He did exactly what I said he did. We don't have a part swapping thing going on and that's not how I run my business buddy. Be for real. The tech had parts at home that he brought in that I tried to pay him for but he didn't want anything for them. If I said he stole, he stole and I wouldn't have found out if the client would not have called.
My tech is Stealing from me!!!
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He did exactly what I said he did. We don't have a part swapping thing going on and that's not how I run my business buddy. Be for real. The tech had parts at home that he brought in that I tried to pay him for but he didn't want anything for them. If I said he stole, he stole and I wouldn't have found out if the client would not have called.
I'm not at all clear on what you're accusing him of stealing.
anonymous Mac Tech
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That's the problem with taking "gifts/charity" from employees. Any occasion where you actually did accept parts from him, you should have paid him whether he wanted it or not. I'm sure you didn't give them out as charity parts to customers and more than likely collected fees/taxes for them? Now we have this "gray area" that you obviously helped facilitate and maybe he thinks he's entitled to run your business as he see's fit, or thinks he is entitled to a freebee. Good luck, "buddy"!
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navigatorrs
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What did he steal? He used his own ram because you did not have any ram in stock? Sounds like you guys have a pretty good relationship and he was just trying to get a job done?
Puff
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Sounds to me like you could use some policies in your business. Maybe a billing/invoicing policy and a parts policy. Something that says all parts will be purchased through said business...etc.
You also have to wonder about this tech servicing your customers while representing your business and pocketing the money. To me that's equally as disturbing as theft but could be even worse because your reputation is on the line and you're the one ultimately responsible.
You also have to wonder about this tech servicing your customers while representing your business and pocketing the money. To me that's equally as disturbing as theft but could be even worse because your reputation is on the line and you're the one ultimately responsible.
PcTek9
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He stole a sell, and a service call.
How much of that $$ went back to the shop?
o wait... zero.
I don't know if his moral compass is pointing entirely north.
Because he didn't 'mention' any of this to you...
why did he hide it ? b/c he knew it was wrong.
That to me is something important.
"I'll just use my stuff that I don't want to make profits every time I see an opportunity to sell them."
When you work for taco bell selling tacos, you're not allowed to make and sell your own taco's on the job. If you did, taco bell would be like "what the ????"
"Are you out of your mind? How could you think it would be possible to make and sell your own taco's, then profit the money while working for us??? This is crazy."
Now sure, the taco bell window guy is going to have some explaining to do... But do you really see them keeping him in the drive thru window... When he's been selling his home made taco's and keeping the $$ out of a taco bell establishment?
hmmmm...
I don't know about you, but I see a packet of fire sauce on the horizon.
* also you have to be concerned with the guy that takes the 2nd ram chip out of pc's of unknowing customers and resells that down the road...
How much of that $$ went back to the shop?
o wait... zero.
I don't know if his moral compass is pointing entirely north.
Because he didn't 'mention' any of this to you...
why did he hide it ? b/c he knew it was wrong.
That to me is something important.
"I'll just use my stuff that I don't want to make profits every time I see an opportunity to sell them."
When you work for taco bell selling tacos, you're not allowed to make and sell your own taco's on the job. If you did, taco bell would be like "what the ????"
"Are you out of your mind? How could you think it would be possible to make and sell your own taco's, then profit the money while working for us??? This is crazy."
Now sure, the taco bell window guy is going to have some explaining to do... But do you really see them keeping him in the drive thru window... When he's been selling his home made taco's and keeping the $$ out of a taco bell establishment?
hmmmm...
I don't know about you, but I see a packet of fire sauce on the horizon.
* also you have to be concerned with the guy that takes the 2nd ram chip out of pc's of unknowing customers and resells that down the road...
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Puff
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Tek9, that's so true! And if this guy did sell his own taco out the Taco Bell window and someone got sick guess who's going to get the blame?
Think about it. If your tech is selling his own parts and services to your customers using your name and your location to do it and keeping the money, he's no longer an employee, he's a competitor.
Um sounds like you have bigger problems than him doing the job on the side like that. You should have some policies in place regarding purchasing/parts/billing. Its a totally gray area that you have going on with the parts he is giving you for free. You should have paid for the parts that he gave you even if he refused payment, or you should of refused the parts.
That is my point. I'm not at all worried about the customer not being taken care of. I'll handle that with no problems. I am worried about my tech "stealing" my clients from me. As mentioned, if the client would not have left a message, I would have known nothing about it.
Any yes, I would have said something if the guy would have called back saying, "your tech did a wonderful job" because if the client decided to sue me then it would be the tech...it would be the company. The point to the tech is it shouldn't have happened. He could have called me and asked could he do that. We order parts all the time when we run out of stock. What made that day different?
Point blank, he stole a customer. I take that serious because customer service is very important to me. I'm definitely weighing it all out.
Thank you fellas...this is the point I'm trying to make.
I see where you all are coming from but for those of you who don't have a store yet, just keep an eye out. If something comes out negative, trust me, it's going to be on your name. I'm sure there are some gray areas but I live and I learn.
I think we all are learning from this and that is an even great point made!
So you honestly believe this tech "stole" (or attempted to steal) a customer from you?
If so how is it that the customer called you and not him when it had problems? If you take your car to acme mechanics do you call xyz mechanics when the work acme did turns out faulty?
Here's what I would do.
