Interviews [3]

It's important, especially where any preconceptions may have built up, to ensure that interviews are conducted both impartially and according to a strict method or structure; such as "behavioural interviewing" which requires the question to be thought through in advance, and the feeder questions and the evidence required to be agreed between the interviews. Evidence of competence is uncovered through examples given in response to "drilling down" from these opening questions - the famous "funnel" system. But the critical part of this is that the interview is planned in advance, the criteria for demonstrating competence are agreed between the interviewers, and they complete their written notes in silence and compare notes afterwards, preventing (to some extent) prejudice and reinforcing negative preconceptions.

I've found the interviews thus conducted to be very probing and the discussions amongst the interview board members afterwards to be very fruitful.

If this is done, and the notes of the interview available for you to compare with the questions and evidence that was being sought, then you can tell whether, objectively, they've proved or disproved that the candidate is the right person for the job.

English [4]

I've never read the CEO's diary before but this man can't write English.

Why surprised? [5]

Given the bare details of your attempt to recruit #1 (and there's a presumption in your conferring this title before interview), I think resistance from your staff was to be expected. I've been thinking about what I might do were I one of your subordinates who you have charged with interviewing. My thoughts are that I would makeone of two decisions, dependent on my relationship with my boss - either I would realise that the boss wanted to employ this person, therefore I would recommend them for fear of upsetting the boss. Alternatively I would be so annoyed by the boss' presumption in selecting a sole candidate and not involving me in any process of recruitment or shortlisting that I would have rejected them before the interview commenced. Either way what would not happen is a fair interview.

You told your candidate that she would have to go through "due process" - I assume that you mean following an established company policy regarding recruitment and selection (and if you don't have one of these you need one quick). If you do mean following policy, then you have probably failed this already (unless the policy includes selecting a friend of a friend as the sole candidate to interview). If by "due process" you meant only that an interview should take place, then, however genuine you might feel you are being about leaving the choice to an interview panel, the appearance to all is that you want them to rubber stamp a decision you have already made.

Your chosen candidate may well turn out to be the best person for the job, but you (and more importantly your interview panel) will never know because they have had no opportunity to test the competition (I bet you wouldn't appoint a supplier based on a recommendation from a friend without looking at other suppliers who could provide the same kit?)

Contract issues [6]

A few thoughts and suggestions. Might not all be relevant but I hope it helps:

1. If you do give the discount, do you still break-even or profit? If not, can you cancel the remaining installations? What does your contract allow you to do? What happens if you don't give them the discount they are seeking? Can they cancel the contract or can you enforce completion of the remaining work on them at the original price?
If they can enforce your continuiing the installations, would you choose to refuse to give the discount so that they will cancel the contract (Have they paid anything yet? Are they using this as a delay for cash flow reasons and if you actually give the discount that is an added bonus for them)?

2. Take a good camera now when you visit the sites they are talking about (tripod too for good quality pics that will show the fine detail when you blow it up) and verify that the damage they are saying exists, and is new rather than being general wear and tear (i.e. was redecoration due now anyway and they just think they can con you to subsidise it?). Use a good quality flash for the pictures - not just the little flash built-in to the camera body.

3. From your comment about better cameras, I assume you are using cameras out there already. If you get to a site and the damage they are talking about is non-existent then wave the photo's and the sign-offs around. And use the photo's taken now with the good camera to be able to blow up the detail to back it up.

4. Are you insured for this? Inform your insurance company and start talking to a lawyer. Can the insurance company provide a damage assessor to accompany you on the site visits?

5. If you are not insured, talk to a lawyer yourself. Hire an assessor to visit the sites with you. Let the assessor tell the customer that it is wear and tear and their claim is spurious; or that there is genuine damage but thecustomer's assessment of value is absurd; or give you the reassurance that actually the claim is genuine and valid and you need to tighten controls on this risk. If their claim is spurious bill them for the cost of the assessor.

6. Make the improved before and after photo's part of the standard customer sign-off (i.e. get a signature on the photo) and give them a copy so they remember it exists.

7. Improve the relevant sections of the contract so that it if a customer signs-off on reparations then that customer has no recourse to come back to you later. You might want to think about having different contracts for single site and mutli site deals to cater for multiple sign-offs.

Promo [8]

If Promo is out of his depth and you can't train him...

Does that indicate that (1) promo is past his limits or (2) you can't train him?

Maybe Promo would benefit from some time with Chair (or someone Chair could recommend) to coach him to fulfil the potential you saw before his promotion.

If access to coaching isn't the issue then:

Does promo's role need to be structured differently (scope, responsibilites, etc) in order to allow him to perform.

Is putting him back into his old role (dressed up to protect his dignity) a potential option?