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Stop Employees Stealing Work

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  • 14-12-2013 10:27am
    #1
    BillyBoy13
    Closed Accounts Posts: 296 ✭✭


    Im not going to bore you with a long story, but suppose I was working as lets just say a mechanic for arguments sake.

    I bring my employee out with me on the road for a few months so customers get to know him and I can see first hand is he actually any good at the job etc and then after a few months I start to send him out to customers on his own.

    How can I stop him from giving out his number and telling my customers he will do the work at weekends/nixers.

    And vice versa, I dont want customers approaching him and offering to give him the work.


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    #2
    jimmii
    Registered Users Posts: 14,810 ✭✭✭✭jimmii


    Highlight all the benefits of having the work done through the company instead of by some random off the books. Is it possible to insert a condition in the contract that work like that wouldn't be done? Hard to enforce but it shows that it is not something you like employees to do and if it did become apparent that it was being done then you are able to show a breach of contract.


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    #3
    rozeboosje
    Closed Accounts Posts: 857 ✭✭✭rozeboosje


    Offer benefits, like for example a one year guarantee on work done. Other than that I'm afraid there is little you can do. These are hard times and people will try to get the best deal possible.


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    #4
    TheCostumeShop.ie: Ronan
    Company Representative Posts: 1,740 ✭✭✭TheCostumeShop.ie: Ronan


    First off make sure you have a decent contract of employment, including a non compete.

    It really comes down to a carrot and stick approach. If the employee knows that by doing a nixer for your customers risks the bulk of their income then hopefully they will not do it. Have it clearly marked out that doing nixers is a grounds for immediate termination or warnings etc.

    Personally I'd have an incentive as well, encourage the mechanic to also be a sales person and actively bring in business with a rewards / bonus scheme on new business.

    As rozeboosje said, also offer some value add to customers to stick with you, reward loyality and repeat business.


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    #5
    Graham
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 17,642 Mod ✭✭✭✭Graham


    A single mechanic on his own may be cheaper for a one-off job but will he be around when you need him? Can you offer 24/7 cover using a pool of mechanics? Can you offer an annual maintenance contract, this would kill the economic advantage of a nixer overnight. Do you have better/faster/cheaper access to parts?

    Consider what you have to offer than a single mechanic doing a nixer cannot. This is where your added value lies and this is what you should be selling. Don't sell a mechanic service to taxi drivers, sell a service that guarantees you will keep the taxi drivers business running (or insert your appropriate example here).


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    #6
    bbam
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,410 ✭✭✭bbam


    TheCostumeShop.ie: Ronan wrote: »
    First off make sure you have a decent contract of employment, including a non compete.

    It really comes down to a carrot and stick approach. If the employee knows that by doing a nixer for your customers risks the bulk of their income then hopefully they will not do it. Have it clearly marked out that doing nixers is a grounds for immediate termination or warnings etc.

    Personally I'd have an incentive as well, encourage the mechanic to also be a sales person and actively bring in business with a rewards / bonus scheme on new business.

    As rozeboosje said, also offer some value add to customers to stick with you, reward loyality and repeat business.

    The work contract is the starting point..
    It should make vary clear that poaching customers is considered gross misconduct and will result in termination.
    You need to clearly identify what a customer is, as in your example of a mechanic, if you topped up the oil in my car two years ago and nothing since and then johnny your mechanic is doing servicing for me at the weekend - am I considered a customer ?

    I saw one contract detail that any person who had work done by the primary business in the last 12 months is considered a customer of the business.

    Another specified any person the cmpany had ever done business with as a customer - I doubt it would stand up to much though.


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    #7
    Trojan
    Registered Users Posts: 16,411 ✭✭✭✭Trojan


    Check out the very strong branding that Charlie Mullins does with Pimlico Plumbers, businesses in every industry could learn from him.

    🎙️ The Recognized Authority Podcast



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