Will the Job Get Done Right?

This is a service business.  Our mission is to serve others and make their lives better.  The biggest single thing that affects our customers is the actual performance of the service they want.  We have laid out systems for everything, as we should.  But the crucial part of any service is the people that do the work.  How committed are they?  How well trained? How experienced?

We just hired a new Cleaning Technician.  Let me show you how that happened.  We read resumes, checked references, and interviewed some applicants.  In the case of this person, I found that there was one thing short in their ability to fill our position.  Although he was well rounded in most exterior maintenance skills, his ladder handling skills came up “a bit short”. Proper handling of ladders is vital in the work we do, and it is amazing how few people handle ladders in a safe manner.  Because he was well qualified in all other skills and aptitudes we look for, I spent three sessions with him, teaching the WorkSafe procedures for handling and using an extension ladder.  He was a willing learner and was very careful to follow the correct ways. He learned fast.  That was wonderful. He has a good education and could handle a management role in the future.  He has good character and a keen interest in education and application.  With his new competence in ladder handling, we really wanted to hire him!

Next came his overview training.  I gave him a 3-ring binder full of the basics of the commitments made by the company and by each of our employees, to take home and read over.  After that I sat down with him, and together we read aloud the contents.  Firstly, there is the employee handbook.  There is a lot there, but the essence of it is our Mission Statement “To serve others and make their lives better”.  To fit that properly with our government and the community, there is quite a bit about our legal and social commitments.   Secondly, there is the Cleaning Technician Job Description.  Thirdly, there are the specific job checklists of procedures for each main type of cleaning and preservation service we offer.  Each one of these were signed by the new employee and I, the acting manager.

In the future, this person will be coached to help him learn more and improve, including points to grow on.  He’ll receive help reaching his personal goals, especially as it involves this job.  During his coaching, we use the signed job description and checklists as a guide.  It makes the training and accountability very clear.

Next comes on the job training.  He is working with two well trained and experienced cleaning technicians.  They are demonstrating to him while they work and observing him while he performs each task.

He’s getting training in the ROTban system of keeping away moss, mold, mildew, fungus and algae.

Our employees are paid a fair wage, are paid on time every 15 days and work in an environment of mutual respect and enjoyment.  WorkSafe procedures are observed.  Canada Revenue Agency and Service Canada rules are observed.  These things are important to you, as a customer moving forward, because by doing these things, our workers are safe, secure and able to have a healthy and good future here.

When you have a company on your property to do services, we believe that you would prefer the workers be of good character, pleasant and very capable.  There are no short cuts to achieving this.

We want to serve you and make your life better!  Theirs too.