To be picky or not?

I’ve been reading a lot of posts for a while now, and I gotta say that I really enjoy, and respect that there is a place for professional window cleaners in this world. I learned from my grandfather who cleaned windows for 46 yrs., and I like to say that I learned the old school way of doing things and the morals that go with it. Things like taking pride in your work and going the extra mile. Recently I hired someone, who is now fired because of his sloppy work, told me that “I care too much about the work and that i’m too picky”. He worked for other window cleaning company’s before and said that he never had a problem with his work. So, my question is “To be picky or not?”

3 Likes

I think this will be different for many here and residential or commercial. Some don’t worry about as much as others. People in general have different views on what us clean or good enough to get by.

I am picky and my employees respect that. I take great pride that we get 1-2 complaints a year.

My residential accounts get more attention to detail than a commercial account. Just because residential customers care more on the results where commercial is just, for the most part, getting the windows cleaned.

5 Likes

It is a delicate balance regarding quality when you have employees. We train everyone to deliver 110% because we know when they are in the field they’ll probably only deliver 80% of what we train.

If being too picky is restricting your profitability… then stop being too picky. Otherwise carry on.

1 Like

Or you can flip it the other way and be so picky people are willing to pay you whatever you want. I was once told by a good customer never sacrifice quality for the sake of having employees.

It’s a quality vs quantity issue

2 Likes

Excellent point but any business that wants to scale needs quantity. I believe @Chris says that if you have employees you’ll lose roughly 20% of your customer base just due to quality issues.

2 Likes

I appreciate and understand what you guys have said. Everyone has a good point and different take on things, wich I’m always open to learning from. I know that when it comes to employees it’s a make or break thing. it’s either make them the way you want them too be, or break them of the bad habits they’ve learned somewhere else. I personally would not trade quality for quantity, even though my business has really took off this last year. My grandfather has always told me “practice doesn’t make perfect, but Perfect Practice makes perfect.” I hope you guys understand what that means. Thank you!

4 Likes

Sounds like an attitude problem more than a technique problem with your former employee.

Having 2 people in training this year, i have to say that you must choose your battles with quality of work. Harping on one aspect too much will cause frustration all around.

Glass time is the best teacher, Especially after showing the basics. Then little bits of correction here and there.

2 Likes

I will add that a 5 minute game plan meeting at the beginning of each day is really helpful to convey instruction in a painless manner.

Observe on the job. Don’t correct immediately if it’s not a safety issue. Give it a day. Address next morning. It helps sift out the unimportant and gives one time to think of the best way to address.

2 Likes

That sounds like a good plan. Thanks Bubble_guy

1 Like

There is a fine line between picky and nit picky. We’ve all seen it in customers and found it irritating. Same for employees- picky is good. Nit picky, not so good.

1 Like

I think its more about what Jordie said with the attitude, I have worked with heaps of guys who had zero concern with how clean the window was and were only concerned in the the wetting up and squeegeeing off and when questioned about quality, answered with "I did my part anything else is not my problem"
These guys generally don’t even like what they are doing and will probably only do it for a few months before finding a different profession.

2 Likes

If he is sloppy An did sloppy work t, an you tried to correct it. Then that’s not being picky.
It’s just wanting things done your way not the old bosses way.
I would love to get some for-instances .
Busses can be picky An customers can be picky.
A good job is a good job a bad job is a bad job.
I hate the word perfect if you look hard enough you can find imperfection in anything.
Being picky is onethjng trying to be perfect is another

As a person that has been cleaning windows for a long time I know what a good job is, an if someone who works for me isn’t doing a good job I jace to find a way to correct it. If he isn’t willing to , them you need to cut him Losee

1 Like

If those other window cleaning companies did not have a problem with his work, why isn’t he still working for one of them?

3 Likes

That could be a number of reasons
Havnt yiunguys ever worked for a PIA boss before.
It’s not always the worker , it’s one thing doing s good job an doin it therr way. It’s another thing being a constant nag an demanding more

1 Like

that’s the thing though Majestic66, I set the standards from the beginning on how things should be done, but when they leave streaks or round corners because they’re to lazy to care about their work, I’d be condoning bad behavior and degrading professionalism when it comes to window cleaning. I’d rather be a PIA boss than be their best friend and they take advantage of me.

2 Likes

With everything I said. I’m not insinuating you wee being a nag.
There is a simple statement for this person. If you curse that is. I do so … I would say " Fuckimg A right I do, there is a reason why we are here today doing this job it’s cause I care to much ".

1 Like

someone who really doesn’t care and should find a different profession imo

1 Like

If someone has bounced around between multiple cleaning companies (or any job for that matter), chances are the problem is with the individual. Especially if they don’t have a good explanation why they left each job.

1 Like

Correcting sloppy work is not being a PIA bosss

1 Like

More than likely yes , but not always the case. The more I read into this Guy the more ilikely it’s the person , so the OP shouldn’t think he is being picky or a PIA