As you begin to read this, please realize this is not a 'political' post. Many of my American readers will remember Governor Romney's comment where he said he "liked to fire people." Of course, the Democrats ran with that statement and used it ad nauseum to show how distant he was from the common man. Those with common sense realize that Mr. Romney did not mean he liked to fire people...he does not have the Donald Trump personality which gets off on making people smaller. Mr. Romney meant he had no resistance in firing people he hired who did not meet the standards he expected when he hired them.
This might be a clue why he and I are different in fair and honest ways. Recently we hired a small landscape company run by a 'good old boy' to tackle our lawn every other week. Hubby likes to mow for the exercise, but sometimes it gets away from him if he has to travel or we get busy, so I talked him into hiring this young man and his crew. They did a good job last year and their weed-eating saved me lots of time and it looked great!
This year we signed a new contract with them. I read it carefully and since they had listed an agreement to mow into November I crossed that out and said only through October. They showed up the second week of April and did a very nice job. They are quick and the three of them race through our yard in an hour. The next time they were supposed to be here they did not show. The days passed and the lawn got high and the weeds went to seed heads! I am so clearly a liberal because I thought perhaps they did not really want our contract and they had better money makers on their list. (Romney would have called and fired them then and there.) Hubby finally called and he got some whiney excuse from the young man that they had not seen the grass growing much in their area and so did not head to our yard.
Well, when they did show up 6 days LATE, the young man admitted that he had taken on a large mulching contract in the early spring and had fallen way behind! He and hubby talked about how to run an effective business and how to make sure you communicate with your customers. The young man apologized and admitted he had been completely at fault and said that he did not want to lose us as a customer. He had looked so different, he had changed his eating habits and lost 60 pounds, which made us even more supportive of his efforts.
We are dyed in the wool liberals, because we are giving them another chance. They are due in two days...we will see.
This might be a clue why he and I are different in fair and honest ways. Recently we hired a small landscape company run by a 'good old boy' to tackle our lawn every other week. Hubby likes to mow for the exercise, but sometimes it gets away from him if he has to travel or we get busy, so I talked him into hiring this young man and his crew. They did a good job last year and their weed-eating saved me lots of time and it looked great!
This year we signed a new contract with them. I read it carefully and since they had listed an agreement to mow into November I crossed that out and said only through October. They showed up the second week of April and did a very nice job. They are quick and the three of them race through our yard in an hour. The next time they were supposed to be here they did not show. The days passed and the lawn got high and the weeds went to seed heads! I am so clearly a liberal because I thought perhaps they did not really want our contract and they had better money makers on their list. (Romney would have called and fired them then and there.) Hubby finally called and he got some whiney excuse from the young man that they had not seen the grass growing much in their area and so did not head to our yard.
Well, when they did show up 6 days LATE, the young man admitted that he had taken on a large mulching contract in the early spring and had fallen way behind! He and hubby talked about how to run an effective business and how to make sure you communicate with your customers. The young man apologized and admitted he had been completely at fault and said that he did not want to lose us as a customer. He had looked so different, he had changed his eating habits and lost 60 pounds, which made us even more supportive of his efforts.
We are dyed in the wool liberals, because we are giving them another chance. They are due in two days...we will see.
Sounds like a good plan to me. I'm almost always willing to give a second chance, but seldom a third. When the man apologized your husband could have said, "Apology accepted when behavior changes."
ReplyDeleteWe give second chances, too. But, once it cost us a substancial amount of money when we had to fire a young man after he'd started our project incorrectly. It was a lesson for us and him.
ReplyDeleteWith a lawn service, you don't risk too much. I hope he works out; for his sake, as well as for yours.
Interesting analogy. :)
I'm not much into labels, they tend to get in the way of good ol common sense.
ReplyDeleteWhat one signs on to do one does, or promptly explains why one didn't.
Sometimes one needs to be allowed to fail to learn to succeed.
I hope your generosity serves you well in this instance. But it's been my experience that once someone let's you down they tend to do it again. Maybe this fellow will prove to be an exception.
ReplyDeleteI am in a similar situation. But my guy has not showed up. Sigh. Guess I am looking for a new crew. Oh well. Workers are just not what they used to be.
ReplyDeleteGood luck
Hugs
SueAnn
I'm right there with you. I do the same.
ReplyDeleteBravo....and my last housekeeper ate all the aspirin. This one doesn't see above the top of her very short head. LOL I can dust tall stuff. I too am a liberal and just find my expectations shortened.
ReplyDeleteI had a work situation where someone was clearly not doing the job and I still had a hard time firing. Then I found out that there was a major medical problem underlying the lack of effort. We had to hire a second person to actually do the job, but we kept the first individual on until the end of her contract when she went on disability.
ReplyDeleteMaybe inexperience is part of the problem here. I think it is admirable that you were both willing to work with him. I really hope the situations improves.
Glad you could see the the tree in the forrest (or the man in the grass!). Glad you are giving him a second chance. He wants your busines - he knows he can't mess up again. You communicted your disappointment and your expectations. You are decent people who have acted with integrity. If he is the same, he will come through for you. And more.
ReplyDeleteHope it works out....you are giving him another chance....so if he screws up again, I expect he wlll be gone...contract or not.
ReplyDeleteRight now we are getting yard work done as credit against a debt a friend couldn't pay back.
ReplyDeleteI found that the way to get good dependable work is to pay more than your neighbors. Your neighbors won't love you for it, but your workers will.
I lost my job once for refusing to fire a young man who was an excellent worker simply because he was gay. Now I'm a conservative so what does that say?
ReplyDeleteIt is important to have an option to fire folks providing services when they're not working out well- or there's no competition.
ReplyDeletebtw- I first heard Romney refer to this in regard to being able to change Health Care providers n Insurance Companies (HMOs) when he was acting Governor of my state years ago.
Hope the lawn guys don't keep standing you up- Maybe they should hire more guys to keep up-
I'm inclined to want to give second changes, 'cause I've been the recipient of a few in my lifetime. The circumstances and other factors determine whether or not doing so is a good idea. I'm more inclined to offer another opportunity when the individual is straight forward and honest instead of fumbling through some line that's obviously contrived. Fortunately that type have been encountered infrequently and only twice since my husband died leaving dealing with workmen totally up to me. Some have been really helpful, but others tried to take advantage.
ReplyDelete