Your staff can make or break your business.
Your business reputation, service quality, productivity, and client retention depend on choosing the right people for your team. I have experienced firsthand what the wrong hire can do. We have received low ratings based on how team members answered the phone or greeted people when they entered the store.
What I am about to say is something you haven’t heard before, and it's nothing groundbreaking. Sometimes we just need to be reminded of the basics 😉.
Look for dependable people with a positive attitude, strong communication skills, and solid organizational and time management skills. You can identify these qualities in applicants by developing a thorough and consistent hiring process.
The Hiring Process
Our hiring process increases the probability that we hire the right person for the team. Here are the steps:
1 - Create a job description: Make it detailed. Include all the duties and responsibilities.
2- Create a job ad to post from that description. Make it brief yet detailed.
3 - Screen resumes and applications: Use online applications and pre-screening questions to weed out applicants who aren’t a good fit. We can agree that some, if not many, of the applicants will not have a resume. Make sure you use screening questions for the applicant to answer.
4 - Conduct interviews: Conduct the first Interview via video to save time. When it’s time for face-to-face interviews, consider doing more than one so the applicant can meet with different team members.
5 - Conduct background checks: Emerging small businesses tend to skip this because of the cost, but I can tell you it’s worth it. Background checks give a fuller picture of the applicant so you can make a well-informed decision.
Now that you know what qualities to look for in team members and how the process should proceed, let’s discuss where to look.
Where to Find Qualified Applicants
Word of Mouth
You might be surprised how quickly word of mouth can bring in some of the best team members. Spread the word to your network and ask them to do the same.
Online Job Postings
Use an ATS (applicant tracking system) to post your job on multiple job boards at once. Many communities also have Facebook groups where you can post jobs.
Competitors
Get the word out in the areas of your competitors' stores. You never know if a great team member is working at a Zombiemat™️.
Employee Referrals
Create an employee referral program where current employees get a bonus or reward for referring someone you hire. Set specific conditions for receiving the reward, like the new employee must stay at least 90 days or more.
Community Outreach
Send the job posting to local community organizations, religious institutions, and colleges.
Finding and hiring the right staff can be stressful, but you’ll know that you made the right decision because your customer satisfaction, productivity, and quality of service reflect it.
That's all I got for you today.
Waleed
🏴☠️ ✌️
P.S. For more thoughts on the laundry business, follow along on Linkedin.
Thinking about, the thinking of laundry
From the words of former CEO and Chairman of American Express, Kenneth Chenault
First, what I try to assess is integrity. For me, integrity is the consistency of words and actions.
