[jay moley]

Had a young 21 year old lad with me for a month now with no prior experience of window cleaning.

Wondering whether to keep him.

POSITIVES:

Punctual and reliable - hasn't been late or called in sick
Doesn't backchat or moan when I ask him to do do something
Good with customers
Does what I tell him to do (kindof, see below)

NEGATIVES:

Slow (im trying to speed him up and too be fair dont expect amazing speed after a month)
Isn't picking everything up despite me repeatedly telling him - eg I have to remind him to bring the tap with him when working, disconnect it at the end of the job, wipe the sills, get the van ready when filling up with water. He also keeps asking me whether he can start the job! Drives me nuts.
Slow packing up at the end of the job (ive told him about this a good few times now)
Bit soft - doesn't want to get in amongst it when you have awkward jobs where a tree might rub against you or you get wet.

Today he was saying his neck hurt after the first job and was knackered at the end of the day (wasn't a tough day at all). He's as thin as a stick insect mind.

Big problem is that we are not hitting the numbers to make it worthwhile yet. In fact only broken even on three days. So losing money.

Tough one as im 50/50 as to whether he can make the grade.

[Ched]

Maybe have a chat and explain your problem. See what his reaction is, maybe give him 2 weeks more. The positives are difficult to replicate in others and the negatives should be something that can be 'worked on'.

[jay moley]

Maybe have a chat and explain your problem. See what his reaction is, maybe give him 2 weeks more. The positives are difficult to replicate in others and the negatives should be something that can be 'worked on'.

Tend to agree. Obviously no one will care as much as me or give it as much as me. Not sure he's used to the fast paced nature of the job. His previous jobs were in a toy shop and a bookies. No perfect employee is there.

[CleanClear]

 Not sure he's used to the fast paced nature of the job.

How many jobs you cleaning in a day mate, and what would be a days total for you (or the two of you) ?

[jay moley]

 Not sure he's used to the fast paced nature of the job.

How many jobs you cleaning in a day mate, and what would be a days total for you (or the two of you) ?

I do £350 on my own minimum. Have only hit £450 together (which is the break even figure) three times, though one of those days he went home at his agreed finish time and I did another job.

[CleanClear]

 Not sure he's used to the fast paced nature of the job.

How many jobs you cleaning in a day mate, and what would be a days total for you (or the two of you) ?

I do £350 on my own minimum. Have only hit £450 together (which is the break even figure) three times, though one of those days he went home at his agreed finish time and I did another job.

Ok mate i take your point , that is too slow. Think you may be best telling him what you expect of him and if it doesn't pan out etc....... You may as well be working by yourself.

[jay moley]

Im going to have a "chat" with him tomorrow. Ive been very patient with him but he needs to know that now that we are a month in we have to be productive.

At the end of the day there's no point having him unless he's making me more money. As you say at the moment I would be better on my own.

Im hoping this is just a painful period I have to go through before he becomes productive.

[Smudger]

chat first -

list out your "concerns" LISTEN to his answers and why he works at the speed he does

LIST the positives

then give him till the end of the month to improve - monitor - set targets - then review

if he cant pick up the speed and keep quality then time to say bye bye

I think as a 2 man your looking at £500 - £550 a day based on your single man performance and after a month that is an easy target as your driving and leading the way

Darran

[robbo333]

From what you have described, it sounds like he may have 'learning difficulties'.
My stepson is autistic and also has learning difficulties.

I would have a friendly chat, tell him the 'situation' and what you would like to achieve for both of you (don't mention problems)  and see what HE recommends to improve things.

[Smudger]

From what you have described, it sounds like he may have 'learning difficulties'.
My stepson is autistic and also has learning difficulties.

I would have a friendly chat, tell him the 'situation' and what you would like to achieve for both of you (don't mention problems)  and see what HE recommends to improve things.

top post

[Stoots]

From my experience you can usually tell after just a day or so whether or not they will be make it.

