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Weekend Work
Hi Everyone, I have a question about how you handle weekend work? We are in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and we are a residential cleaning company. After 8 hours of work per day we need to pay overtime and our team members and also on the weekends. We do get request for jobs on the weekend. How do you handle this? Do you hire only for weekends or part time staff for this? Do you raise your price for the weekend to compensate for over time? Do you have on call and rotate your team members? Any wisdom or ideas are welcome. :)Who Was Your First Hire?
I’ll never forget mine! My first hire was a foreman. I needed someone who could run the job while I focused on running and growing the business. That was the moment it stopped being just me and started becoming something bigger. Scary? Of course. Exciting? Absolutely. That first hire teaches you the hard stuff. How to train. How to lead. How to TRUST someone with your name and your clients. You don’t always get it right, but that’s how you grow. What I learned: Hire sooner than you think you’re ready Character beats skill every time Being a boss is a completely different trade than doing the work So let me ask you… who was your first hire, and what did they teach you?What Features Would Be Helpful for Dealing with Subcontractors on Your Team?
Subcontractors can be a powerful way to grow your service business—but managing them smoothly takes the right tools. From scheduling to paperwork to payments, things can get complicated fast if you're relying on spreadsheets or text threads. Here are a few key ideas to kick off the conversation: Insurance Certificate Tracking + Expiration Reminders Making sure your subcontractors are insured is a no-brainer—but keeping track of their certificates and renewal dates can be a hassle. A built-in feature that stores insurance docs and sends automatic reminders before they expire would help keep your business protected and organized. Built-in Payment Processing for Subcontractors Paying subs quickly and clearly is essential for maintaining good relationships. Imagine being able to approve their invoices and process payments right through Jobber—no more chasing emails or juggling payment apps. Subcontractor Availability Scheduling Knowing when your subs are available is half the battle. A shared calendar where subcontractors can input their availability would make job assignment way easier and help avoid scheduling conflicts before they happen. What would you like to see added to help manage subcontractors better? Drop your ideas in the comments—👇
How do you help employees collect tips?
We run a cleaning company, and in our industry, tips are a regular occurrence. However, Jobber doesn't support tip collection on the mobile app or on an emailed invoice. Tips can only be collected from a credit card payment in the client hub. Consequently, our staff rarely get tips. Are any of you using other software to assist in tip collection for your employees? Any ideas on how to overcome this issue?What’s one red flag you always watch for during an interview?
In the episode of the Masters of Home Service (at the 27-minute mark) Stephen Jobe shared that his number one hiring red flag is when a candidate brings up money too early in the process. He said if someone’s first concern is pay, before showing humility or interest in the role, it’s usually a no-go. Do you agree with Stephen? What’s your biggest red flag when interviewing new hires? Tune into the full episode to learn what mistakes to avoid and tips for building a clear career path for your best people. Never miss an episode of Masters of Home Service. Subscribe on Apple , Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Creating Teams In Team Management
Good day to all, I wanted to see if this is something that Jobber is planning on implementing anytime in the very near future. For those of us that run a landscape company we typically run in teams. As of right now, it appears that things are a little harder than it should be, just personal opinion. Here is the scenario: Current: Every employee has their own app where they clock in and clock out, that's great. However, If you are running a team of 2 or 3 personnel, each member not only has to clock in, but has to start a timer and stop a timer at each and every job site. This becomes a nightmare when it's time to approve times. For those of us in this industry, I think you feel this pain as well. I'm sure you've figured a work around, but at the sacrifice of not knowing your true job cost in labor. Idea..... Future: In team management, create teams, this is where a company can have multiple teams, example Alpha team, Bravo team. Alpha team has 3 men on the crew and Bravo has 4 men on the crew. Each team is assigned a day's schedule and a team leader. The team leader would be responsible for starting and stopping time at each work site. While the employee all they need to do is clock in and clock out. There are other platforms that run this script and drastically improves time spent on the computer sorting through everyone's timesheets. This would be an exponential improvement on the contractor's side of things. What are your thoughts?Podcast discussion: Stop Using Org Charts. Use This to Grow Faster.
Do you have any thoughts, stories, or feedback after listening to the episode? Comment below what stood out to you most! 👀 🌟 Do you have a system for keeping your team accountable? How is it working for you, and what impact has it had on your service business? 🌟 How do you empower your team to make decisions without running every little thing by you? What’s worked (or not worked)? Episode Overview Most business owners think they need an org chart. But what many really need is accountability. In this episode of Masters of Home Service, Forrest Derr—Fractional COO and owner of Derr Consulting—joins host Adam Sylvester alongside his client, business owner Jerry Jackson, to show how to structure your team so everyone knows exactly what they’re responsible for. You’ll learn how to cut daily chaos, reduce unnecessary calls, and hit your business goals faster. Show Notes: [01:31] The #1 leadership mistake service business owners make [02:09] Accountability vs. organizational charts: what’s the difference? [02:46] How an accountability chart cut 80% of Jerry’s calls [03:28] Real-world examples of accountability in action [07:34] How to empower your team to make decisions [08:28] The $500 vs. $50K decision-making rule [09:37] The “barrel of monkeys” ownership trick explained [12:57] What to do when someone’s in the wrong role [13:48] Using the “GWC” method to evaluate employees [16:34] Why your team needs a clear “North Star” to stay aligned [18:24] Building positions based on outcomes, not people 🚀 Want to put these tips into action? Download our free, customizable accountability chart template. Never miss an episode of Masters of Home Service. Subscribe on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Subcontractors vs Direct Labor
Would you consider hiring subcontractors instead of hiring direct labor when talent is hard to find in your local market? My business has had a lot of success partnering with other companies to complete specific projects. In our service area, the collective workload exceeds the workforce so there is a general sense of camaraderie vs competition. What are you seeing and what has worked in your business?
Feeling Stuck in the Busy-But-Broke Zone – How Did You Break Through?
Hey folks, I’m hoping to get some insight from those of you who’ve already muscled through this phase of business. I’m currently in that painful zone where the jobs are coming in steady—so much so that I’m completely maxed out—but the numbers aren’t quite adding up to confidently bring someone else on board. I’ve got the workflow, the drive, and the service quality dialed in, but when it comes to scaling by hiring help, I feel like I’m staring at a wall I can’t quite climb. The catch-22 is real: can’t afford help without more time, and can’t get more time without help. For those of you who made it past this threshold: - What did you do to shift the equation? - How did you find the confidence (or capital) to invest in that first team member? - Any creative pricing or scheduling tactics that helped balance the load in the meantime? Appreciate any stories, hard-learned lessons, or nuggets of advice. Trying to work smarter, not just harder.
