In what order do you train office staff to...?

Mikey P · Jan 25, 2014

Know the fundamentals of the services you provide.
How to answer your phones and routing
Invoice entry..
Work your social media
Learn quick books..
Payroll..
Inside phone sales.
Learn I no which MB'rs to forward to me and which to hang up on.

As mentioned earlier, my daughter wants on board.

Training from scratch basically so where so we start?

GCCLee · Jan 25, 2014

In the field so they understand EVERY aspect of why they are doing what they do in the office.

Desk Jockey · Jan 25, 2014

Check with Jim Pemberton Lee once had a package titled "Making every ring Pay". Not sure if he still offers it but many of the principles still are valid after many years. Scripts, Flip charts back then can be converted to clickable info on the PC.

 1.) How to answer your phones and routing (use script and layout your plan of action)

2.) Know the fundamentals of the services you provide. (use scripts, when she don't the answer know don't try to pretend she does. Simply get pertinent info and let them know someone will call them with the info the are seeking)

3.) Invoice entry.. (important work but that can be done between calls)

4.) Learn quick books.. (QB is a powerful program, most colleges have classes on it but in reality you only need to know what applies to operating your business. You really don't need know it all IF you don't plan on using it.

5.) Payroll..Work with your accountant to set it up so it makes it fast and easy for her.

6.) Work your social media Important but busy work. Should be able to work it between phone calls

7.) Inside phone sales.(Quality control call backs and possibly special offers)

8.) Learn I no which MB'rs to forward to me and which to hang up on. (Always put ALL calls from Chavez through!) :eekk:

I'd add: Database Mining (develop a marketing plan and strategically map out who, when and what you plan to target for the year. It can be electronic if you have email addresses. She can work on capturing email address from existing clients you don't have. Postcards are still good, letters and follow up

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This would be my #1, once you get it established.

Mark Saiger · Jan 25, 2014

Hey Mike,

My daughter has been able to run my office as far as answer phones and book jobs, answer cleaning questions, do some quickbook entries such as make out estimate forms for us as the calls come in and we can take the work order/estimate forms out into the field. My wife also quit her regular job a couple years ago and can do the same and more in quickbooks. They take all the phone calls, or we transfer to cell phones all the time. My daughter is a social media queen, so that is a natural. She started our Facebook page and I am able to add to it. Just having them around me as I do my work and office procedures, they heard the script so to speak enough, they could rattle it off.

The thing I found most helpful was that my daughter had been one of my lead techs so she knew what was happening and the procedure we were doing on the job sites. If your daughter can even maybe do some ride along and see procedure, know some basic knowledge of stain removal and the other types of things that might help her answer customer questions, might be one of the first procedures. But, coming from a cleaning family, she has possibly been around this and is already comfortable with that . Whatever can be done to help her be successful.

I also have a procedure or phone procedure I put together for another cleaner that we do. I did take the time to try and sketch it out for them and would be happy to share with you. It is a word document so if you PM your email address to me, I would be happy to share it. Might take a little time to find since I am on new computers this past couple weeks and taking time to locate it. It's not a perfect lay out, but a sketch of what we try to do.

I also have next to my desk posted on the wall, an average price list per rooms (even though we charge by the square foot) and pieces of furniture, service prices, ect which I am sure you have. Just getting them familiar with procedure and being comfortable on the phone has been the thing that has helped them. It also made the potential clients calling comfortable that our company was very knowledgeable and we all had a pretty good idea as to how to take care of their needs.

As far as which item to approach in a sequence, each my wife and daughter were different in their comfort zones as to what THEY wanted to learn first and second and so on. So gearing to each individual learners comfort zone is what worked best for us.

I do have to say that this sounds exciting that you have more family wanting to get involved and I understand. There are a few more dynamics that can go with it, but they do get worked out.

Best wishes to you on this and I hope it can work out to help all the family.

Mark

I see since starting this post (as I was gonna be the first one to respond....LOL) there have been a lot of good posts as well. Was on the phone with some southern cleaners trying to keep their truckmounts from freezing up as they cleaned. Some great posts ahead of me now!

Desk Jockey · Jan 25, 2014

http://www.ultoffice.com/Reference-Organizers_5/DocuMate

You can also get them in the wall mount that pulls down when used and out of the way when not needed. We use both depending on the space available.

We use these for easy access for reference material.

You can list individual services and their pricing, quick reference for spotting, service area, tech's phone numbers, vendor referral numbers, any scrips for her that allow her to say what you're wanting her to say.

Ron K · Jan 25, 2014

What do YOU need to have done??
Thats first. Don't hire someone before you have plan as to what this person will be doing.
Also have them do what they are good at so they can feel helpful and help you at the same time.
Can they do what you don't like doing, or have just been putting off.
First and foremost you can't teach nice, everything else can be taught.

Blue Monarch · Jan 25, 2014

Quit screening my calls!

GCCLee · Jan 25, 2014

Seeing as how we is taking about the She Rah of Carpet Cleaning here,

I ASSume that she will either end up Running the show when that time comes, or She will venture out to Dominate the market, or a market on her own.

The next set of Life's Skills following pooping, eating, drinkin, walking and talkin. Public School ain't gonna teach ya this stuff : )

Desk Jockey · Jan 25, 2014

She will be fine, she's a daughter of a rock start after all! :winky:

Lee Stockwell · Jan 25, 2014

I think your daughter will be a great choice...because of who her parents are, and the fact that she's absorbed more of your biz than you may think.

My daughter, Ginger, is a great cleaner and is awesome with our customers. She will be running our office when Theresa and I go to Nicaragua March 4 for several weeks. I don't have a doubt at all that she will do great.

The Great Oz · Jan 26, 2014

Since you asked the question in regard to office staff I'll assume she will be answering the phone and scheduling work.

The first thing she needs is coaching on how to answer the phone to make a friendly, professional presentation to customers and sell services without seeming to be pushy. Turning the call into a booking is job #1.

If she can handle calls you can work on training in the services and routing - before she ever picks up live calls.

Data entry can be learned on the job between customer calls.

Chances are she's much more adept at using a computer than you are, so if you haven't done it already, this is a chance to put every piece of reference material mentioned by others into the computer for faster and easier access.

Not everyone has the Attention Excess Disorder required to do accounting, so don't automatically make this a part of the responsiblities. If she can do it, great, but don't saddle your inside salesperson with a potentially mind numbing task if you can help it. Also, people drawn to accounting are not typically the same people that are naturally good at handling social media. If she's good at all of these things you should start the ownership transition now.

jcooper · Jan 26, 2014

I agree w/everyone else.

I'd teach the phone first, because that's the one I don't want to do. I'd also take her on a few jobs.

My wife started doing it(when she can) for us about 6-9 months ago and she's great... BUT she's all over the place and wont use the dam script!

Desk Jockey · Jan 26, 2014

LOL A script is just a guide to give her reference points. It will sound better if she does it natural anyway.

In what order do you train office staff to...?

Mikey P

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GCCLee

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Desk Jockey

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Mark Saiger

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Desk Jockey

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Ron K

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Blue Monarch

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GCCLee

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Desk Jockey

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Lee Stockwell

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jcooper

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