I will NEVER, hire a "helper" again

[haynestotallawn]

Buddy of mine's brother worked the past 2 summers with one of the big times said he needs a few extra dollars because he's wanting to buy his girlfriend an engagement ring. I said well do you know how to sharpen blades, do oil changes, etc.? He said of course I do that was our responsibility with (the other company). So boom he's hired for that purpose while I go out and cut my few clients lawns for that day. Get back and he's all dejected looking and I said "what's the matter with you?" and he said "man, I think I screwed up your pushmower" I said "WHAT DO YOU MEAN?" he said "I was took the blade off the mower to sharpen it and after I put the blade back on I (here's the good part) turn the mower right side up and then all this oil comes pouring out." :angry: Needless to say I was a tad pis$ed. No more, I don't care how good a friend he is, I'm still new to this business and I can't afford someone screwing up my equipment. Anybody else ever had anything even remotely similar to this happen before?

[kerr lawn]

got some work from family friends of ours, high end ppl i want to keep very HAPPY. The one son i'm friends with and the other i know well enough to say hi.
anyways i drop my worker off to trim mums and black eyed susan while my other guy is edging the trees. I come back he dug up all the mums (4 beds like 2'x4') and black eyed susans (2 beds 2x4), rather than clip them back. I was mad. Then i take them to lunch and then i was so mad that i said your going home and while taking him home he asked if he could go buy the plants at a used plant place. He smoked a little to much weed. I forgot that there are ppl really that stupid out there.
peace
bryan

[Mykster]

Ona an install, I told one of my helpers to take the truck and get more topsoil, he came back with bark. So I sent him back with my truck and trailer to get topsoil. Now mind you my truck is only a half ton. He came back with 1yd in the truck and 1yd in the trailer. As he turned the corner I could hear the trailer jack scraping the road all the way up the street. Was not to happy with him. Lucky for him there was no damage.

[nu83]

I always SHOW them exactly what I want the first time I have them do something. Get them started and make sure they really understand and are capable of doing what you want them to do. I would be pissed about the flowers also, but it seems likely that you didn't explain what you wanted him to do exactly. If he had never trimmed mums or black eyed susans before how would he know what to do? Or maybe he was on crack?

[John Allin]

Time to read (in the trades) about hiring practices and training. Some of these are prime examples of just how inexpensive it can be to spend some time training newbee's.....

[gene gls]

nu83:

Some help just don't listen. We were doing a clean-up, 4' high cement wall 150' along front of property next to the road. This is half way down a long hill so the plows really lay it up on the bank plus the hill is sanded heavily. Told my helper to use the power broom to clean the sand from the TOP of the wall and edge of lawn. Half hour later I go see what is taking him so long and he is cleaning out the bottom of the wall along the road. He had doug out about 1/2 pickup load of sand and leaves. He had this dumb look on his face when I asked why he was cleaning the bottom of the wall instead of the top. It was a bad day all way around.

Gene

[HOMER]

It all goes back to the top. If you haven't trained or instructed the guy or gal thoroughly then you can't blame them. If you have and he continues to cost you money then it's time for him to go flip burgers.

[anythinglawns]

I have found one must be very directive with a new helper. Regardless of experience it is important to explain or show every detail at each particular job site. It is also important to check references. Before learning my lesson, I hired a helper on the word that he had worked for a well known an reputable LCO in my area. He lasted two days before I let him go. Out of curiosity I called the other LCO and found out he had indeed been employed by them and had lasted all of one day.

[garydale]

We have all done it before(turned a NuB loose too soon)

Nothing beats a trained employee. A few minutes up front will save your sanity.

Try this with All employees (new and old).

Step one: Tell them what to do.
Step two: Explain as you SHOW them what to do.
Step three: Have them TELL you what to do, as you do it.
Step four: Have them TELL and SHOW how to do what you want.
Steo five:Tell them how to find help or you if things go wrong.

