Hire an Estimator?

[paul luszcz]

Does anyone have a full time Estimator on staff? If so, how much do you feel you need in sales to support such a position?

I have been spending nearly all my time preparing estimates and still have an embarrassing backlog of requests for quotes.

I'm willing to consider better software to expedite the process but I'm tired of making excuses for it taking so long to get estimates out.

Any advice?

 

[Marlene]

took a look at your site to see what you do. for the simple stuff, by the square foot, you may be able to use software or a person but for the harder custom signs, not sure how that would work unless your person knew suppliers, materials and all the things needed to make a sign. I've never used the software but it seems more like what you need to speed things up if you can enter your own factors into it.

 

[paul luszcz]

I'm certain a qualified estimator would need knowledge of the sign industry, sources, processed, even hardware requirements. They would have to consider various options for many projects and just plug in some numbers for simple ones.

Are these people out there? Where would you look for them?

Has anyone found a really effective software solution that speeds up the process (accurately) so this position isn't needed?

 

[fresh]

SignVox is helpful on many jobs. I too have some other big custom jobs that need more time. I still haven't figured out how to deal with those.

There is one job that I think I'm just going to guess at time and materials, and quote high. Its a pita job, but pretty cool

 

[neil_se]

I've considered the same thing but concluded that there's just too much specific knowledge required for it to work. A construction industry estimator relies on full drawings and specs to be given to them, in our industry the estimator is often the one doing the basic concept and specs, therefore needs to know what types of signage would suit a particular situation based on size, visibility, longevity, the customer's logo, etc., to come up with a custom solution. My sales guys who've been with me got between 2 and 5 years are still well short on the knowledge required for most non-standard jobs.

Training an experienced signwriter to become an estimator is best option I could see, but there's just not enough available around here to pull one off the tools.

 

[FS-Keith]

hire an assistant to physically write up the estimates/work orders, you review and make corrections before they get sent out

 

[TimToad]

Any of the sign industry specific software tools should be enough to take care of the rudimentary, run of the mill, do one of these every day type jobs that seem to drag us all down.

The thing I've really tried to hone my and my employee's skills on is to get a quick grip on some basic numbers for most of the types of signs we do regularly. Then I calculate a basic, intermediate and custom upsell price for the job and get the customer those numbers as quickly as possible. When they follow up or choose anything but the most basic, I take a little deeper look, but still don't spend tons of time, until a solid choice is made and a work order is signed.

I know Sign Pricing Guide from Signcraft magazine doesn't weight its prices for each locality, but at least its a simple to use, quick guide to get you in the neighborhood based on your overhead and hourly rate.