clients and cleaners

« **on:** March 25, 2006, 01:39:12 pm »

Just have a few questions.
Do your cleaners know your rates that you charge? and are they happy that they are only getting their £5.whatever out of that total charge.

I have just taken on a new girl, and shes decided that shes part of the management team.
I know i said to her if she wants to make a suggestion about anything, she can, but she is trying to change our whole system, She only started on Wednesday!

The way we are training her, is to go along with her for a few weeks until we are sure she will meet standards, and hopefully her police check will be back by then. She has no keyholding, the clients are in when she cleans at the moment, so it isn't so much a problem.

Is this the way you would do it? We are showing her what we want her to do, given her a chance to have a go at the tasks, and have given her training modules from the BICS proficiency manual to get familiar with, but she thinks she is above it i think. She has even started slagging off my biz partner. Apparently, other Lisa was running 10 mins late or something for the first client on Friday, and kept the cleaner waiting for a little while, our clients aren't too fussy about the specific times, so if we agree to around 9 start, we know we are ok between 845 and 915.
The cleaner on the other hand, was rolling her eyes, and being being disapproving of Lisa and kept going on about it and saying we should invest in alarm clocks, sounds quite silly now, but who does she think she is!?

I'm starting to think we picked a bad egg here, i don't think she has any repect for us. We have been totally honest with her about everything, and i don't think she will last until her 6 months review.

Anyone else had experiences like this?
Sorry to rant on

« **Reply #1 on:** March 25, 2006, 02:07:21 pm »

Quote from: lisa123 on March 25, 2006, 01:39:12 pm

...I have just taken on a new girl, and shes decided that shes part of the management team.
I know i said to her if she wants to make a suggestion about anything, she can, but she is trying to change our whole system, She only started on Wednesday!...

SACK HER MONDAY!!!

before it too late

Regards,

Arthur
------------------------------------------
Added later:

I posted before reading your post to the end. Now I have red it and can say you Lisa:

I am not kidding :

During first week of employment you can sack a new employee with no notice at all, I would do just that...

« **Reply #2 on:** March 25, 2006, 02:39:58 pm »

Hi Lisa

I agree with Arthur, sack her now or you will regret ever employing her.

My rates are never discussed with the cleaners, as it is none of their business. Plus, if you start going down that route, the cleaners think they are getting ripped off and deserve more. However, they fail to realise that you have to pay the government additional money to employ them and that you have overheads to pay also.

I had one member of staff years and years ago ask a client how much I was charging and offered to do it for less privately. The client accepted this, but when it went pear shaped and asked me to supply cleaners again, he was told NO.

Your business is your business, keep it that way, your employees are your staff not your boss.

Many Thanks

Andrew

« **Reply #3 on:** March 25, 2006, 02:51:03 pm »

I have just arranged a meeting for me and other lisa to discuss the coming week and other bits and bobs, i have invited our new cleaner to come along for the 2nd part of the meeting (we want to talk about her first).

Do you think it is something that should be brought up, i mean she might just be over enthusiastic, or it might just be her way. I'm awaiting her references, perhaps i'll hold off the police check for now.

« **Reply #4 on:** March 25, 2006, 02:51:24 pm »

Quote

SACK HER MONDAY!!!

[/b]

I am not confident about no notice..... I think the minimum is 1 week.

Your contract of employment may provide for a trial period and state a notice period within this, but the most notice would be 1 week unless your contract gives her more

Quote

SACK HER MONDAY!!!

[/b]

Lisa, you really do not want her as an employee. If she's trouble now, she will be more trouble later.

I would give her a week's pay, in lieu of notice, and say goodbye. However, you need to have a meeting with her to discuss her attitude, and only after that meeting can you decide to dismiss her.

so my advice is.....

HAVE A MEETING MONDAY MORNING, AND SACK HER MONDAY AFTERNOON!!!

I am 100% sure that you should sack her, just check that you do it 100% the right way.

You can sack for attitude, lack of respect etc

You can't sack her for racial or disability issues (or on sex discrimination grounds, but unless you sack a man I can't see that being a problem!

« **Reply #5 on:** March 25, 2006, 02:58:57 pm »

Looks like I'll be advertising for a new cleaner then.
She seemed a nice girl.

Anyway, she is declaring her hours at the jobcentre as she is still claiming, i'm currently only paying timeshare as 2 cleaners doing so many hours, will the jobcentre pick up on this, i was sure i was going about it the right way.

She will tell the jobcentre she worked 7.5 hours last week, (total client hours) but she will be paid only half that as 2 cleaners sharing the hours.
Will i be getting into trouble?

« **Reply #6 on:** March 25, 2006, 02:59:29 pm »

Quote from: andrew chrysler on March 25, 2006, 02:51:24 pm

Quote
SACK HER MONDAY!!!
[/b]

I am not confident about no notice..... I think the minimum is 1 week.

Your contract of employment may provide for a trial period and state a notice period within this, but the most notice would be 1 week unless your contract gives her more

Andrew,

No notice is applicable in the first week of employment unless terms and conditions of employment document has been issued at the very start of employment and suggests otherwise.

Regards,

Arthur

« **Reply #7 on:** March 25, 2006, 03:04:22 pm »

Quote from: lisa123 on March 25, 2006, 02:58:57 pm

...She will tell the jobcentre she worked 7.5 hours last week, (total client hours) but she will be paid only half that as 2 cleaners sharing the hours.
Will i be getting into trouble?

Lisa, stop looking for trouble. 7.5 hours or 3 hours is not a big deal, I would pay her for 7.5 hour just to not give her a reason to get back to you with a claim.

Just lose her...

