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DOG OWNERS: Love your dog -- hate poop?
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THE INTERNATIONAL DIRECTORY OF DOG WASTE REMOVAL SERVICES
Scoopers & Friends Discussion Board Archives
Messages archived from the Scoopers & Friends Discussion Board,
going back to May of 1998. The discussion board board is an online forum about the business of pet-waste removal.
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Ninety
minesweepers
lettering color opinions(truck is gold)
Sun Jan 6 22:01:00 2002
truck is gold what color letters will look good and stand out well
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the bomb squad
black letters on gold background...eom
Mon Jan 7 20:37:15 2002
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CA Mike
Re: lettering color opinions(truck is gold)
Mon Jan 7 00:37:30 2002
What colors are in your logo? It seems to me that you should build around those. Is the truck a deep gold or vibrant? Your eye is probably as good as any to decide on the color combo. Just look for something that you think will stand out from the crowd and go for it.
Mike
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minesweepers
logo what logo??? eom
Mon Jan 7 23:39:31 2002
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Rich the pooper caller from AZ
Many Thanks!!!!
Mon Jan 7 14:16:00 2002
Diane, Becky and all others! I have to thank you all for allowing me to pick your brain on the scooping business. I know the cold calls were a little unusual but I had to get the poop on the real side of the business. I have read the entire chat from the beginning to the end and found very good information on the business. It sounds like time, dedication and allot of marketing is in the future for this business. PHX, AZ has over 2 million in population so I know chances of success are high in my area. (Especially with all the snowbirds). Thanks again, and hopefully next time we talk I will have a call name for the business. Rich
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PoopScoopKing
Hi Rich
Mon Jan 7 15:44:01 2002
Please keep our board posted on your progress out in the Valley of the Sun.
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Diane, Pooper Scoopers
hi AZ
Mon Jan 14 21:45:28 2002
Ya, it was fun. I love to talk about scoopin. I'm up to 13 clients now and just passed the 2 year mark. yippee! I haven't put an ad in any paper for the last 6 months....it's that beautiful bench and word of mouth working for me. Business is piling up right this very minute somewhere in Alamogordo, NM this very minute! :-) GOOD LUCK!! Keep us posted. Bugyoulater, Diane
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Erin, Dirty Work
Funny Salary Demand
Mon Jan 7 22:58:34 2002
A part-time scooper of ours wants a 30% pay increase after being with us only 3 months, wrecking our truck twice, and submiting (then retracting) her resignation a month ago. Oh, and she didn't work the holidays because she wanted to travel.
Anyone have a suggestion on how to tell her "NO!" I was too dumbfounded at her nerve when she asked today and said I'd get back to her :)
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Anonymous
Re: Funny Salary Demand
Tue Jan 8 21:00:13 2002
Sit her down, go over her recods with her, about the truck etc. and tell her that she is on probation for 6 months then her records could be reviewed again.
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NIMBY
Re: Funny Salary Demand
Tue Jan 8 19:52:15 2002
Erin, I see that you got a bunch of responses to this, and i totally agree with Mike, you need to let her go. If you can suckup her routes till you hire someone, I believe that would be the best way... I don't know about what your state's laws are, but I believe that after 90 days here, an employee is then to be "written up" for problem performance 3 times before they can be let go. However, I did note that you said she is a sub-contractor. This could be another problem because subcontractors are to "be in business for themselves" and that includes owning there own tools and epuiptment (this includes vehichles). You state that she wrecked the truck twice....she would be considered an employee if she is using your equiptment.... so you might find yourself in even bigger trouble...tax-wise if this is not clarified.... that may be an easier way for you to let her go... let her know that in order for her to stay on as a subcontractor, she will have to provide the truck herself... or you will have to make her an employee and deduct taxes... I know I didn't help you at all.. but there are some things to consider that I didn't see anyone else respond to.... Laura
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CA Mike
Re: Funny Salary Demand
Tue Jan 8 01:27:30 2002
Hi, Erin -
Here are some questions you should be asking yourself before you answer her:
Why did she quit, then retract her resignation?
And why did you let her retract it?
Does she have any redeeming qualities? (seems not)
Do you want to keep her? (I wouldn't)
My last company had 209 employees when we sold it and I saw this pattern 5 or 6 times from really bad employees. Every one was trouble. I hope that isn't the case here.
