Does your help Text too much?

[Carpet Cleaning Fool]

Seems like my tech spends as much time texting his friends as he does cleaning rugs.

Has anyone else noticed this trend lately?

Have you laid down the law regarding text messages while at work?

 

[renegade_cowboy]

I prefer to text. Its easier for me. Never in a customers house.

 

[bob vawter]

YA....my new kids girlfriend is callin' him every minute.......so i tol him that i want HER number so i can call HER at work......

 

[GeneMiller]

The phone has to stay in the truck. I have a very strict policy. If it's an emergency they can call me and I will hand him the phone. We have an entire generation that doesn't know what it was like without a phone. Even in the truck their job is to help watch the road. I'm a hard ass to work for but I never ask for something I don't do my self.

Gene

 

[renegade_cowboy]

I usually only text my GF. We do about 1,500-2000 text a month. Yeah we talk on the phone and see each other, but texting just kinda happened. Use to hate it... I have 3 kids and its hard talking on the phone while I am not working.

 

[rhyde]

Put it in the employee hand book

Non work & emergency Texting, phone calls & e-mails during lunch and breaks only violation may result in termination

Non work related phone and texting equipment ringers to be turned off during working hours

 

[damion68]

The phone has to stay in the truck. I have a very strict policy. If it's an emergency they can call me and I will hand him the phone. We have an entire generation that doesn't know what it was like without a phone. Even in the truck their job is to help watch the road. I'm a hard ass to work for but I never ask for something I don't do my self.

Gene

Exactly!
I have gone so far as to tell them to leave thier phone at my house. If someone needs them that badly, call the office (forwarded to my cell). My phone stays in the truck while we work.

 

[bob vawter]

My kid HAS to have the phone so i can keep in touch wit him.....
i gave him his SECOND warning today.......slightly raised voice....

i tol him he DON'T wanna hear me yell.......

 

[Chris A]

It's a constant battle, but I will have systems in place for my next regular employee to deal with these issues.

 

[Steve Toburen]

The phone has to stay in the truck. I have a very strict policy. If it's an emergency they can call me and I will hand him the phone. We have an entire generation that doesn't know what it was like without a phone. Even in the truck their job is to help watch the road. I'm a hard ass to work for but I never ask for something I don't do my self.
Gene

Exactly!
I have gone so far as to tell them to leave thier phone at my house. If someone needs them that badly, call the office (forwarded to my cell). My phone stays in the truck while we work.

The ONLY way to avoid this very negative Moment of Truth is the tech checking in their personal cell phone at the office (receptionist to forward emergency messages) and using a "blocked" company cell that only can receive and make calls to the office. Otherwise you will be fighting a continual and losing battle.

It is your choice but unless you yank their phone they WILL be texting/talking in the customer's home. This is a generation of texting addicts.

Steve Toburen
http://www.StrategiesForSuccess.com

PS Bob, get ready to "yell". (But it won't do any good. An addict WILL get his or her "fix", come what may.)

 

[truckmount girl]

At my husband's shop, they were having this problem with some of the mechanics. They would go in the bathroom and text because they had a strict policy about texting/personal calls. The bathroom breaks were getting so frequent that he told them they had to leave their phones on his desk. He instructed them that if it's an emergency they are to call the shop. He lets them have them at breaks and lunch, but they have to turn them back in when they go back to work.

Even he has caught the texting bug though, he texts me every break, at lunch, when he gets to work and before he leaves. I use text a ton myself.

Take care,
Lisa

 

[bob vawter]

Does anyone know how to tell if they are on the phone...when you call them.....

it rings slightly different......

 

[KevinD]

See this here 2 inch vacuum hose?
See how your phone is slightly smaller than the opening of the hose?
Next time I see your phone out during a job you will be fishing it out of the waste tank at the end of the day.
I have 0 tolerance for cell phones, but hey I'm a little old school.

 

[Askal]

Our employee manual says "Cell phones are provided to all workers in the field. No personal phones are allowed. We do not have a texting option without an extra charge so no texting is allowed. Emergency calls can be made to or from your phone at your discretion. If you have more than 2 emergencies a week you have too many to work here." It works and we never have a problem. I check the bill every month for usage.
Al

 

[B&BGaryC]

At my husband's shop...

Not really my business but... Did you get married again?

 

[Kevin. McCreary]

I hate texting, one of my techs crashed one of my trucks a few years ago while trying to text and drive.

I always tell people if you want to talk to me CALL me!

Have you ever seen a 15 year old girl that was doing something other than texting?????

 

[Art Kelley]

Get with the program Gary. BTW, How R U? LOL. C U . TFF

 

[Walt]

I put an ad on craigslist for a helper.

Two different people who replied by text. No punctuation, and whole bunch of acronyms I didn't understand.

 

[truckmount girl]

Gary,

Yes. Mikey P was the Maid of Honor.

Take care,
Lisa