Regards,
Arthur

« **Reply #8 on:** March 25, 2006, 03:06:06 pm »

Quote from: andrew chrysler on March 25, 2006, 02:51:24 pm

HAVE A MEETING MONDAY MORNING, AND SACK HER MONDAY AFTERNOON!!!

I like this :

« **Reply #9 on:** March 25, 2006, 03:09:10 pm »

Thanks Arthur

I'll see how she goes next week, then if no improvement shes out the door.
I think some ground rules need to be set first, if she still has the attitude...... dya know what, i just remembered what she said about clients doing their own dirty work, i don't think she wants this job at all.

See what happens monday.

« **Reply #10 on:** March 25, 2006, 03:43:31 pm »

Lisa,
It sounds to me like you are very nice to the extreme. Unfortunately in business when you have a problem it has to be dealt with promptly before things become worse I would advise the same as every one else get rid of this potential trouble maker now they are already causing you problems you dont need.
Kindest regards
Mark Walker
The Exeter Cleaning Company Ltd

« **Reply #11 on:** March 25, 2006, 03:56:16 pm »

The thing is she has only done 2 days with us, it would be wrong of me to judge so soon.
I am a bit of a soft touch at times, how can i say to her face that her services are no longer required?! $:-\$

« **Reply #12 on:** March 25, 2006, 05:27:57 pm »

Hi, if you want to get rid of her without notice you can, if an employee has worked for you for less than a month, no notice is required.

Have a read of this:

http://www.dti.gov.uk/er/individual/02.htm

Regards

Paul

« **Reply #13 on:** March 25, 2006, 05:41:04 pm »

Hi Lisa,

She's sound a bit of a madam, you are better off without her how long before she makes negative comments to your clients.

Blow out first thing on Monday and save yourselves a heap of trouble in the future.

Cheers Mark.

« **Reply #14 on:** March 25, 2006, 06:09:05 pm »

Quote from: lisa123 on March 25, 2006, 03:56:16 pm

The thing is she has only done 2 days with us, it would be wrong of me to judge so soon.
I am a bit of a soft touch at times, how can i say to her face that her services are no longer required?! $:-\$

I always assume, maybe wrongly, that a member of staff would be on their BEST behaviour in their first days of a new job- out to impress etc.
With people who like to make comments about others I also would wonder what she will be saying to your clients behind your back. If she knows how you and your partner actually feel about this I would place a bet she wouldn't come back to work for you anyway. People don't like being caught out. I wouldn't put up with her sort of behaviour but obviously you need to make sure you are sticking to the law. Good luck on Monday and you and your partner need to stick together on this one.

« **Reply #15 on:** March 25, 2006, 06:22:39 pm »

maybe she thought that cos we are so informal and just get on with everyone that she could say these things.
I think perhaps our behaviour, cos we are being nice to her and telling her what to expect and what our customers are like, she things she can slag them off.
All i said about a customer we had was that she was chatty and can get in your way abit when you are trying to clean by causing distractions,and if she asks you to do something that isn't already agreed, not to do it.
she went back to the other lisa and said that this customer was doing her head in and that she was annoyingly in the way etc. Might just have been repeating me in a round about way. I'm not one to slag people off behind their back, i'm careful what and how i say things most of the time.
Thing was, that "annoying" customer spent most of the time with me, and my cleaner hardly said a word to her.
I think i'm going to ask my cleaner if she actually wants the job beacuse she isn't acting like she does.

« **Reply #16 on:** March 25, 2006, 06:59:22 pm »

It sounds like you've got a bad one there. Thats for sure!!
Be very careful because i took on a neighbour on which was just the same and i even(stupidly) let her collect the money from the clients that she cleaned for as they were out in a village and i didn't drive at the time of course by then she knew what i charged and went round and cleaned for half the village for less moneyand pocketed the money for herself and then told me that the client didn't want us anymore meanwhile she kept doing it herself and still does. Be aware she might just do the same once she has your confidence in her. although it would be nice to expand my business i have decided to clean on my own, that way i only have me to answer too. Good luck Lisa

« **Reply #17 on:** March 25, 2006, 08:04:03 pm »

Hi
If this lady is like this now, what will she be like 3 months down the road, when she thinks her feet are under the table. Show her the door, tell her your the BOSS not her. and you will employ her only if she will works on YOUR TERMS ONLY. if she find s this to hard to handle, that she is NOT THE BOSS open the door for her and tell her to use it. when she does take it as she has walked out of her job with no notice. all the best
Michael D

« **Reply #18 on:** March 25, 2006, 08:10:29 pm »

Thats a good way to do it, i could make her walk if i get her to do things that shes not prepared to do.

When the other Lisa and my cleaner were working on a house yesterday, they were working together and lisa was training her as they went along, but the cleaner was given some ironing to do by Lisa, and half way through she said she was fed up and if she could do something else.
so Lisa gave her the manky shower cubicle and tiles to clean lol

What would have happened had Lisa not been there? I think she may have refused to do them by the way she was taling. one minute she says things are in the customers best interests then she does that with the ironing.

I think a lot of points will be discussed about her attitude to work on Monday.

« **Reply #19 on:** March 25, 2006, 08:31:26 pm »

Quote from: lisa123 on March 25, 2006, 08:10:29 pm

...I think a lot of points will be discussed about her attitude to work on Monday...

Lisa,

I would not discus the points, I would not even mention them as the reason for your decision...

You do not want to get into situation where you find yourself arguing with the girl as to what is right and what is not.

Keep it short:

Hello missus, I and my partner have come to a conclusion that we would not like you to continue to work for us. (full stop)

(do not let yourself into debate)

Say good bye, all the best or what ever and move on.

Regards,

Arthur

Poll

should i give my new employee the boot?