What does your handbook say about phone use?
I have a 3 strikes your out policy on everything. First time I make sure you know it’s a problem. The second time I remind you I told you already its a probelm and the next time I catch you, you are fired.
I also make them sign stating they have been warned twice and the next time they are fired.
Company card. The employee picks what that benefit is, and you pay the bill.
Put a limit on it if you want, but it wouldn’t be the best benefit EVER if you make it a prepaid card.
As a small business person, I hate monthly deals. If I pay a monthly fee, I expect monthly sessions detailing what I got for that months fee. And if there is really nothing there, I feel ripped off. I personally prefer 1 price for the project. You can give me an installment price and a lump sum. And go into detail for “maintenance” and what that entails.
I also, no matter what, run from “act now” deals. It gives me the feeling the sales person doesnt want me to have time to analyze the deal because it’s bad for me, good for them.
Is the photo of the customers house? Can you prove it was not delivered next door?
I am of the belief that until the customer has possession of my product, it is my responsibility. I require signature for all deliveries with no exceptions.
I would issue a refund. They might sue you. They may have lots of free time.
If it aint broke, dont fix it. I am a 3rd gen owner going into our 56th year. All I have done is tweak things here and there like adding computers (I wish I was kidding).
Talk to a patent attorney first before anyone else. Do NOT talk to anyone that’s willing to help you get it designed or whatever until you are protected.
The atty will advise on whether and what kind of protections you have.
First of all, congrats on your first firing. It means you are doing what needs to be done to take care of your business. Welcome to business ownership.
Firing sucks. It is never fun. You feel bad, which means you have empathy.That’s good, it means you are a normal human and not a psycho.
I have probably fired 100 or so people over the years. I have 1 that comes by a couple times a year and we eat lunch. I would say we aren’t "friends ", but we are friendly. We share pics from trips and keep each other updated on dumb stuff our kids did.
Your employees are not your friends. They provide a service to you for providing them money. Your accountant is also not your friend. Neither are your suppliers.
Friendly is ok, but they are not your friends. Dont believe me, change accountants, and see if your current accountant still wants to have lunch.
You will lose less sleep with each firing, but you wont ever feel good about it.
Pay him in cash, reimburse yourself as mileage every month for the amount you paid him.
Pay him in cash, reimburse yourself as mileage every month for the amount you paid him.
Do you have a business plan?
I make mine fill out a form every time they miss a punch explaining why they missed the punch up. I make their immediate supervisor sign it and the employee gives it to me personally. Not in my box or on my desk, but they have to hand it to me and tell my why they missed it.
Almost instantly, everyone mastered the clock after their first missed punch form.
The problem is, if you go broke marketing to people that aren’t buying, you won’t be around when things improve.
It’s easier to rebuild to 100 from 50 than from 0.
I have a friend who does that as well. He also has a form explaining that if the customer supplied part gets broken during installation, he will not replace it at his expense.
Throw out a ballpark when they ask. Just say that that’s probably going to be $xxx for what you want. Does that work?
If they balk, politely tell them you could use cheaper materials, maybe finger paints and Playdoh and save them a couple of bucks if they can’t afford your one of a kind masterpieces.
I am in packaging and its slowing. We make corrugated boxes and sell other shipping supplies plus do 3PL. Picked up some business because suppliers have gone under.
I have been in business since 1968 so we have weathered it before and will again. Just grind it out longer than the competition is about all you can do.
I give all of mine a gas card after 6 months. When I give them the card, I look them right in the eyes and say “dont make me regret this”.
Going on 20ish years now and haven’t wanted to kill anyone yet.
It’s amazing the amount of $12 fill ups on Friday and Saturday.
I do. I am a small corrugated sheet plant and 3PL.
In a nut shell, we make and sell corrugated boxes and packaging supplies and house companies products (mostly home based) and ship out their orders so they can continue on with their day job and avoid the crazy FBA fees, dealing with warehouse rent, hiring and firing etc.
I have had a handful that actually carry through. Usually, it’s an insurance agent, truck leasing company, or a janitorial sales rep.
It worked out for an insurance agent and truck lease person. I eventually spent money with them.
But yea, 99.9% of cold calls are outside the US.
My dad told me he used to ask every cold call person if they saw the game last night. Then, based on their response, he either ended the call or kept talking.
I typically email back and say, “What day would you be available to buy my lunch? There is an amazing Italian place around the corner where I prefer to discuss business.”
There are too many spammees and scammers these days with automated emails.
FEAR. My guess is they are fearful of their ability of being able to manage past a certain level.
A lot of small biz people either dont have or dont think they have the ability to manage a business over $x revenue or X number of employees.
Happyness could be the other. If they are content and happy with what they are making, they may have no desire for more.
I would have a hard time not rolling that $50k back in and seeing what happened.