I would prepare her final pay check, then call her into the office and handle it like this. "Mary Ann(?), I have thought about your request for a salary increase. The amount is way more than the business can afford. But, more important than that is the fact that you don't seem very happy here. You have had numerous problems and, quite frankly, things have not been working out the way we would like. This has been a hard decision, but I have decided to accept the resignation you tendered last month. Here is your final pay check. Thank you for your efforts while you were here and good luck in the future."
And don't say anything else!! She will be hurt and may want to argue. You will feel sorry for her and will want to try to console her. Don't!! Nothing you can say will make the situation any better. Just stand up and say "Thanks again for trying. I hope things work out better in your next job."
Get your keys (and any other company property) back and send her on her way. Then call your insurance company and have her removed from your policy.
Good luck.
Mike
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Pat - Tidy Pets Unlimited
YEAH Mike . . . go guy!!
Tue Jan 8 18:29:20 2002
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Red
Re: Funny Salary Demand
Tue Jan 8 00:37:08 2002
Hi Erin,
As you know, my team member's pay is 100% commission based. Perhaps commission isn't the best word since they aren't actually out "selling" something. However, they do get paid a percentage of every yard they do and they are paid well. I refuse to baby sit - responsibility, trustworthyness and friendliness are worth and extra $5.00 an hour to me.
Pay increase? - The longer they are with me, the better and faster they are able to do their routes and thus "a pay increase". Also the longer they are with me the more densly populated their routes becomes due to growth thus "a pay increase". Anyone that signs up because the employee gave them a card or coupon, the employee makes $20 plus if it's on their route (hint: next door neighbors) then they have a very quick and easy yard to add to their route thus "a pay increase".
To a large extent my crew sets their own pay. If they want more or less yards I accomodate their requests as well. I also pay them for passing out massive amounts of door hangers if they are so compelled. 4 weeks of no complaints = $50 bonus. On the flip side, each complaint COSTS the team member $40 on average (some more, some less). More than a couple a month and they're gone. I also make them very aware of all the costs and headaches that incur that they don't.
I address pay raises in their job description. I've never been asked for a raise - they know better. I teach them the 10 most important 2 letters words in the english language: If it is to be, it is up to me!
You might direct her to this site and tell her that her answer is on it!
Best wishes! I'm sure we'd all like to know her reaction and the outcome.
-Red
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minesweepers
give it to her
Mon Jan 7 23:37:41 2002
if she thinks she is worth 30% more then she must be right.i mean how would you know .you only pay for the repairs and have to reschedule when she is off doing important business research.so i say give her the raise,then send her on three or four really nasty clean-ups.then when she comes in all tired and smelly give her the bill for the truck repairs and put you shoe in her ass.on top of that i just noticed she's only part time.it's time for her to go,obviously she cares about herself and not your company.your better off hiring a new employee at a better pay rate,then at least you would have someone who might care.
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Pete
Nope
Tue Jan 8 07:25:22 2002
"if she thinks she is worth 30% more then she must be right." The worst employees I have ever had always thought they were worth a lot more than they were getting. This one sounds like baaaad news.
You aren't happy with her, she's a hazard to your business and she lets you down when you need her the most. I don't care if you are currently paying minimum wage, this one will never be worth what you pay.
Here we have the worst thing about being the boss. Firing employees. Like scooping poop, it's gotta be done. Document the reasons in her permanent file, print up a letter of dismissal and do it as calmly as possible.
See Mike's message. It is outstanding advice.
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Erin, Dirty Work
Re: Nope
Tue Jan 8 09:58:50 2002
Pete, Mike and Red,
Thanks for your posts. I am going to start looking for a new employee this week. I wonder if you all have problems hiring help in this line of work? We get many responses to our ads, but most of them only want to work a month or two, which is of no real help to us at all (cost of placing ads, training, paying for longer work days, time away for me that prevents marketing, etc).
I want to pay by the yard (I love Red's implementation of this). My obstacle is that we cover about 60 cities (metro-Atlanta is BIG) and they moan and cry if they have to drive because they aren't being paid for that time on the road. So that puts me in the position of piece work plus compensation for the longer drive days. Frustrating.
If anyone has any thoughts or suggestions on that front, I would love to hear them.
I will be letting her go eventually, I just have to get someone lined up first that won't be worse!! :) I know that sounds negative, which is opposite my normal outlook, but trying to hire good people has become quite the odyssey!
