars extra for the day and made a client happy. These guys aren't that bad. They most time are ok with 25-35 hours. Just right for us small multi truckers.
IMHO the big bad production guys most times know it and are often a PITA. They are the guys who think they can run their own company and want to tell you how to run yours. They are often the guys that see tickets for $1000 -$2000 dollars and think they deserve more, even if you are reimbursing them well. They can be real drama queens.
Taking advice from a former employee? Why would you even think of doing this?
Comparing yourself to another company on what a former employee says?
The guy left you for what ever reason and he is still just an employee for the next company. This is not someone to put in your peer group for advice on how to run your company. Asking here or even better developing a close circle of business owners you know personally is where you should be getting advice. This is why I go to MF events and other industry meetings.
Do you pay work comp? Yes! in my state its the law and I would guess it is in yours also. It is not about how you reimburse your employees it is the fact that they are an employee. Some will say just 1099 everyone. This is also incorrect. If you are the majority of a persons income or work load they must be considered an employee. If they use your equipment, supplies and you direct their day to day they are your employee. Trying to make them subs is a real slippery slope.
How do you get any commercial work? If you bring employees on a job site without work comp and they are injured they then go after your client if you are not insured. This is a major issue. You can't skirt running your business legally or correctly be careful here. This is also a major liability for homeowners also.
Hope this helps.
, what he said.
