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Ideas to achieve a values-based business practice

Expert Answers to Biz Questions

Listen in! Pick up some expert advice to a reader's question that we selected from CyberSchmooz.

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The Biz Question

I own a small housekeeping business and have doing the work for 11years now. I have been trying to build my business and have done verywell. My problem is that I have too much work and have not been ableto find good employees. I understand that I'll probably have to gothrough a lot of people in my search for good employees, but I havegone through seven people in the last four months. Some of my clientsare getting irritated by having new people in their house all the time.

Also, I start sending employees to new customer's homes and thenthey quit or make excuses why they can't work leaving me to do allthe work. I'm not able to move to the next level in my business andthe calls keep coming for more work. I'm very frustrated and needsome good advice.

Answer from our Guest Expert Allison Gaea Jucha of Yes!Coaching

This is a great question because it hits home with so many small business owners. You're right, it is extremely frustrating to try to grow a business when folks are not sticking with it.

My first questions, as a coach, would be: Are you asking your employees why they are leaving? Are you asking what difference would encourage them to stay? Find out what the issues are - the hours? inconsistent amounts of work? lack of training? communication gaps or personality conflicts? Is your wage competitive?

For instance, if many of these folks are saying they'd really liketo go back to school or stay home with their kids, you now know something about who might not really commit to your business. If they are leaving to work for another cleaning company, you must do everything you can to keep a competitive edge. Be a good detective: Under another name, call other services like yours and ask about employment. See how others are handling the interviewing and hiring.Then do it better!

What do your interviewees encounter during the hiring process? Do you have clear policies? Do your new employees know what they can expect from the business? Are you checking references?

On the visionary level, are you ready to create a business everyone will want to work for? One young women moved to SanFrancisco with no money, starting a cleaning service and is now running a very successful business called Rent-A-Wife. She has a marketing theme that appeals to the working man or woman, and women want to work for her. She has the life she wants and she is now able to help others have that, too -- clients and employees. If employees see that this business enables you to have the life you want, they're going to want to be a part of that.

It might be wise to take only the business you can handle by yourself until you have developed a plan for your business that supports your dreams for yourself, your clients and your employees.

Have a biz question of your own? Go post it in CyberSchmooz

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