firing an employee

D

Detailing NY

New member
I have a question to bring up to everyone. I have someone who has been working with me for about 6 months. He is a really good detailer but his attitude sucked and did not care about anything or the equipment. The other day i showed up by surprise on a mobil job he was doing for me. I saw him smoking in the customers car and not completing the whole job. When i approached him he said he was tired and he forgot he had the smoke. this is not the first time is saw him smoking. I then asked him why he did not clean the door jams, he said that he was to tired. I told him if he is so tired everyday he should not be working for me. he did not care so i told him this would be his last job with me. Now i am short a man who did good work when he wanted too. Should i give him a second chance or find someone new and train them. he has called back asking for his job back.

unsure what to do?

sorry for the long story, just wanted to give you the history:



:nixweiss
 
Doing good work when you want to isn't an option. Would you go to a dentist that only did good work when he wanted to? Your customers are going to feel the same way. If they expect a certian level of service from your shop and you begin to become inconsistent then they may just take their business elsewhere. There are alot of detail shops and loyal customers are hard to find. That boy is as much a liablility as a vacuum that sometimes doesn't work. Dump him and get a new one. He is replacable.
 
its easy to say forget him, when were not the ones short a good detailer but i have been there before and know what its like to be short a guy. i have also had to re hire someone i fired the next day because i was looseing more money with him gone. my situation worked out for the best though he still workd for me almost 1 1/2 years later. wouldnt expect it to work out like this again though.



you just have to look at the situation. can you continue business as always without him? or is it going to hurt business and loose money because hes gone?



its always wourse when it happens like that and you have to fire someone on the spot. because your not preppared for it. what about giveing him a 10 day trial period? even if you dont mean it. it will give you a chance to find someone to replace him and he will work his butt off for the next 10 days.



hope this helps, sean
 
Get rid of him and find a quality employee. The customers don't care that you personally do excellent work, all they see is this guy smoking in their car. I'd kick him out of my car and drive away without paying if I saw that and would recommend against the entire business to others.



Doesn't Jason live near you? ;)
 
I do not think readers can have a view of what the correct thing to do is, for one, none of us have have meet him. The question you should be asking yourself is: if I give this guy a second chance is he serious/sincere about improving his standard to the one I expect and demand for the long term? The answer to this question will help you reslove your question.
 
I get rid of the guy if you already told him before. Unless he told you previously why he is tired all the time, there is not reason to keep him. Not to put blam on you, but perhaps a better screening during the firing phase may help. If you notice any employees not meeting your standards you should address it right away and find the root cause.



Yes, it is very costly to retrain someone in any industry, but you have to draw the line somewhere. Detailing is a very labor intensive job and it is not for everyone. People who join the industry should already know that.
 
This guy might only be a good detailer when you are watching him. You saw what he does when he thinks nobody will catch him. He may have been a liablity all along. One bad employee can ruin more business than you will lose by merely being short handed. If people respect your business then they will come back.
 
I have to side with the others who say to replace him. If you give him a chance to come back-say for a 10 day trial period like tiptop suggested, it is 10 days he can cost you customers if he is not sincere in his efforts to do a good job.



Hell, I'm tired a lot of the time, too. I'm a single parent so the only time I have to myself is late at night. I still have never forgot the door jams, for crying out loud. It's something that is automatic.



You also don't know what kind of hard feelings he may have since you let him go, and he may take it out on customers cars to screw you over, if he feels you screwed him. I have never taken an employee back either in my detailing business or when I was a restaurant manager. Just too risky, IMO.
 
<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote' >

<em class='bbc'>Originally posted by NY detailer [/i]
<strong class='bbc'>I have a question to bring up to everyone. I have someone who has been working with me for about 6 months. He is a really good detailer but his attitude sucked and did not care about anything or the equipment. The other day i showed up by surprise on a mobil job he was doing for me. I saw him smoking in the customers car and not completing the whole job. When i approached him he said he was tired and he forgot he had the smoke. this is not the first time is saw him smoking. I then asked him why he did not clean the door jams, he said that he was to tired. I told him if he is so tired everyday he should not be working for me. he did not care so i told him this would be his last job with me. Now i am short a man who did good work when he wanted too. Should i give him a second chance or find someone new and train them. he has called back asking for his job back.
unsure what to do?
sorry for the long story, just wanted to give you the history:

:nixweiss [/b]</blockquote>
Have you given this guy any written warnings? Do you keep track of any verbal warnings you have given him?

