SCENARIO:

An employee is sick. This is a reality. Being cough-free at a client's office is smart. Your employee decides that her brother-in-law can replace her.

Her intentions are good, but the outcome is not positive. He is not trained, nor does he understand the detail work required at the worksite. Although he does his best, he falls far short of the office manager's expectations.

When she notices the carpets not vacuumed, or some trash cans not emptied , she calls the System4 IPS account manager to complain and ask why nobody was sent to clean her account. Since her regular cleaner wasn't sent, she assumes the worst.

You didn't know your worker was sick or that her brother-in-law was doing the work on her behalf when you spoke with your S4IPS representative. Now, the System4 rep is concerned that you don’t know what is happening with your workers and your business might lose other accounts.

WHAT TO DO:

Establish core team members who you can trust and depend on. Ideally, they should have experience working with you, be familiar with the client list, and be dedicated to your company's interests.

Educate your employees about sick days and best practices for replacements. Make sure you and your key people  respond to employee communications as soon as possible.

Keep track of your employees and hold them accountable. Explain to them that they are representing your company. They can make or break your business depending on how well they do their jobs.

ASK YOURSELF THESE QUESTIONS:

• Is my response time fast when I receive a call, text, or email?
• Do I know where my employees are?
• Are they aware of their current list of active accounts?
• Do they have to answer for their actions?
• Are they not responding?
• Do I regularly monitor my accounts?
• Is one problematic employee putting my business at risk of losing more accounts?
• Are my core teammates and I properly training our employees?