Keeping track of the little blighters!!

[Green Pro Clean Ltd]

So throughout history we have all learned that hiring someone to canvass, drop leaflets or do a days work for you and for one reason or another they seem incapable of following the simple task of:

Canvass Smith Street, Brown Street, Queens Avenue and Kings Close

So I have been toying with the idea of some form of tracking so I don't need to hold the little gits hands whilst they are doing what they are supposed to be doing.

So doing some browsing I have come across these dongles. £95 to buy the dongle and then the lowest real time plan is £10 per month, allows you to view a map in real time and see to within 10 seconds as to where the person is. Then at the end of the day you can simply print off a map of where they have already been for the day.

Some will say a bit pricey on cost however I think for the peace of mind and keeping the staff honest it's a cost I'm willing to swallow.

Here's a link for those interested.

http://trackit247.com/gps-leaflet-distribution/

 

[Trev81]

Looks a good idea if your taking on a fulltime canvasser, would be even better if it was tiny so you could attach it to some part of a uniform or inside a work boot sole so they did not know it was on them, you would get the true story then..

But if they knew they are being tracked they perhaps will do a loyal job, just so long as they don't chuck it in the nearest pond.

 

[padman]

or tie it to a local dog /emoticons/smile.png

 

[Green Pro Clean Ltd]

If they do toss it Trev then they will instantly forfeit any monies owed, if that dont cover it they will be sent a bill then passed to small claims and CCJ.

 

[Jimroot]

Sounds feasible if you sell it as a 'I pay per road/quantity done' rather than a mistrusting exercise.

if rebadged as: this is the way you track work done and payment due, you're into tech rather than paper maps and notebooks

When I was a courier they went from paper sheets on a clipboard, enter the time as you see fit basically, to hand held device that tracked the whole process and by default the worker

 

[Green Pro Clean Ltd]

Pay per road is OK for leafleters but not canvassers really. Canvassers are expected to get results. Leafleters are just expected to stuff letterboxes.

I would say that it is simply non negotiable as we need to track them for their own safety and also for mapping purposes.

Don't care what the employee thinks of it as an employer it is my right to know where they are during working hours.

 

[Jamesndc]

I have myself thought about using or doing something like this. It's sad really that we have to even think about tracking people.

I don't track any of my lads yet, as I trust them and simple fact is I know how much every person should be doing (in terms of working how much they should be doing etc) So for what every reason the were slacking there is no excuse, in other words the would no longer work for

I do believe it's all based on trust, it's a very hard thing to do

 

[boarcity]

get employee insurance . you MIGHT get away with it if its just an odd day here or there but do it regular and youll need it - maybe a dog bite or just some nut worst case an accident

also a canvasser needs a form of identification on show / name badge

 

[Green Pro Clean Ltd]

also a canvasser needs a form of identification on show / name badge

I think you may find this is not a legal requirement, however it will make you look more professional.

You are right on insurance though, you can be fined up £2500 per day you do not have insurance in place.

 

[Jimroot]

So if you paid by result technically they could do ten houses in road one, claim their salary and their bonus, hang around at the cafe, do it again the next day... Unless you've got the tracker.

but. The folk that are out (up to 19 out of 20 depending on location and time), would you have them flyer or not? Then it's a majority flyering job at times.

 

[Green Pro Clean Ltd]

No Jim. Don't flyer the ones not home. We're keeping lists of those spoken to but those not in we don't flyer.

We are working on a very compact area so will hit these same streets 3 or 4 times over the next two months so have a fair chance of finding them home eventually.

 

[Jimroot]

I see. I'm covering quite a vast area in terms of housing but not really in terms of distance so I think I've got a different approach, maybe the wrong approach. Trying to 'join the dots' of current ones in terms of marketing

 

[Damo]

I give me leaflet dropper this.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/gps-travel-photo-tracker-a41jf

I collect it at the end of day. Download data. Check what's he done. Give back.

Simples.

 

[Green Pro Clean Ltd]

Fine for hindsight Damo but the ones I use allow real time tracking so I can find staff anywhere anytime.

 

[Eviestevie]

trust goes a long way prob just me but I'd never use a tracker

You usually get a feeling for someone and if I thought for one minute I couldn't trust them I wouldn't employ them

If the results aren't there surely a word in there ear is enough

 

[Damo]

Fine for hindsight Damo but the ones I use allow real time tracking so I can find staff anywhere anytime.

Your Op implied you was looking for a tracker, not found one /emoticons/wink.png