Non Boating advise wanted

I really feel for you, we took a partner on in our practice who we caught stealing our info to Collateralize another biz she had! Needless to say she had to go and thank God we had "paid to learn" from a good attorney what to do. We have a very strong Non-compete/Confidentiality Agreement that is so tight and well written it will most likely hold-up in court as it has a really nice twist to it and most decide not to test it as it would be too expensive to fight. This person had signed it and dare not set-up against us although she wanted to, after we had basically tought her all she knew. These type of folk really do suck and they make me sick! No ethics whatsoever! Just hope that what goes around comes around. Contact your customers, explain what she has done as most descent people will take a dim view of it and stick with you. What amazes me is these "types" can't see they have done anything wrong, until it happens to them! If you want a copy of the Agreement PM me, I know just how you feel: been there done that, bought the T shirt and did NOT like it.
 
dwna1a said:
Members please, I need some advise. The one good employee I've had for the past 4 years has left us. No real problem there, people come and go. My issue is she's gone out and started the same type company. I started my company back in 1987, I've had others come in and become competition but I've never had someone that work for me. I kinda feel betrayed. Any words of wisdom from those of you that have gone thru this before?
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Most of my competition are guys I trained. That's the way it goes I guess. That's also why I never teach them "everything"..... The only guy I teach all my secrets to is my son :wink:
 
I have a contract with my employees that lets me "terminate" them if they quit.... Never been tested in court yet.
 
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dwna1a said:
I don't want anyone to misunderstand, she is a great person, very hard working, and stayed with us for many years! She was paid very well. She's left us at a slow time so that we can find a replacement. I take all fault! That said, I will never allow one person to become the face of my company again. Her parting has left me, for a lack of a better word, bitter and concerned.

Four Suns.....Her contact info? You're kidding me right? I guess I should be the bigger person...and give it to you, but she's only doing construction and commercial cleaning. I will be down in your boats backyard tonight, come on over and I will get it to you. Just get there before I start eating oysters and sipping bourbon
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Dwna,

Don't listen to Gary "Ebineezer" Scrooge. He's just busting your balls. I haven't heard him on the forum in a while and must be trying to "spread his holiday cheer" on a few different threads to make up for lost time!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Todd
 
Four Suns said:
I have a contract with my employees that lets me "terminate" them if they quit.... Never been tested in court yet.
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You must be one of the few, if any, who like being on the hook for extra unemployment taxes then:)
 
If you provide high quality service to your customers, you shouldn't have to worry. The definition of customer loyalty is that you will get the first opportunity to keep your customers. Service and quality will usually win, customers that buy on price alone will usually come back!
My company is known as being service oriented, loyal customers stay.

Good luck!
 
Ms Brit..... She a good lady, I think she just wanted more. My largest fear is the info that she kept when she left. If she wanted to come back...she'd be welcomed back (she that good). I've never had someone leave and start a competitive company before. I know many of you have and I need the advise on how to handle it....correctly.....without over reacting. I hope that statement make since.

randerson.....like you I've worked hard to give my clients everything they've needed and more, some are still paying the same amounts as they were 10 years ago. We've worked hard and will continue to do so, we just worked a deal with a local Marine Service to remove water spots from the boats they service

I feel as if I'm in a Bugs Bunny cartoon......."watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat"
 
Competition is everywhere, your not going to stop it. That being said it's going to come down to the relationship you have with your clients. If you have earned their trust and built a relationship then you will be fine. Go out and see your customers on a regular basis. Become more than a company they use. With my clients I am more than a company, I am their trusted advisor and their partner. Once you have that kind of relationship I call it the unfair advantage. Your competition doesn't stand a chance at that point.
 
The simple fact is that almost everyone who starts a business got their start working in the same industry for someone else, and eventually quit to do it better/faster/cheaper/whatever. You have to learn somewhere, and it's usually going to be as an employee of someone you will eventually be competing against. Every master electrician/plumber started as someone's apprentice.

