To tell or not to tell, that is the question!

[Beeks]

Do you tell your techs what jobs are lined up for the day at the beginning of the day? Do you give them the information to all jobs before they leave the office?

Or do you do what I do, and have them call when they get to job with the total, and then again when complete with the job to get there next one.

I dont like giving all jobs at once or even telling them how many they have for the day, I feel if they hear its a real busy day then will be more likely to rush through the jobs.

What do you do? And what do you think is the better idea?

 

[Mikey P]

Millers use to play that game.


I take it you hire real dopes...

 

[Beeks]

Millers use to play that game.


I take it you hire real dopes...

Its a little different when you're not on the truck Mike....or its not your son working for you.....

 

[Shane Deubell]

Better off to be transparent imo, i always give an outline of the day.

Especially if its a big job so they can plan for any childcare issues, doctor appt, wife, etc.
I don't like surprises either....

 

[Out of Character - 0]

Normally they will come in to find tickets waiting. If they don't have a full route then I tell them that I have another job after they complete the printed tickets, normally we'll book one or 2 anyway.

With a few of my guys I will warn them of having a long day but purposefully withhold info on their last job if they've previously expressed dislike for a particular place and especially if they are assisting other crews. I've found that when multiple crews are going to the same repeat job late in the day and they know the others will survive without them, someone will get "hurt" or feel sick or something of emergency is much more likely.

 

[Mark Saiger]

I have family working for me and I am also out on a truck as well. We use Google calendar and authorize them to be able to see appointments on their phones with info.

I have found it actually helps and they like seeing what is ahead of them. Just seems to make it so working for us in a better experience.

Putting myself in their positions, I like knowing what is ahead of me and helps me and them to plan to be successful during the day. Just my thoughts. Treat them like you would wish to be treated I guess is how we feel.

Mark Saiger

 

[Beeks]

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I have family working for me and I am also out on a truck as well. We use Google calendar and authorize them to be able to see appointments on their phones with info.

I have found it actually helps and they like seeing what is ahead of them. Just seems to make it so working for us in a better experience.

Putting myself in their positions, I like knowing what is ahead of me and helps me and them to plan to be successful during the day. Just my thoughts. Treat them like you would wish to be treated I guess is how we feel.

Mark Saiger

same as Mike, you have family working for you, I have "strangers". Its a different situation, at least that's how I feel. None of them really say anything about it, and if they say they have something lined up for the evening I do whatever I can to give the late job to another tech or get them off early if possible.

 

[Shane Deubell]

Poor communication usually = problems.

Can understand you wanting to remain flexible but would still give far more information.
How are these people ever going to operate without you?

 

[idreadnought]

I have no family working for me nor do I visit the truck very often. I give my guys passwords and unique log ins to service monster. They print paperwork out the morning of service from their own home. It works great for us and the techs really like it. I do let them know if they start the day to not plan on getting off in less than 8 hours even if the schedule is light. last minute jobs happen. My policy is if you have a day off it is the whole day off. if you have even one small job then you should plan on working up to 8. Only thing is if you are done and there are no more jobs then your off for the day.

So why does this work? a few reasons

First I do not hire chimps. If I think they are a chimp then I recommend them to another company to work. I hire really high quality people and treat them that way

Second, I pay commissions on the work they do. If they work hard and get done early I don't care. I believe that people that want to work hard and efficiently should be rewarded by being paid more per hour. quality isn't an issue see #1

And finally we maintain high quality and a good team by following this company policy "No one wins unless everyone wins"

Customer must win: We must provide high value for the money a customer is spending with us. He must get a great service and a great end product every time. if this doesn't happen the customer will leave and the company will fold without customers

Every team member must win: My team works their butts off, if they are compensated fairly and treated like they are important. This must be done or the team members will leave and no work will get done then the company will fold without any revenue coming in.

And finally I must win! Seriously and I tell the team members this. If im not making money then I will just turn the lights out and go home.

So that is why it works for me and it works amazingly well.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

I share vital info as soon as I get it. Update schedule, routing, info on customer history, potential problems.

I also LISTEN like crazy and solicit input from my people, they aren't stupid, and often just need permission to head off problems.

If I had the misgivings some expressed I would change people.

 

[Mikey P]

With Millers (bait and switch 12.95 for two rooms) they would give me one job in the AM. When I was done with that job I had to call in and report how much I up sold. IF I did well there was a large (34.95 for 5 rooms) job right around the corner, if I didn't sell for some reason all they had for me was another two roomer 80 miles away.


With Coit I was given a full route the night before. If they needed to ad a same day request they would call to see if I could fit it in.

 

[Becker]

what was the avg up sell on a 2 room, and a 5 room?

 

[Mikey P]

Its been a long time Don, that was in 87 or so, but 10 to 20 a room for a 175'n was the goal if I remember correctly.