Take the technician aside and explain that you screwed up by allowing him to use his own parts in the past without compensating him. Make it clear that you set a bad precedence which very likely led him to believe that using your own personal "stash" is acceptable on a customers machine. Then both of you make a list of every last piece of equipment you've ever used that belonged to him and look up the prices and put it into his next pay check.
Explain to your tech that going forward regardless if a customer has to wait a month for a part to come in you don't ever want him using his own personal parts/equipment. Make it clear you'd rather lose a customer to attrition than there be any chance at all that the customer would start going directly to the tech.
Then setup an appointment with the customer to remove the techs ram, hand it back to him and replace it with ram from the store's inventory. The tech should then hand you the $50.00 he was paid (since he got the ram back) and then you bill the customer the difference for the part and labor.
Finally sit down and spell out exactly how this tech and all others should handle these kind of situations in the future. That way there's no question about what you expect and what they expect. Ie don't ever use personal parts, don't ever do work without a work order, etc, etc, etc
rightontimecomputers
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Well I can agree with most of this but far as billing the customer the difference for the part and labor, I wouldn't make the customer pay for that because he or she wasn't aware that the tech was using his own parts.
If it was me i will fire the tech(depends if he is a good tech to keep around) because he is not trustworthy and using your business name without your consent. If you don't fire him update your employee terms and conditions.
Firing someone should always be the absolute last recourse when all other options are exhausted in my opinion. Taking away someone's livelihood should be a grave decision not a disciplinary action.
rightontimecomputers
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Your right firing someone will be my last option, but in my opinion I want to be able to have trust in my employees, If the tech didn't tell him that he was working on a customer computer, what else didn't he tell him, btw most companies don't think that way about firing someone.
I know most companies don't. But I have to look myself in the mirror as a person first and foremost. Even more importantly, I believe I'll have to give an account to a higher authority (God) for all decisions. Particularly ones that can do harm to other people
I see what you and others are saying about questioning if you can trust the guy or not, but I don't see that being an issue. Like I said before I don't see this being malicious on the part of the tech. I see it being a stupid decision to try and get a customer issue taken care of and not really thinking through how it was going to look.
To me stealing the customer would be if he said "Ok if you have any problems call me directly at xxx-xxx-xxxx in the future. That's my direct line..." Then there'd be issues but I don't believe that happened. At least I don't recall that being part of the conversation. Unless there's more to the story this doesn't sound like an ongoing issue. In other words it doesn't seem like it's a pattern of behavior and poor decision making.
hardtoremember
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If he stole he stole. I really don't understand where there is any gray area. Customer, money or parts, if he took whatever it is without your consent it is stealing. People who steal should not be working for your company.
There is no friendship when it comes to this. This is your business and your livelihood. If you keep him you know exactly what to expect so don't be surprised.
Hahahaha!
onetech4all
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Re:
I think that before the tech started using his own component, he should have called the office or HQ and explained the situation, and then proceeded ONLY after he received permission to do so.
He did it behind your back and got paid for his component, without your knowledge.
As a disciplinary action, I would have him fix the customer's computer, without pay (on his own time) and personally apologize for his mistake to the customer.
I think the tech did his best and tried to please a customer and he got the short end of the stick:the component is faulty, probably.
Then, set a rule, that if a similar situation comes up, call the office and ask for permission or instructions!
He didn't steal anyone's customer, stop being so paranoid! He was able to sell his own component, since you, at your shop failed to have it in stock. I think he should have been upfront about it and told you. He failed to do so.
Fire him? Yeah, easier said than done! What if your "behind" was at stake, should you also be fired? Things like these, can be discussed in a professional manner, and I advise you to do so.
I am sure he's learned his lesson and he will proceed more carefully in the future!
Hope you make the right decision!
I think that before the tech started using his own component, he should have called the office or HQ and explained the situation, and then proceeded ONLY after he received permission to do so.
He did it behind your back and got paid for his component, without your knowledge.
As a disciplinary action, I would have him fix the customer's computer, without pay (on his own time) and personally apologize for his mistake to the customer.
I think the tech did his best and tried to please a customer and he got the short end of the stick:the component is faulty, probably.
Then, set a rule, that if a similar situation comes up, call the office and ask for permission or instructions!
He didn't steal anyone's customer, stop being so paranoid! He was able to sell his own component, since you, at your shop failed to have it in stock. I think he should have been upfront about it and told you. He failed to do so.
Fire him? Yeah, easier said than done! What if your "behind" was at stake, should you also be fired? Things like these, can be discussed in a professional manner, and I advise you to do so.
I am sure he's learned his lesson and he will proceed more carefully in the future!
Hope you make the right decision!
rightontimecomputers
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Alan22
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I'm a firm believer in the saying "where there's smoke there's fire".
To me it's clear that your employee shows an indifference to you and your business. In my opinion, when someone shows a propensity to do the wrong thing it's time to let them go. You caught it this time, by mistake. You think it's the first time? You think it will be the last time? I think from now on every time you leave the store you'll be wondering what he's doing and how he's screwing you.
To me it's clear that your employee shows an indifference to you and your business. In my opinion, when someone shows a propensity to do the wrong thing it's time to let them go. You caught it this time, by mistake. You think it's the first time? You think it will be the last time? I think from now on every time you leave the store you'll be wondering what he's doing and how he's screwing you.
