Hi Biddy, What I do know is that CV's which are dropped in this business centre are perused and those who fit the criteria -on paper- as potential car guards( ,ie: Young males who live in the area preferably, contactable references, not over qualified for the position, have some sort of experience in customer service,etc,..) are then contacted and interviewed by the store owners/managers. a short list is then drawn up and 3-4 are summoned for a final interview. By this time references are checked out and because of the close relationship the businesses enjoy with their local SAPS, sometimes-in exceptional cases- candidates are checked for possible criminal records. Eventually the best available young men are employed on a strict casual basis, but their verified personal details are filed by the most prominent business in the centre so that they are on record. They are given a bright bib and a sun hat each and are briefed daily about their responsibilities, one of it being that they should not request tips, but rather hope for it and that they should not put the driver under any kind of pressure for anything at any time. Each business pays R10 towards their wage per day and occasionally they are even given lunch by the food traders in the centre. It works very well, because sometimes the best performer of the day will pocket up to R150.00. The ave weekly income( 6 days ) including tips- if what they say is true- amounts to appr.R 600,00 and for a youngster who was unemployed a week before it is not a shabby number. They are monitored frequently and de-briefed every day by the largest business in the centre.
Because they applied for a particular job when handing in their CV, they are occasionally rotated because of better opportunities coming their way. The past 3 months only 3 guys were replaced, but the stalwarts feel that they have a winning formula. There is no formal training,but because it is primarily a retail centre, everybody employed here are customer service orientated, which means that these skills are passed on to the car guards.They also have a title: "KOM HELP" meaning: " Keeper Of the Mobile come help our customers " It's a win win win formula. ----- ginal Message ----- From: "Biddy Greene" <[email protected]> To: "The Observatory Neighbourhood watch" <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, February 17, 2009 1:03 PM Subject: [obsnw] Re: TWO CAR GUARDS A FEMALE AND THREE LITTLE CHILDREN Is there a way we (you!) could get the non-participating businesses to *know* about this initiative? Put a flyer in each shop - or something like that? Also I'd be interested to know - Jonny W do you know? - whether the people who are doing a more formal car-guard interviewing do any *training*. And do they vet the people for size and strength? I think I could knock over some of the self-proclaimed guards with a gentle push... Biddy. On Feb 15, 5:58 pm, Andrew Fife <[email protected]> wrote: > Thanks Rob. > > Micha is one of the great supporters of the OBF. I would like to see no > more > car guards. So if any business are on the list that would like to support > such and idea and help bring it to action, please contact me. > > Cheers > > Andrew Fife > A Touch of Madness - Victorian Quaffery > 021 448 2266www.touchofmadness.co.za > > 2009/2/15 Rob Gaylard <[email protected]> > > > > > > > It may help to know that the Obs Business Forum (Andrew Fife) and the > > OCA are attempting to get the centre of Obs declared a 'car-guard free > > area' in terms of the City's 'nuisance' by-law. The aim would then be > > to get particular businesses to vet and sponsor particular car-guards, > > who would wear distintictive bibs or jackets with the name of the > > sponsor on them. (See Johnny's message, above, which outlines > > something similar.) The benefits to the community would be obvious, > > but as with anything in Obs its a long, uphill struggle to make > > anything actually happen. The fact that Andrew (who is Chair of the > > OBF) receives very little support from most businesses in Obs (who > > seldom bother to attend meetings) does not help. Perhaps those > > businesses or individuals willing to try and get something done about > > the car guard situation should reply to me personally or contact > > Andrew at ATOM? (Sorry Andrew, I should have consulted you first, but > > time is short!) The issue has been frequently discussed in the OBF > > committee, and the car guard plan outlined above has the full support > > of our sector manager - but it needs the business community in the > > central restaurant district of Obs to get together and make it happen. > > Rob- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The Observatory Neighbourhood watch" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/obsnw?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
