I agree. I should have clarified. Don’t double your workload in the first week is all I’m saying. I started upping my workload the second week 2/3 more and it’s been the perfect amount. Just gotta get used to the fact that I have to start hustling a bit more to get the work. Gaining employees has given me a new fire to keep the business around, to not sell the biz and to keep pushing forward because now it’s not all on my shoulders-- it just gets easier and my back and knees are thanking me for it (the main reason I have put it up for sale before). I’m only 29. I can’t be having these problems with my body yet. That’s what 11 years of gogogo can do without a WFP.
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I also LOVE the company my guys bring me. That’s why I hired friends. Not only will they respect you better (if you’re respectable) but they are just fun to have around.
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our business is a partnership and while we forfeit some money we could make if we worked on our own, there is always someone to foot the ladder and i realize on the days that i work alone (cause he has it off or something like that) that the day just drags on
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I completely agree on the day dragging when you are solo. My “worst” days are when I’m solo. There’s just something about it.
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There are some jobs, especially residential, where we can provide better customer service by getting the work done faster. Even though it would be nice for a WC dude who isn’t heavily booked to keep all the revenue the labor expense for these situations needs to be looked at as an investment in customer service.
Because, if like me, you don’t have employees, then you might have to
pass, like I had to in the past few weeks, on 3-4 thousand dollars worth of business
because you’re already booked up for 2 months.
Amen! We have 5 techs. My husband and I run the office, estimates and scheduling. But it’s been extremely difficult these last 5 years to find reliable people with some integrity. You can do your due diligence, check references, criminal background checks, and still end up with a employee that will bring morale to a new low. The phones haven’t stopped ringing and we’ve added solar panel cleaning this year, so we are always looking for the tech we can depend on. We’re scheduling out through July, a tech down hurts the rest of the team and our customers. I talk to several small business owners often, it seems like most have the same situation. I know I grew up having three jobs during the summers, and weekend work during school, don’t hear those stories much anymore. My husband was diagnosed with MS last October, we tried hiring an operations manager, who after year 1 1/2 of training with husband, we gave him the reigns, three months later, he started his own business. Now my husband has to return and we start all over. But, we love it when we do hit the jack pot, and have a good week, everyone shows up, all customers are happy, we count those blessings and keep moving forward.
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Welcome @solarbaby. I used to run different shops for Theatre Production companies. Everyone in this industry has to have some level of experience. So, like you, I did all the background checks, called references, etc…etc… I found, however, I got better staff by people referring friends and people they had worked with before. I don’t think I would offer a referral bonus though…I found people get referred for the bonus and not because they would be a good fit. I also found hiring someones’ family member was generally a mistake…sooner or later family drama creeps into the shop.
I also hired people based on referral who had little or no experience and they turned into really good shop hands.
I hired some really experienced people who were a royal pain in the backside. Verbal discussion of expectations; written statement of underperformance; then, they were allowed to seek employment elsewhere due to self-termination.
Most good employees are already working for someone else. I knew a DirecTV call center recruiter that offered on the spot employment to waiters and waitresses who were polite and good at what they did.
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