What would you do??

We went on vacation in October.

Came back a week later and all was well, until last week, a customer calls the shop, says he had a leak fixed and it's still leaking.

Come to find out one of my guys did the job on the side, in my shop and pocketed the cash.

Needless to say I "let him go" and I charged the customer again myself to repair his truck correctly. After all he knew he was having it done on the sly in the first place.

What would you have done???

This guy could've sullied the reputation it took me 8 years to build.

I would have done exactly what you did. But also take it as a learning experiance. *trust no-one but yourself*

well i wouldnt go so far as to say trust no one, thats a lonely life. But I think you did the right thing. I dont think it is a big deal if someone does side work but to do it at your shop I think is bs.

there is no other way to handle stealing IMHO

....except add a kick in the nutz

You did the right thing. Only one question I have though :


Like drinking and driving..if you get caught by the law..the odds are it's not the only time you've done it..it's just the only time you've got caught. The problem could possibly more serious than just the one incident that you know of

The thought crossed my mind!



You are correct there, some other things came to light after the fact.
I'm glad I nipped it in the bud.

Just thought I'd let the guys work while I took off for a week, not to mention try to make some money for the biz. AND we brought back gifts for everyone.

I believe, next time it may be more cost effective to just close up shop for the week.

I think your right sherlock. How long had the employee worked
for you and was he/she a good employee?

I had an employee take cash sales over the course of a week... when I approached her she said she was going to ask for a loan from me... I said to her that if that were true she would have not taken the receipts to hide the missing cash and would have asked before taking it.

Sent her walking, too. She says, but I have kids to feed.

My reply was that I would not mention the incident to anyone if they called for a reference so she could keep a job elsewhere to feed her kids. She worked at a competitor's shop for a number of years after leaving my place.

Had another incident where a customer came back asking for warranty work on some 5%. Couldn't produce a receipt cause he paid cash to the tinter. I gave him the tinter's addy... where he had moved to after leaving the employ of my shop and told the customer that is who he needs to see for warranty work.

that sounded fair, but did the customer know that he was getting the job done throught the employee and not your shop?

This post is the reason why I am scared to have employees at the shop while I'm not there. I got guys that work for me, and they are two of my best friends that I taught to tint, neither are full time though. One only tint a when I get real busy and the other is only able to do doors and 1/4's. I want to hire a full time tinter for the summer to take the work load off myself but the trust issue is the major factor. I'm not trying to buy film for that guy to be stealing my money and film!!! maybe I'll install cameras in the work bay.

damn president bush has all of you scared and untrusting. I think his fear campaign is werking.

Any business owner that thinks his staff are not fleecing him one way or the other is living in Pixieland.

I wouldn't cut any slack with bastards like that regardless of their personal circumstances (ref to Metint's ex-employee) because it's not "fair dinkum" for the next poor boss.

A real devil's anger has got nothing on me when I'm confronted with deliberate theft in any way, shape or form.

Send them packin'
DWBA

I always have held the position that he is in dire need of a 12-step program... they are know for turning fear into faith... and not blind faith.

I trust all until they give reason not to... when they show themselves, they must earn my trust again.

this is why im glad all my employees are good friends of mine that i have tken care of and in return they take care of me.

in what right mind would you trust a complete stranger or just an employee with your business just because you want to go on vacation, what else would you expect? something will get lost or go missing one way or another.

Once upon a time, long, long ago... men (and women) believed there could be such world built on faith in a God of their understanding and their fellow beings, who were presumed to be made in likeness to this God.

Imagine.

you wanna take a vaction? let ur customers know your gone a week or two, and it all be good, faithful customers to your business will wait til you comeback. dont take risk leaving an employee to run ur biz...

Spot on Tint .....how many times have you heard reference to "a mate got me some film or a mate did it at home or I've got some film here a mate put on but it's too dark?"
The list of statements is never ending and all of it relates to dubious ownership of film.
Devil

I agree whole heartingly. They are gone.

well said MM

I agree! But how many of us have TRIED to trust employees-friends,relatives etc.thinking they will do you right -because you have done them right? I have also learned my lesson in this area!

Too bad EVERYONE didn't believe in Karma ..then it would be easy to trust all **sighs**

i would of told the customer to kicks rocks...sorry i cant help you. your warranty is with the guy who did he work on the side

This is why I work for myself and byself so I know for sure that everything meets my expectations!

I read this post while vacationing over Christmas. Now that I am back I found the same thing has happened to me. My assistant manager of 3 years worked on a car and pocketed the cash. There is no sales slip in the computer. He forgot and someone else must have stolen the money. Out of the cash register. That only he knows the code to enter. He has called in sick the last two days after getiing stone cold busted by the customer. Tomorrow morning he is canned and I am screwed because now I cant go on vacation. Ski trip in tahoe? Cancelled. All over a stupid little $100 job.

If I had it to do over, I would've done what TINT said and just close up for a week and take it easy.

I would suggest you go ahead and go skiing...and have fun!
We all need a break every now and then.

On another note... I was doing inventory last week and realized he took some film as well.

Some R20 for sure and I think he got some auto film also.

that sucks dude..sorry to hear about that

yup thast kind of crap sucks


go on your trip. lock the door, it will be ther when you get back

I've had this same thing happen to me.
I sent the employee down the road and had to wait till summer was over b4 I could take any time off....but it was worth it.
Since then I have had many people come in looking for the "other guy" who hooked him up with !llegal tint for cash$$

total and a

sorry to hear it happened to someone else

The amount of the money isn't a factor in most cases an employee is stealing because usually it's a pretty low amount they are caught stealing....couple hundred bucks at best. BUT, it's the principle of things because after getting away with something small, if they thought that they could walk out that door with a couple grand and not get caught.....they'd do it in a heartbeat and then they'd do it again, and again and..........

If they need money, they know I'll empty my pockets to help them in a heartbeat, so why do a select few insist on ripping the shop off whenever they can?

First off he Stole from you.
File a police report so at least its on record.

He stole your customer and he stole the use of your shop and he stole the payment that he received.

You did do the right thing. with the exception of filing a police report.

I work for someone and I don't even do side work.

I do think it is ok to do side work as long as that "lead " does not come from the place that pays your bills.