Do any of you Owner Ops pay your helpers on commision?

[Mikey P]

Mine wants a raise and thinks commission would be good.



lol.

 

[daniel@procarpet]

You should never pay an employee a commission unless they are running a truck, and then commission is the only way to go. If you are on the jobsite dictating orders, then pay them hourly. Do you really want to pay an employee 20 percent of a thousand dollar job that you got because of your expertise and reputation?

 

[renegade_cowboy]

Go with commission. 10% base 11-12% if you guys reach certain goals. Bet he would work harder and faster.

 

[dealtimeman]

it all depends on what your paying him now and what you think he is worth. this always happens when you have a good helper especially when they know or have an idea on what you are making. they feel they are doing "half of the wrok and want to be paid like so. this happened to me a lot when i started my bix out 9 years ago and i was hiring my friends to help me. they eventually think they deserve it.

 

[JCoviello]

How about just adding a performance based, discretionary end of week bonus.

If my guy works hard, shows up, doesn't give me crap, does what he's supposed to I toss an extra $50-75 cash money his way or so. If we work way harder and longer than normal I'll toss him an extra $100 or whatever seems fair. I try to keeping it like getting an extra $1-2 an hour for the week.

He never complains, and seems to get a charge out of the end of week "bonus".

I like a bonus because you are not on the hook every week if he flakes out, and it's at your "whim".

 

[damion68]

When I've used a helper (my wife and I now work together), I payed hourly with a 10% bonus upsales I got or 40% bonus on what they upsaell.
I looked at it a way to be fair, and get them more motivated into selling.

 

[Ken Snow]

If you call someone a helper, I would not. Call then an assistant or specialist and I would. I don't think it has anything to do with being an owner op or multi truck co, in my opinion commission will work better if they have the ability to make more money by working more efficiently and harder. I would commission the world if practical.

Ken

 

[Mike Draper]

My assistant holds hosses, brings in spot remover, sets up fan's, and pre-sprays. I pay him 12 an hour. The going rate for hard construction around here is 12-13. I'm paying him for what he does, not the type of integrity he has or what type of person he is. So no, on the commission for him.

 

[Vincent Feehan]

Commision here, but we are family

 

[MicahR]

I'm with Ken. Commission the world.

Only if the guy is on his own truck...not as a helper.

 

[ronbeatty]

I pay my "crew members" $15.00 an hour. They have no idea what I make on a job, and it is none of their business. I prefer them to be 50 and over (like me), retired from a career, that way they don't ask stupid questions like "what did you make on that job". :wink:

 

[John Olson]

First find out what California's labor commission has to say on the subject. It would suck to get hit with a bunch of fines and penalties if he quits and goes to the labor board and your paper work wasn't exactly right.

 

[Hoody]

I was going to say what Olson said. In some states its a big no no to pay someone straight commission. In some you have to pay atleast minimum wage hourly as a base pay, and then commission of the job ticket.

 

[Jim Pemberton]

Even if you call it commission, if you work him over 40 hours a week, you might get nailed for overtime based on his total, including commission.

I've known a few cleaners who were taken to labor relations over that issue, and ended up paying some hefty back pay and fines.

 

[Lyman]

Isn't your helper your soon to be son in law.

 

[Jim Pemberton]

Mike

Call me about hiring in laws....Its a chilling tale.......

 

[Nate The Great]

Isn't your helper your soon to be son in law.

lol, I was going to say it first but rather had someone else say it.

Now if it was my daughter's bf, I'd say something like "Banging my daughter isn't enough for you, you want more money on top that?" Then again, I don't have a poker face..

 

[dealtimeman]

:shock:

 

[Richard Crawford]

I just use illegal mexicans and tell them they will be paid on Saturday have them work all week and then call INS.

Richard Chavez on DLs computer

 

[joe harper]

DAMN NATE....Show a LITTLE RESPECT......That is the MAN'S daughter.... :shock:

 

[Brian R]

Commission always depends on the person..and laws depending.

Is he eventually going to take a truck? Is he always going to be a helper?
There are two types of workers. You know who they are.

If he wants to take a truck then the commission...even at a lower % is an incentive to learn more to be able to do more.

 

[daniel@procarpet]

Commission always depends on the person..and laws depending.

Is he eventually going to take a truck? Is he always going to be a helper?
There are two types of workers. You know who they are.

If he wants to take a truck then the commission...even at a lower % is an incentive to learn more to be able to do more.

Brian you are absolutely right. Some people are always going to be an hourly wage earner while others have potential to really excell at this business and should be paid a commission so they can earn a decent living. I am currently looking for a helper. They will be paid hourly so that I can have them wash my truck, pass out fliers, ride in the truck with me, and basically do all the little things that I don't have time to. You won't get any of that from a commission based employee.

As a side note I learned an important thing in writing while in college. Almost every cleaner on this board uses sexist language. Brian just gave us a good example. Don't always assume a carpet cleaner is going to be male or a Mary Kay sales rep a female. Instead use this phrase.

Are they going to eventually take a truck, or are they going to always be a helper?

This just looks and sounds more professional.

 

[everfresh1]

I pay my guy commission. I wouldn't make any money paying him hourly with the prices I charge. He pays for half the fuel though. :mrgreen:

 

[Brian R]

When I paid my "people" commission, their duties still included keeping the truck clean, dealing "their" re-dos, Keeping "their" invoices etc in order and other duties needed to run a van.

"Some" even handed out flyers on "their" own (I paid for the flyers) as to bring in more work.
Commission doesn't make that "person" a one trick pony...it just gives "them" an opportunity to make more money if "they" desire. And "They" better disire or I would fire "their" ass. :mrgreen:

Was that better Daniel?

 

[Ken Snow]

If they are of a caliber that would only ever be an assistan/helper we don't hire them or we weed them out quickly. No growth potential with them and usually minimal motivation. We do pay overtime commission so we are square and in fact better than required as we pay ot for any after hours worked regardless of how many hours worked in a day/week. anyone interested in our comp plan for cleaners email me at kensnow@originalhagopian.com and put commission matrix in the subject line.

Ken

 

[Brian R]

I hate it that Ken always makes so much damn sense.
:x :wink:

 

[Ken Snow]

When you make as many mistakes as I have Brian you start getting better by process of elimination :-) Unless of course I keep making them then I guess I should be shot.

 

[Brian R]

Fail forward