After suffering a laceration to my hand at the weekend, I have found myself unable to lift carry or use equiptment, this will likely continue for a couple of weeks.
Does anyone have any pointers on using part time / sub staff to cover workload. I am loath to hire in an external gardener as it may give the wrong impression to my customers, espeically if they do a bad job for them, and Im unlikely to get them all covered.
I do have access to a couple of PT staff, but i do not want to have to spend all my time monitoring their workload. I can spend hours unpaid watching them but this is pointless from a finanical pov and not ideal.
The other alternative is to cancel all visits (costing my muchos £) for the next two weeks.
Has anyone else had this experience and found a way around it?
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Many clients CAN do the gardening themself now and then as they have the gear but just don't want to or can't find time. I would be inclined to look at your client list and phone those who you think will manage, the gardens with slow growing grass or the couples who enjoy a bit of gardening themself, tell them what's happened with a view to cancel the enxt scheduled visit. They will understand.
You will have some clients who you are not comfortable doing this with, for these I would get a casual worker in, attend site yourself and do as many in as few days as possible. Maybe you'll be able to do a bit of one-handed work while watching them. It won't make you much money but will protect your contracts with these clients.
Oh, and hope it heals quickly!
Agree with Dans suggestion, which is filtering those who can/cant, which gardens can wait etc. but as its only for a couple of weeks, I would not be afraid to accompany your PT staff on their visits, maybe use the time to talk to your customer, even take your 'office' with you and work from your truck/van, take time to walk the gardens, noting improvements/poss future work etc. Dont look upon it as 'unpaid work' its your business and you might find the time well spent.
Hope the hand heals soon
Thanks, thats what I was feeling in my GUt, but i didnt want to feel like I was sat ferrying people arround earning money, while I watched - I can plant and prune one handed, but Im quite possessive of my tools so may have to trust abit more!
Ive started contacting customers who will be amenable to rescheduling, however some larger gardens simply have to be worked on, so Alas the planning begins, there goes my may paycheck!
The moral of the storey is be safe with cooking utensils as well as tools!
Thanks, much appreciated. I think alot of my customers are suddenly appreciating how much work goes into being a gardener, especially the planning and how good value for money we are given the risk we take financially, being self employed.
The irony is Im paranoid about H & S at work - I cut myself with a carving knife separating two frozen beef burgers...
j.p said:
Nope my GF threw the bloody burgers in the bin!
I had to share a giant yorkshire pudding with her in the end, then went out for fallafel. Saftey first - veg food doesn't attack you.