Just bin him and try someone else

[PHILIP HARDY]

Reading your review of him I think the positives outwiegh the negatives, if the attitude is right the abilty will develop,
When you go into the market for new employees you will find it a real minefield, wading through the dross out there will be "very demanding".

The guys young, only been doing the job a few weeks (and only working for wages), you can't expect him to go to your pace and dedication, the guy will be more scared of making mistakes than speed at this stage.

Financially its not yet working, I understand that but you are investing in the guy for the future, you cant expect insta payback, you should persevere and try to encourage him through it, rather than intimidate him.

[NWH]

If you look for someone that’ll work like you and take as much care you may as well go on eBay and look for a 🦄 unicorn,you’ve done well if you can find someone that will work  75% like you do.

[Carl@Cwc]

2 men in one van will not do double the work of 1 man in a van ever on the glass.
takes a while to properly train an employee up tbf and that is if you are a decent teacher.
In no way expect them to be as eager as you , they are an employee not the one earning in their eyes the big money you are on.
2 more weeks and perhaps give him a checklist to complete on every job, takes 30mins to type up once in a while and get him to staple it to the payment sheet after he has completed it,
frames
glass
doors
sills
etc etc
2 weeks of this and it will be automatic.

[britishwill]

Explain things and give him some top tips for speeding up and he can now do the basics he needs to show he can reproduce the work at a faster pace!

[NWH]

If you earn well on you’re own you don’t need to earn double and it depends what you earn on your own also,you can bang on about what can be done but all work is different 2 of you cleaning large houses or big commercial buildings can and will earn double.

[Carl@Cwc]

If you earn well on you’re own you don’t need to earn double and it depends what you earn on your own also,you can bang on about what can be done but all work is different 2 of you cleaning large houses or big commercial buildings can and will earn double.

2 men in one van will never do the same as 2 vans with 1 man in each ever on the glass.

1 man doing 25 jobs at a quality finish is 8.30 till 2/3 depending on locations.
you can add in an fsg or conny roof on these vans at £50-£100.

1 van with 2 ops will never do 50 jobs plus in the same time.
Taken from experience of having 4 vans on the road at one point.
"unless you have the unicorn of rounds that is"
i know they may exist but i have yet to see one.
our best at the minute is a cul de sac of 12 x 4 bed houses and we clean all 12 at an average of 12.50 and it takes 17.5 mins each one and nets £150 but takes 3.5 hours to quality clean and service/communicate with and add a 15 minute travel time on.
a ticket takes a few minutes to write and deliver.
train him him correctly and keep on training, staff are difficult as f*** to deal with.
getting customers is without the easy part of a cleaning business tbf

[NWH]

No but if you do only 6 jobs a day on you’re own you would Pi££ 12 jobs wouldn’t you,like I say depends what you would normally do on you’re own and I’m not talking anywhere near 50 jobs that’s ridiculous and you shouldn’t  be needing to do half that amount if you’ve been at this job a long time and you’ve wheat and chaffed along the way.

[NWH]

Tickets are a thing of the past now a job gets cleaned and a text message is sent at the time or later in the day,if it’s a job that’s significantly more money wise and an invoice is required an invoice is scanned copied and sent that day also.
When I’m home I go and feed the unicorn 🦄 and sit down to tea with Lord Lucan,I may have a nap and wake up in a cold sweat of the thought that I may have 25-50 jobs in front of me for the next day lol.

[Carl@Cwc]

Tickets are a thing of the past now a job gets cleaned and a text message is sent at the time or later in the day,if it’s a job that’s significantly more money wise and an invoice is required an invoice is scanned copied and sent that day also.
When I’m home I go and feed the unicorn 🦄 and sit down to tea with Lord Lucan,I may have a nap and wake up in a cold sweat of the thought that I may have 25-50 jobs in front of me for the next day lol.

you do you m8. i was helping the op. on his problem,
i could not care less how you help your unicorms pay im merely trying to help  someone in need.
i get paid to sit at home unless i choose otherwise