From a managerial standpoint, this guy has become an instant liability because of his lax attitude toward his work and your customer base along with your equipment. I would have written him up. After 3 write-ups, he is terminated.

...or a better way of saying it is "You are the weakest link. Goodbye!"
 
Who cares if he can do the work or not, if he does it when HE wants to then it seems to me that HE owns your shop and he will work when and how he wants to.



Once he knows he can step all over you he'll do it whenever he wants, not when he feels brave.
 
I am not sure of the legislation in America, but in the UK, paper evidence is critical in dismissing an employee and avoiding payout in a court.



Can this guy be turned around, is it worth the time and effort, if it is, give him a written statement of standards and behaviour and explain that if he breaches it he will lose his job. Recruiting is normally hard and very expensive so it is normally cheaper to attempt to bring him back, but the choice is yours, has he broken your trust in him permently.



Steven

HR manager when not cleaning cars
 
Sounds like it's time to move on to another detailer.



It also sounds like you should continue to "visit" your employees on a regular basis so they won't get in the habit of stuff like this (because it can be contagious). I think you should outline a policy for all your employees, go over it with all of them, and use this guy as an example. That way anyone who breaks the policy can be delt with accordingly.



If you keep it as professional as possible, in the end it will make for less posibility for retaliation both physical and or financial. You also definatly don't want your good workers upset with you because you keep bad ones and still pay them the same.



I really think detailers looking for employees should consider posting here on Autopia (along with offering them a higher rate for graduation from U of A ;)) If I were to hire people, I would definatley look here first. Jason works at a detailer now.
 
<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote' >

<em class='bbc'>Originally posted by YoSteve [/i]
<strong class='bbc'>Sounds like it's time to move on to another detailer.

It also sounds like you should continue to "visit" your employees on a regular basis so they won't get in the habit of stuff like this (because it can be contagious). I think you should outline a policy for all your employees, go over it with all of them, and use this guy as an example. That way anyone who breaks the policy can be delt with accordingly.

If you keep it as professional as possible, in the end it will make for less posibility for retaliation both physical and or financial. You also definatly don't want your good workers upset with you because you keep bad ones and still pay them the same.

I really think detailers looking for employees should consider posting here on Autopia (along with offering them a higher rate for graduation from U of A ;)) If I were to hire people, I would definatley look here first. Jason works at a detailer now. [/b]</blockquote>
You're little late YoSteve :D

You do know who Jason works for, don't you?
 
<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote' >

<em class='bbc'>Originally posted by YoSteve [/i]
<strong class='bbc'>way to blow my 2001st post intel ;) [/b]</blockquote>
Pufff... Spammer :D
 
<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote' >

<em class='bbc'>Originally posted by Lowejackson [/i]
<strong class='bbc'>I am not sure of the legislation in America, but in the UK, paper evidence is critical in dismissing an employee and avoiding payout in a court.

Can this guy be turned around, is it worth the time and effort, if it is, give him a written statement of standards and behaviour and explain that if he breaches it he will lose his job. Recruiting is normally hard and very expensive so it is normally cheaper to attempt to bring him back, but the choice is yours, has he broken your trust in him permently.

Steven
HR manager when not cleaning cars [/b]</blockquote>
At most jobs here in the US, employees are hired "at will" In other words, they can quit at any time, and they can fire/lay-off you at anytime. The only time this gets problematic is if they can claim discrimination of some type. But if you are a young healthy white guy - you're screwed - trust me, I know.

To the point, NY, I think you already know the answer. If he is not representing your company well then do the right thing. If you honestly think that he can straighten up, then be clear with him, put in some type of check and balance (checklist that the customer gets a copy of and you call to check satisfation) system that makes sure he straightens up.
 
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