Phones for Crew Leaders?

We have blackberries for our crew leaders for work orders and communication. Does anyone else purchase phones for their crew leaders, or do you just assume they’ll use their phones?

I used to supply cell phones to my guys that didnt have one but I scrapped the whole idea about 5 years ago. My guys (crews) only have 3-4 stops a day so there really isnt much call for that much daily communication back and forth. All of my guys have unlimited local plans on their own (which is now common) and it isnt an issue.

My biggest beef with providing a phone was when one got lost or damaged, I had to replace it at full price.

Most people that I know have cell phones now. Unless you want to send them (internet) emails, then I dont see the need for it- my opinion of course.

Having a mobile phone is a requirement for working for me. We have ATT service and so do all our employees by coincidence. Since mobile to mobile calls are free it has never been an issue. I used to have a person who was on the Verizon network who worked for me and every time I called him it burned up his daytime minutes. I used to just compensate him $30 every quarter on his paycheck for using his own phone.

I got BlackBerries for me and the guys. Expensive but you need toys in your life to have fun. Oh and it comes in handy for work too.:smiley:

Rob.

I cought my guy on a 28 fter talking on his phone. :eek: That was the end of him having his phone on him while working. He keeps it in the truck.

Are you saying he doesn’t have a hands-free device to use the phone while working?

Im saying while working he should not be on his phone at all. Especially while on a ladder. I pay him to work not talk on his phone playing phone tag with his girlfriend. Not to safe anyways I dont think.

When I read your post, it reminded me of how I need to seriously think over everything that I provide for employees. 3 Summers ago, i invested in a water cooler for the office and the guys were filling up gallon jugs with it on a daily basis. I didnt realize that they were using it for that until I got a $120.00 Ice Mountain Water bill for that month. The privelage was abused so I got rid of it (I was told that some were pouring out 1/2 a gallonof water at the end of the day).

Same goes for the internet at the office. We finally got broadband installed at the office this spring and everything went to hell. Office work wasnt getting done, invoices werent getting entered right, everything basically was screwed up for the last two months. Office girl was playing Mafia Wars on facebook non stop. Watching internet tv and Youtube videos. The mail was sitting out in the mailbox for 2-3 days. Total BS! Long story short- yanked the internet this week. Complete 180. Everything is back in order. I couldnt be happier!

My advice for any business owner on here that wants to add something to their business that an employee has access to, think it through! If it can be abused, It most likely will!

Give them a company cell phone? You’re joking. Right?

I’d say with the right expectations, policies, supervision, and employees, productivity tools make for an improved business.

Most of my guys have personal phones that they don’t mind using for business. I had one guy not pay his phone bill and it got shut off. I bought one of those pay as you go phones for $30 and I just refill the minutes every couple months. It works well and is cheap.

I take the phone at the end of the day and charge it overnight. It’s returned to the work vehicle in the morning. This cuts down on him using the phone for personal stuff when not at work.

Thats true for sure. Laying down the ground rules [COLOR=“black”]from the get-go is crucial.[/COLOR]

I got my guys BlackBerrys and pay for it. To me it is a part of there compensation package. Abuse has been minor to date. I look at the overall big picture mostly about how much money the company and I make. The rest is a cost of doing business.

Rob.

Got a guy abusing company cell privileges, make him wear a beeper for a month. He’ll be so embarrassed he don’t do it again.

If it’s part of compensation, why shouldn’t they use it for personal use (you mention abuse…)?

Otherwise, it’s another tool to increase productivity.

Do they still make beepers?

Funny Beeper Commercial (YouthPastor.com)

In a perfect world it does increase productivity. I have one guy that just seems to start a texting frenzy everyday around 11:00 am. Its like clock work with this guy. Its aggravating to see him stop what he’s doing and reply back every two or three minutes on the job. I dont mind a few because it is a form of communication but if its just shooting the sh!t with his friends over things that slow us down then its a problem. The same guy will also answer his phone in someones home and is very annoying (cell yell) . I had to bring it to his attention on several occassions last year and now its finally sunk in. I have given employees phones in the past and split a plan with them 50/50. For the most part it worked out ok. Some abused it and I discountinued the whole program. I like Steves solution to giving them a $30.00 a quarter to offset their expenses.

Steve

I give my employee the equvalent of a basic phone plan back as compensation for using his phone. I used to supply one for my crew leaders but it just became another book keeping chore that I didn’t want.
The phone and number are useless when someone leaves anyway. There are personal calls for the former employee coming in for months after they are gone.

I like it, too. Good idea.

Plus, whenever an employee’s tools are his/her own, they tend to take better care of them.

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This is true to the T!