communication....

[greenoak]

my most glaring problem this week has been communication....i have a new person at the counter....and a couple of new people on the floor helping us get the store flipped for christmas....we are all totally swamped with work with the christmas stuff....
customers ask anythnig ....big things..i dont blame them... but the answers need to be correct and reflect what we are willing to do....or able to do... that has fallen thru the cracks this week ... .
2 times this week big important things were answered by people who didnt have a clue....and i didnt even know it until later....
one was a huge possible customer...who was waiting for an email that we werent working on....and informed my worker that if she came she would probably drop 20,000$$$...thats a big number to us!!!......we totally screwed up her afternoon and her husbands who was also involved...
its so hard to get all the policies into every workers head...im pretty frustrated and know i have to solve this...but i seem to get people who agree with me,, or say they understand what im saying........and then just do whatever seems right to them at any given time...just trying to help because im busy............everybody wants to say ok to the customer asking something...but if you say you are going to do something i make sure we do it...if i know....they cant know the full picture i dont expect them to....but when i say give me the wholesale calls....thats what i mean... i think both situations turned out ok....but its a wonder!!!! .
i know the business is too big for my habits of the first 20 yrs....but i want to be in control and keep with our serious policies....even tho i cant answere every phone call myself anymore..i want to do the right thing with these calls....
thats my vent for the day....before i go out there to the chaos of the day...we are in our last day before ...WE HOPE... 7 or 800 people come thru the store...:cool::cool:

[vangogh]

Sounds like part of the solution is to train them better. I know even then they won't get everything right, but hopefully some more of those right answers get from you to them.

How about if you let your employees know if they aren't sure about something that they ask you or someone else there who would know the answer. They'd also be able to learn by being there when you answer the customer's question.

[Harold Mansfield]

It also sounds like there are few things that would benefit from you writing them down in an informal manual or training book that sits in an easily accessible area, like behind the counter.
If that isn't an option, then you need to make sure that there is an experienced employee there at all times and when there isn't... that one, (or you) is/are available by phone at a moments notice to insure that things are being handled properly.

[huggytree]

maybe you should not allow new employees to answer questions for a few months

maybe you should have more limits on the types of questions they should answer for all your employees.

big questions should go to a manager. easy questions to all employees. new employees=no questions.

you should have someone test your new employees as part of your training...hire someone to come in and walk around asking questions...for $100 once a month you could test your whole operation.

your training could need improving...your policy definately does....you need to have the attitude that this situation CANT happen again...i wouldnt want to lose large accounts

[Spider]

While there are lots of possible solutions, many of which may even be workable in your situation, Ann, there is one special thing that I noticed. You seem to have hired people who are willing and who make an effort to please the customer. They went out on a limb in their attempt to be helpful. That is fabulous. That shows a good attitude and a great work ethic.

Okay, so they slipped up on particular aspects, but these screw ups are procedural in nature. That's a training problem - which is your department.

Top priority, I think, is to praise your employees for their eagerness. Too many employers complain about how their employees are lazy, won't do anything unless specifically told, have to be watched to keep them working, and so on. Your people come across to me as great people, and they need to be encouraged to keep doing that.

Happy, eager, willing employees are the best. They can be trained. You cannot train out a bad attitude, nor train in a good attitude to someone that doesn't have it.

Give them all a bonus!

[greenoak]

thanks... spider....they are so willing....and the ones who did this are really my best hope for employees who can manage a lot of responsibility....i plan to get out of the store more.....they are really great....and i hope they can understand all this..... one is so good that the big buyer called for her by name today....so i know you are right....im lucky to have such good workers.....we are so big on service....and they are with me on that!!!!
ann
ann

[nealrm]

I agree with Vangoug, it sounds like a training problem. After 10 years of training personnel to do things by the book - here is what I found works.

1) Write up the procedure for them to follow.
2) Read it to them.
3) Have them do it while you read it.
4) Have them do it while they read it.
5) Have them do it again while they read it.
6) Have them do it without reading. (They can cheat some)
7) For the first week they are teamed up with a manager or skilled worker. This person 100% checks everything they do.
8) After the first week repeat steps 4-6 while you watch.
9) Week 2 the manager or skilled worker spots checks the new employee.

These can be modified to meet your business, but the idea remains the same.

[vangogh]

I like that training procedure. You know when I think about some of the jobs I've had over the years there were a few who began week 1 solely with training. New employees weren't expected to work (or work much).

Interesting those are the jobs that were the easiest to adjust to and those where I was being productive sooner. On the other side I've worked jobs where it took me months to even figure out what my job actually was. There was never any indication of what was expected of me or how I was doing or how to go about my job. I tended never to reach my maximum production at those jobs.

I think a lot of companies are afraid to pay an employee for a few days or even weeks because they see it as a loss. They pay, but get nothing back during the training and some may quit at the end of the training period. Overall though I think the companies willing to spend a few days minimum training new employees end up with the better return.

[greenoak]

good list!!!...i hear you on the training....i wasnt cut out to be a manager....as we have gotten so much bigger i have lots of jobs im not cut out for....i mainly like buying and selling.....
..the one problem was with someone just in for the day....
we arent that big where we have managers and trainers...but definitely have 2 fairly new hires now who i want to keep and i think will be great.......
ann

[vangogh]

Yeah it's hard to have a training program if you don't have enough employees for it. It sounds like it would have to be you doing the training, but you're doing so many other things you can't devote that time.

What if for the first few days after you hire someone you simply have them shadow you. They just watch you work and learn from your example. You'd be with that person all day and be able to talk to them and impart some training. After a day or two you can let them take the lead in some tasks with you right there to help if they do something wrong and also to teach them to do it right.