Question How do you prepare your install crew for an install?

[Signarama Jockey]

One of the things I am looking to do is to tighten up my store's communication game. We spend more time than we should chasing down details for jobs. My installer recently asked me "where is this getting installed?", and I didn't have an answer for him. I realized that he frequently has simple questions about jobs (who is the contact, how high up is the sign, etc) that he has to go to the salespeople to get answers for. I am not a fan of paperwork, and adding needless red tape or bureaucratic obstacles is antithetical to my principles, but I' realizing that some kind of form is needed so that my installers have all the answers they need.

Do you have any special paperwork that you fill out for off-site installs? How do you tell your team where and when they need to focus their efforts. Do you have any tips on a simple method that will be effective?

 

[unclebun]

Whether you're a fan of it or not, the fact is that if you want things to flow smoothly and to get done right, without constant calls and hassles, paperwork is key.

The job is not complete until the paperwork is done. I once read that in a toilet stall. It was true there and it is true in real life jobs.

 

[Gino]

Just got this in yesterday from a company in tennessee who wants us to instal this sign close by our shop.

If you need wiring diagrams, elevation drawings they can be on similar sheets having the customer's name along with yours on every sheet. This is about the easiest way.

The really sad part about going about signs this way is........ Their customer contacted them through the internet by choosing the best price. The sign shop is off the hook for anything beyond that. I just got off the phone with the municipality about 30 minutes ago that this is in and the size requirements are NO LARGER THAN 12 sq ft. This is 36 sq ft. Who's to blame ??

 

[MikePro]

salesman/foreman coordinate site survey, that info needs to go somewhere. easier to put it into a drawing, that the customer has approved, and installers can go into a job with all the necessary information to get to work & waste little time onsite.
if you don't like paperwork, then just have the .pdf accessible via email to reference on a phone/tablet.

 

[Gettin'By]

Some sort of job ticket with all the details of the job has to be generated by your MIS or estimation software. Every job we do a job ticket is printed out of the MIS and follows the job as it is produced and finished. If that sort of thing is being produced by your software, that'd be a good place to start.

 

[spectrum maine]

AS FAR AS INSTALLATION GOES... IF YOU PROVIDE DRILL BITS , HARDWARE ETC THE JOB GOES EASIER. THAT BEING SAID A PROFICIENT INSTALLER ON A WELL EQUIPPED TRUCK USUALLY MAKES IT HAPPEN. I KNOW MANY 30 YEAR INSTALLERS WHO MAGICALLY MAKE EVERY INSTALL HAPPEN., NO QUESTIONS ASKED. (NOTE) PAY THIS DUDE WELL. THIS IS NOT A JOB FOR A DRAMA QUEEN WHO IS ON THE PHONE TO THE SHOP 12X A DAY

 

[GAC05]

We prep them the same way the military prepped their pilots and ground troops during WWII before a mission - amphetamine and methamphetamines. Gets them revved up with confidence and keeps them going long after their better judgment has gone to sleep.

 

[netsol]

We prep them the same way the military prepped their pilots and ground troops during WWII before a mission - amphetamine and methamphetamines. Gets them revved up with confidence and keeps them going long after their better judgment has gone to sleep.

and GIN (it worked for the Brit's) takes the edge off all the meth

 

[netsol]

I'm sure drill bits are important, too

 

[Ryze Signs]

We use square coil and do surveys with pictures then add measurements to the pictures on coreldraw. The production drawings and site drawings are all produced as soon as we receive the deposit. The same paperwork and drawings are submitted for the permits.

 

[Signarama Jockey]

Whether you're a fan of it or not, the fact is that if you want things to flow smoothly and to get done right, without constant calls and hassles, paperwork is key.

The job is not complete until the paperwork is done. I once read that in a toilet stall. It was true there and it is true in real life jobs.

It is a fine line. If there is going to be paperwork, I want it to be efficient and clear and I don't want anything superfluous. Anything my guys don't need to do their jobs should be left out.

 

[JBurton]

Just got this in yesterday from a company in tennessee who wants us to instal this sign close by our shop.

If you need wiring diagrams, elevation drawings they can be on similar sheets having the customer's name along with yours on every sheet. This is about the easiest way.



View attachment 170941


The really sad part about going about signs this way is........ Their customer contacted them through the internet by choosing the best price. The sign shop is off the hook for anything beyond that. I just got off the phone with the municipality about 30 minutes ago that this is in and the size requirements are NO LARGER THAN 12 sq ft. This is 36 sq ft. Who's to blame ??

I sincerely hate it when companies think they're being clever, making a part number like: SFWM LED ILLUMINATED SIGN. SFWM? Single Female Wanting Male? IDK what you mean, and I'm not going to learn the differences between your frigging acronyms and the other dozen national's. This is likely single faced wall mounted, but by and large wallmounted signs are single faced, otherwise they are considered projecting. All frigging signs are LED at this point, unless it's an old sign getting serviced, why call out LED? Why use the word ILLUMINATED in addition to LED? Would you install a sign with LEDs and just not light them in some instances? Why even include the word sign? Sure, you make awnings and sh*t too, but if you're going to be the jackass making up acronyms for signs, why not just add s to the end? WHY ISN'T THE BIGGEST COST DIFFERENTIATOR, THE PAN FACE, NOT PART OF THE PART NUMBER SCHEME??

Who's to blame ??

The lovely combination of the out of touch customer and out of touch manufacturer, though in the end it's you who will be bad mouthed by the customer, and the customer will pay to have it remedied somehow, and the national will add 1 to their 9 billion served tagline.

 

[Gino]

The sign shop providing the sign is not taking my calls anymore. Guess they're gonna look for someone who won't get a permit and just put it up without any hassle.

 

[rvolkers]

One of the things I am looking to do is to tighten up my store's communication game. We spend more time than we should chasing down details for jobs. My installer recently asked me "where is this getting installed?", and I didn't have an answer for him. I realized that he frequently has simple questions about jobs (who is the contact, how high up is the sign, etc) that he has to go to the salespeople to get answers for. I am not a fan of paperwork, and adding needless red tape or bureaucratic obstacles is antithetical to my principles, but I' realizing that some kind of form is needed so that my installers have all the answers they need.

Do you have any special paperwork that you fill out for off-site installs? How do you tell your team where and when they need to focus their efforts. Do you have any tips on a simple method that will be effective?

prepare a job ticket that travels from conception to finished install and have all involved sign off on their finished work on the stages of the project! - include pictures when you can!

 

[netsol]

The sign shop providing the sign is not taking my calls anymore. Guess they're gonna look for someone who won't get a permit and just put it up without any hassle.

sunday night is the best time...

 

[Gino]

sunday night is the best time...

Saturday night is good too, cause everyone's out getting drunk and sleeping it off Sunday. They could be able to wander out by Sunday night.

 

[netsol]

when the code officials come around, you say "are you sure it looks different?"

 

[Gino]

Nah, I just use my magnetic signs that has somebody else's name on it.

 

[netsol]

a great gift item for signs 101 members would be if they flipped automatically like the license plate in the old james bond movies

then you could do any kind of crappy install you wanted

 

[JBurton]

old james bond movies

or like the new CA plates...

RPlate Digital License Plate | Reviver

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(Holy sh*t, I didn't realize how much dumber these things could be. Customization includes inverting black/white and changing text/fonts of the banner... and that's it. For $30/month.)