Sadly (for employers), the people who excel as employees are often the very same ones who are driven to do more someday. The best thing to do in this situation is to maintain a good relationship. I highly doubt that she can hit the ground competing on the same level that you are working at. She can't front a large payroll for a lot of employees, acquire all the equipment you have, and so on.

I wouldn't be surprised if a couple customers switched (they would probably switch to someone else anyway), but you aren't going to see a flood of defections (unless they all hate you). She just can't compete on the same scale. Yes, eventually, if she does a great job and builds her business up, after several years she might be in a position to compete directly, and that's the point where having a good relationship can pay off for both of you.

I suggest that if you do discuss this with your clients, keep it upbeat. Introduce them to the new person who will be doing her old job, and if you mention her at all stay positive. Not much looks worse to a customer than bad-mouthing a competitor, especially one who used carry a large amount of responsibility at your business. Anything else reflects badly on your own decisions.

Stay classy.
 
src said:
The simple fact is that almost everyone who starts a business got their start working in the same industry for someone else, and eventually quit to do it better/faster/cheaper/whatever. You have to learn somewhere, and it's usually going to be as an employee of someone you will eventually be competing against. Every master electrician/plumber started as someone's apprentice.

Sadly (for employers), the people who excel as employees are often the very same ones who are driven to do more someday. The best thing to do in this situation is to maintain a good relationship. I highly doubt that she can hit the ground competing on the same level that you are working at. She can't front a large payroll for a lot of employees, acquire all the equipment you have, and so on.

I wouldn't be surprised if a couple customers switched (they would probably switch to someone else anyway), but you aren't going to see a flood of defections (unless they all hate you). She just can't compete on the same scale. Yes, eventually, if she does a great job and builds her business up, after several years she might be in a position to compete directly, and that's the point where having a good relationship can pay off for both of you.

I suggest that if you do discuss this with your clients, keep it upbeat. Introduce them to the new person who will be doing her old job, and if you mention her at all stay positive. Not much looks worse to a customer than bad-mouthing a competitor, especially one who used carry a large amount of responsibility at your business. Anything else reflects badly on your own decisions.

Stay classy.
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Would agree, however to actually steal an employer's list of customers is exceedingly low and probably actionable if it can be proven that she contacts them to offer her services. Perhaps a warning letter from his attorney may be in order, as I doubt she will ever go back to work for him again and even if she did, how can he trust her after this. And yes many employees will leave to start on their own but they don't all do it in the same town and attempt to steal their old boss's business. Plus every person that starts up in competition againt you, no matter how good your service is (in spite of how good we all think we are), gets a little piece of the pie and therefore reduces the slice of everyone locally in the same biz.
 
If you supply the person with a computer all the records she sent home, copied on a remote device or printed will be on will be on the computer even if they erase them. You might want to get a good IT person to go over the computer and see what records it contains. I am not a lawyer but if things were taken via your computer it might be concidered theft and the police might be abble to help or you might be able to start a civil suit for any profits lost.
 
First...she kept the book, what I mean by that is she wanted to keep a record of how much time and how often we did a home. It was a great idea and it help me out a lot. No phone numbers were used. Second...I'm not the attorney type! I'm sure it doesn't need to go that far. Most of the work I do she won't touch and all I see this problem as is more competition.
 
Here's some more advice..... Advice is spelled with a "c" not an "s'". When you need advice, you ask others to advise you....
 
Damn you guys are harsh , just run your business as you've done in the past , when you go out and find her workers Hire them.... For 30 days then fire them she'll run out of people in the job pool ( like Gary) . It's crude but get your ass out there and hussle like you used too... You'll be fine!!

TC you're killin me !!!!!
 
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Sell her the company.....and buy a bigger boat! That's my new plan


Just kidding
 
Gary, Out of them 800 people, How many spoke understandable english. :lol:
 
Four Suns said:
Like who? I posted 3 jobs in November and got over 800 applications... the job pool is VERY big.
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You're correct the job pool is VERY big. We post an ad and get hundreds of replies in FL it's a PITA going through the resumes. Then when you do hire, them half don't want to work, even some of those with a doctorate just want to collect the salary.
 
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