Telling you how will show what they don't understand.
Telling as they show you ensures they understand.
Where to get help or you will limit damage.

Who's at fault if anew man screws up? Quest.

[kerr lawn]

garydale-you have learned threw experience and i agree competely. Thanks good stuff.
the only thing that i would add, if you are doing something compeletly new and it somewhat b*tch work. Work alongside him or her, to show really you will do it all. Also you would never leave the helper doing something you woudn't do.

peace
bryan

[Turfdude]

Many times when asked what I do for a living, I reply "I fix things and babysit grown men".

To eliminate some of the problems, I do as Garydale suggests. Encourage your staff to ask questions (no matter how dumb they think they are or actually may be). Always be clear w/ instruction. When sending someone else for materials, give them a list (and call supplier ahead and ensure they'll go over list w/ employee). Maintain radio contact - you don't need someone getting lost, etc.
Finally, say a prayer, keep your fingers crossed, and rub your good luck charm - it may help.

Bob

[LJ lawn]

there are idiot helpers in every trade.i've had my fill of moron "friends" who cry to me about needing money all the time.trouble is when you need them they're nowhere to be found,hung over,sleeping,etc.yet they cry about money. here is a good one. i used to install carpet years ago,and i worked for an installer. we had a guy who knew some things and had some experience but really wasn't all that good. we were finishing up a job on a million dollar house and we had the front door blocked with a ladder because the guy wanted carpet on the ledge above the door.we needed a tool so he sends the helper outside to the truck.the guy has to go out through one of the rooms we had finished ,through a double door and over a small porch to get to the truck.NOW,- it had rained the night before and there was no real driveway yet -just lots of mud.this idiot walks back in with the tool and proceeds to walk through the room of peach colored carpet with 2 inches of mud on his boots.there were other people working on the house also,painters and some construction guys.we all just stood there in shock and disbelief at what we just witnessed.all this idiot could say was "uh".when he looked at what he did.so he then proceeds to wipe the mud off his boots onto the last piece of carpet i had laying on the floor that i just finished cutting to size to be installed on the ledge.we almost killed him.now instead of putting in 2 pieces we had to scrounge small pieces and put it in like 8.my boss had to get the carpet cleaned and the stains still didn't come out.yes this actually happened,i couldn't make this stuff up.:eek:

[anythinglawns]

How true about people begging for work and then are no where to be found. I have made up work for freinds who where "down on there luck" only for them to not show up. Or other times I will really need help, and they will be begging me for some work. When I call to tell them they tell me they don't feel like doing that kind of work, (weeding, mulching,.....)but to call if I have something else. Of course I never offer them work again.

[eslawns]

In the military, we had an expression:

Don't expect. Inspect!

I later heard it another way.

Inspect what you expect.

[keifer]

Man if he had the mower upside down to sharpen the blade you should be pissed at the guy who let him out of the looney bin not him.

[ECHOTURF]

My problem is your on the job and thinking about that clock! Constantly!

We got on the job and I told my worker to start edging....

Explained the basics to him and he was doing fine....
Until we finished and he told me he popped a sprinkler head off. If I would have taken the extra 5 minutes to run through edging this property, it never would have happened!
A person just needs to slow down on the training otherwise it kicks back at you later!

Just as posted in prior threads, you need to run through everything you expect and know yourself, otherwise a person has their own judgement calls. I'll tell you right now.... YOUR perception of how it should be done is not what THEY have in mind 9 times out of 10.
Ideal Green Lane Care, Menasha, WI (idealgreen@new.rr.com)

[haynestotallawn]

All of these are true statements and good advice, but honestly, come on, how hard is it to sharpen a lawn mower blade?

[fireball]

sharpening the blade isn't the hard thing, but putting it on the mower right side up is another story

[AndyL]

*laugh* I know some veterans who have a hard time getting the blades on right-side up... Tho it's usually after a hard nights drinking...

Good thing I quit drinking 2 years ago eh? :D

Andy