Thanks again for all your shared advice - I really do appreciate it and hope I can return the favor. (And Red, I don't have a formalized job description but I am working on that and will hopefully have shortly).
Best regards,
Erin
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Pooch Pal
Re: Funny Salary Demand
Mon Jan 7 23:14:56 2002
Erin,
It is truly amazing the chutzpah some people have, or maybe it's just plain self-centeredness.
I'd be curious on what basis she thinks she deserves a salary increase. I wonder if she had to offer all the reasons she thinks her performance merits a raise and factor in all the things she's done that don't, if she could come to the "NO" conslusion herself. If she's not that insightful, I guess you'll just have to be the bearer of bad news, but perhaps you could do with her just what you did with us---give her your perspective on her performance.
Do those of you who have employees have any performance reviews and/or pay increases based on specific performance criteria? I've never been an employer but it seems like that might help some employees be more conscious of what's expected of them and able to see if they measure up.
Judy
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Erin, Dirty Work
Re: Funny Salary Demand
Tue Jan 8 09:48:35 2002
Thanks for the post, Judy. I asked her what her basis for asking for more pay was. She said she "needed it" to cover her bills or she'd have to get a 2nd job. I can't begin to cover all the thoughts I had, but to sum it up, I thought that was a preposterous reason. I did tell her to organize her thoughts, put pen to paper, and detail what she's bringing to the table that warrants more money. I think she believes that just because she fulfills her basic work description, that's doing a "great job." She's not made one step above and beyond very general expectations.
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CA Mike
Re: Funny Salary Demand
Wed Jan 9 00:42:57 2002
Erin - I think you are leading her astray by asking her to put her thoughts on paper. If you told me that, I would be expecting some sort of increase when I submitted it to you.
I still think that you should let her go as soon as you can. At the very least, just tell her "no raise at this time" and tell her what you told us in your postings.
Mike
P.S. Her reasoning is not at all uncommon. Many workers will ask for a raise just because thay need it.
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Erin, Dirty Work
Thanks Mike!
Wed Jan 9 12:22:14 2002
Thank you very sincerely for sharing your experience and ideas.
I understand what you're saying about perhaps giving her false expectations of a raise by asking her to write down her reasons for a raise. I was being overly nice and felt bad for her because she gets jittery in verbal exchanges sometimes and she's so young, I wanted to give her a chance to collect her thoughts a bit. I thought that maybe she really was doing something for us I didn't know about. Turns out she's doing the bare minimum as I 1st thought.
She sent one dandy of a message this morning stating that if she can't get more money, she's quitting. I will let her quit as opposed to firing her (strategically speaking). She thinks she has us over a barrel and will hold us hostage for 30% more $. She really did seem sweet and lovely on all our exchanges before hiring her, and her resume checked out. Boy did I misjudge!
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Pete
Re: Thanks Mike!
Wed Jan 9 17:36:37 2002
Hiring is the single toughest thing I do for my business. Even when you work hard to get it right, it's a crapshoot (Whoa, THERE'S a mental picture!)
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PoopScoopking
Hi Erin
Tue Jan 8 10:51:29 2002
Hi Erin,
How much does she gross per week, for how many hours, approximately?
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Erin, Dirty Work
Re: Hi Erin
Tue Jan 8 13:09:28 2002
She is paid $10/hr for approx 30 hours a week. She is paid as an independant contractor, so no deductions come out of her $1200 a month gross. When we hired her she said she wanted to work some nights at a bookstore because she enjoys that sort of thing. She hasn't done that.
Three things: we give her bonuses and "just because" money but that has lessened due to the wrecked truck. We were going to give her a 50 cent an hour raise until she called in sick for the holidays and didn't help us on make-up days after a big snowfall last week.
Also, she is 20, single, and mom and dad provided her personal car and insurance.
Third, she didn't ask for more work or more hours or ways to help us for the extra money, just for more money :)
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Pete
Re: Hi Erin
Wed Jan 9 17:38:31 2002
Is she driving your truck? With commercial tags and commercial insurance? At 20? My insurance company won't allow it.
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minesweepers
she sounds very selfish eom
Tue Jan 8 19:17:03 2002
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mel
the word no comes to mind eom
Mon Jan 7 23:14:36 2002
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