Employee honesty controls?

[Shepard]

I will be expanding my mobile repair business to a few neighboring communities soon, and will be hiring a couple employees. I am concerned that my employees will fix 10 windshields each day and only tell me about 5. I know I can control the ones dispatched through me, but when technicians are approached in parking lots... I want to prevent un-recorded "cash" deals.

Any good tips? (Other than hiring honest folks )

[mrchip]

someone in your position once calculated how many repairs were in a bottle of chemical and matched to the receipts.. if a bottle does 50 repairs and he asks for a new bottle after doing 25 on receipts something is wrong..also i would have them bring equip back to office each day that way they couldn't do any after hours..but they will find a way to do some on their own...or leave you and go on their own once they gain experience

[glassdoctor]

Anyone smart enough to really do a good job running YOUR business can figure out a way to do work on the side, if they choose to do so.

There are some things you can do in order to keep it honest, but I think it's out of your control really. Either they will be honest or they will find a way around any precautions you take against it. You can't stop a cash side job, imo.

I have actually told the guys that have worked for me it's ok if they do a cash job on the side once in a while. Of course this asumes that it's not interfering with gettting the work done that they are suposed to be doing, etc.

[mafsu]

The only way is to treat them well and pay them fairly. For some people though even this is not enough(spoken from experience). Good luck with your expansion.

[rottdawg]

Doesn't Delta offer the one shot syringe for the resin? It's what we used in Eugene for trianing there. That would be a good way to keep your invintory a little better controlled.:eusa_naug

Kevin

[sunshine wr]

What's to stop them from carrying their on resin (possibly snake oil from ebay) and doing repairs with your uniform on. Just a thought.

[GlassStarz]

the one shot is certainly a good way to put a limit to extra work also keeping numbered reciepts will help but it really is best controled by doing your best to hire someone you trust setting a daily goal that is expected will help as well if its high enough with a commission increase should it be reached is another option but truthfully you cant stop it completly just slow it down just as you may not report every cash deal to the tax man it just happens

[SGT]

I certainly can relate to this topic and concerns with wanting to grow your business without the risk of employee theft or moonlighting or worse, them working and getting experience and developing a relationship with your accounts, to only take the knowledge of your business structure to steal your clients away. I have elected to keep it in the family for now but looking down the road if I want to grow beyond our present capabilities that is the chance I will have to take in order to grow. If your not willing to risk at what ever level is comfortable for you, then your not willing to succeed IMHO. You cannot avoid these issues totally unless you stay a 1 man op. The best you can do is be as selective in your hiring as you can be, monitor supplies, maybe a non compete clause if they hold up in your state, etc... Remember bigger company, bigger aggravation and hopefully bigger profit.

[Chris Williams (Trinsic)]

I have 30 + people working for me and a few ways that have helped us is to have the customer write checks. I also tried a payscale way that allowed them to get a certain % of the cash they turned in. When they get a % of the cash they will charge top dollar. I've also pushed on just doing insurance jobs. 9 out 10 are insurance jobs. In utah it's hard to even get a good price for cash jobs.

Until last year techna glass charged 9.95$ for rock chip repair... what a joke! It's worth 65$ in my opinion.

College kids are the best. Thats all I have work for me. I'm going to have about 50 employees this year. Should be a good one!
-Chris