I'm sure Sam Miller could tell ya.

 

[Beeks]

Poor communication usually = problems.

Can understand you wanting to remain flexible but would still give far more information.
How are these people ever going to operate without you?

They operate superbly with out me, as I plan to teach any upcoming office manager the same procedures. This also helps when the tech may pick up a large add on service, or is running behind, as I am able to contact the next customer to let them know we are running behind. Lord knows the techs wouldnt do this. Also able to track average time on jobs, giving me better opportunity to plan out jobs accordingly. It works great!

 

[Steve Toburen]

It works great!

Sounds like everyone is happy with the system that has evolved for them. So I wouldn't change a thing. Employees tend to resist change no matter which side of the "Should I give 'em the whole day at a glance" fence you are on.

Steve

PS We used this "Production Day Sheet" that my Operations Manager filled out the night before for each crew. The employees would come in early and find it attached to their pile of Job Folders. (Each Job had its own Folder with all the paperwork inside it.) The Day Sheet had a Load List which let the employees know about any additional non-truck-inventory chemicals or equipment to load for the day.

The Day Sheet also functioned as a way for the employees to give their feedback on the day back to the office. (How long each job took, their up-sells, any equipment issues and any problems on the job so the customer's file could be updated.) Of course, my techs knew that their Production Day Sheet was "subject to change" and we often would call employees and switch jobs on them due to last minute changes and emergency work.

Why did we do it this way? Because I honestly never even dreamed of not telling my people up front what their day was like. And yes, "it worked great"! (But who knows, maybe the "doling out a job at a time" approach would have worked too! So whatever works for you- go for it!)

 

[Brian H]

We don't have all family members here( although we have lots of brothers, cousins, father and sons, etc. that work for us.) and we DO give them their entire day to them first thing in the morning. As a matter of fact, they can call in the afternoon prior to find out from our dispatchers a brief overview of their day.

Only once or twice has this ever been an issue with someone scheduling after work plans based on their prior day overview. It's also the last time that person ever did that once it was explained to them that their job requires them to be available to pick up work til 4:00 pm every day.

Our crews are all professionals and understand the job and what is required of them.

 

[Russ T.]

Consider what you would want in their position? I've worked for both types of companies. Stanley Steemer would only give us our first job and then we would call in when finished with the amt we made, reading on the hour meter, etc.. Most of the low paid and not trustworthy employees at SS would look for every opportunity to add a room or two "on the side". That was the only way to make decent $ with them if they weren't into selling overpriced carpet rakes, mats, spotters, etc.. I didn't do that so made very little $ there and didn't work there long (@1 year).
As employers, our workers are our most important investment and asset. I say this with a lot of experience being the employee. Your employee must feel valued in their position at your company or it won't go well in the long run. They need to be treated well and part of that is being well paid. Other parts probably will include giving them an idea of what their day looks like before they begin. I held a position as "Operations Manager" for a smaller company (4 vans, not 4 routes typically though) in CO. I had MANY responsibilities there. We had a good relationship and they paid me very well. I always knew what the next day looked like the night before when I returned to the shop. I appreciated that. The owners were also known to come up behind me while on a big job and stuff a $100 bill in my pocket. I knew I was valuable to them.
The only reason I left was that they pushed me harder than I could handle. I worked very hard, often 10-12 hours a day and 6 days a week. When I left CO, I was 137 pounds( @ 185 now). I'm rambling but I think you should do to them what you would want them to do for you if the situation was reversed.


The Clean Machine

 

[davegillfishing]

i wouldnt work not knowing what i had to do that day..its crazy

you cant plan your day not knowing what your doing..just imagine waking up in the morning and your given your days work load in 2 hr increments..kind of hard
to plan out your day..

thats a change i would make asap in my opinion

 

[Shane Deubell]

They operate superbly with out me, as I plan to teach any upcoming office manager the same procedures. This also helps when the tech may pick up a large add on service, or is running behind, as I am able to contact the next customer to let them know we are running behind. Lord knows the techs wouldnt do this. Also able to track average time on jobs, giving me better opportunity to plan out jobs accordingly. It works great!

WHAATTT?
You just stated you need to talk to them after every single job....

These are grown ass men and women, no way i am spending every hour holding their hand.
OK little johnny you just finished ms. jones home and its 10am, so now i want you to go over to ms. pilfs home and call me by 10:30am to check in.

 

[GCCLee]

Leave me to guess at my day, your coffee will taste funny in the morning : )

 

[Mikey P]

So in other words you've created a system for your business that demands that you be there for it to run.

Your vacations will suck.

 

[Out of Character - 0]

you cant plan your day not knowing what your doing..just imagine waking up in the morning and your given your days work load in 2 hr increments..kind of hard
to plan out your day..

But Dave, what if the day is going to get longer and ruin your plans?

Most of you guys here have said that your crews must work later if needed to. Having that as a protocol makes sense for the business and makes it so that they "can't" be upset or at least express it because it's policy and they should have known it could happen. But they will be unhappy when their plan is ruined regardless. If they plan on working late and get off early it's a good thing / plan or hope to get off early and can't is a bad thing.

Well that's how I see it when it comes to "today". If our guys plan ahead 24hrs they are guaranteed the day off or to get off early. Works well for us

 

[Desk Jockey]

They know the schedule for the day but what's on paper doesn't always follow that way. Emergency work pops up and the schedule can be shuffled, work added and taken away and emergency work added in.

I wouldn't want them rushing but I also don't want them dragging. I like Steve's production day sheet if used you can see how productive they are and get an average established. Then you can see how much to book them without over loading them.

You can still have them call in to you so you can clock their arrival and departure times.

 

[Beeks]

i wouldnt work not knowing what i had to do that day..its crazy

you cant plan your day not knowing what your doing..just imagine waking up in the morning and your given your days work load in 2 hr increments..kind of hard
to plan out your day..

thats a change i would make asap in my opinion

you wouldn't work not knowing? lol, so when people working at , lets say mcdonalds or wherever, go in for there job in the morning, the boss tells them each and everything that happens for the day, NO, they work from 9-5 and whatever happens through out the day happens…

to each is own, works great for us

 

[Beeks]

So in other words you've created a system for your business that demands that you be there for it to run.

Your vacations will suck.

at the moment yes, I do have to be there for it to run, Im a year in with two trucks, I can't not be in office yet. Im the office manager, the phone answerer, research and development, and the guy that tells my techs which jobs to go to and when. And when I'm not the office manager someone else will tell them when are where to go for each job.

This system is in place for a few reasons, but mainly to make the "next" customer aware that we are running behind if need be.

If these guys ask if its a busy day or a quick day, i tell them, I'm not a dick. Just not going to hand out all 3-5 jobs for them each morning.

 

[Beeks]

I honestly haven't heard one good argument against this system, except I must hire real dopes, my vacations must suck, and I might get something in my coffee. I would love to hear something how this hinders production and flow of the company. I can only see the pros for this system, waiting on the cons. Try it out you might like it, especially the customers you that your tech gets there late to.

 

[Shane Deubell]

Because you are arguing the earth is flat...

This is management from the 70's, the word of the day is empowerment. Teach your staff to make good decisions and that starts with being transparent and sharing information. Yes, we have to be flexible and make changes on the fly but you are treating these guys like mushrooms.

Everyday i walk into businesses and see these huge bulletin boards filled with sales $$, production rates, gross margins, etc. This is information that 20 years ago only executives would know but today professional managers share with all employees. Why? because it works....

What level is up to each of us but sheesh, a day schedule is pretty basic stuff.

 

[Beeks]

Because you are arguing the earth is flat...

This is management from the 70's, the word of the day is empowerment. Teach your staff to make good decisions and that starts with being transparent and sharing information. Yes, we have to be flexible and make changes on the fly but you are treating these guys like mushrooms.

Everyday i walk into businesses and see these huge bulletin boards filled with sales $$, production rates, gross margins, etc. This is information that 20 years ago only executives would know but today professional managers share with all employees. Why? because it works....

What level is up to each of us but sheesh, a day schedule is pretty basic stuff.

well said sir

 

[Brian H]

I honestly haven't heard one good argument against this system, except I must hire real dopes, my vacations must suck, and I might get something in my coffee. I would love to hear something how this hinders production and flow of the company. I can only see the pros for this system, waiting on the cons. Try it out you might like it, especially the customers you that your tech gets there late to.

Who is anyone else to tell you what would or would not work for you. I say if it's working for you, go for it. At some point as you grow though, you may want to reconsider how you dispatch.

For us, it would slow us down.

One of our dispatchers came from a small 6-8 truck operation where he was the only dispatcher and they used that system. He says it wasn't uncommon to have the crews to be on hold for 10 minutes or longer waiting for their turn to get their info. The only way to speed that up with the amount of crews we have would be to add extra staff to get the work to them.

Our crew's day is routed, called and then assembled the afternoon prior to the work day. It's done by our dispatchers and office staff during a slower time of the day. The cleaning crews leave the building with pre-printed work orders and a log sheet to record their totals. They can then focus on cleaning and not be burdened with handwriting a lot of paperwork.

It works for us.

 

[Desk Jockey]

a small 6-8 truck operation

S-M-A-L-L?



LOL sometimes we think we're big........except when compared to companies like Hagopian or DA Burns then small may not even describe us. Tiny is probably a better word.