How many one man shops are there? How many things do you do?

[Notarealsignguy]

I changed my hours to 8-4 by appointment and I put window perf on the windows and door so nobody can see in - BEST THING I EVER DID.

I typically do not lock my door when I'm here but when I do, it's because I'm behind and I'm getting interrupted too much. A couple times a month I will lock the door, turn the music on, silence my phone and email and get working for a couple hours. Interruptions are terrible, they say it can take 23 minutes to get back on task. If I come in on a Saturday or Sunday I also lock the door. I've never had any commercial work come from a weekend, only people looking for a sticker or just being nosey.

Do they start yanking on the door and knocking? The side door of our office can be opened if you pull hard enough and can't even count how many times some idiot has set the alarm off by doing this.

 

[Stacey K]

Do they start yanking on the door and knocking? The side door of our office can be opened if you pull hard enough and can't even count how many times some idiot has set the alarm off by doing this.

Oh they sure do! And they knock. And they put their hands over the glass to try and look through the little dots. I try and park down the road typically as everyone in town knows my van lol

 

[Pauly]

I changed my hours to 8-4 by appointment and I put window perf on the windows and door so nobody can see in - BEST THING I EVER DID.

I typically do not lock my door when I'm here but when I do, it's because I'm behind and I'm getting interrupted too much. A couple times a month I will lock the door, turn the music on, silence my phone and email and get working for a couple hours. Interruptions are terrible, they say it can take 23 minutes to get back on task. If I come in on a Saturday or Sunday I also lock the door. I've never had any commercial work come from a weekend, only people looking for a sticker or just being nosey.

I think it depends on the look of your shop. Since ours is a warehouse in an industrial area, people are less inclined to walk in. We're appointment only also.
In your case, have a sign "appointment only"
At our old place, we'd get people walking into the warehouse, rather than the office. It use to do my head in. Our warehouse door has a sign "No Entry - Staff only" and our office door has "Reception"
not hard to mix that up, but some people dont read.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

some people dont read.

that's an understatement

 

[Stacey K]

I think it depends on the look of your shop. Since ours is a warehouse in an industrial area, people are less inclined to walk in. We're appointment only also.
In your case, have a sign "appointment only"
At our old place, we'd get people walking into the warehouse, rather than the office. It use to do my head in. Our warehouse door has a sign "No Entry - Staff only" and our office door has "Reception"
not hard to mix that up, but some people dont read.

OMG you just reminded me of Saturday. I went to Jimmy Johns and there's two doors the same size so I parked and walked into the kitchen! My son is like MOM!!!! What are you doing!!!

There was NO SIGN on the door stating "employees only" - TRUST ME, I CHECKED TWICE I told them - YOU NEED A SIGN OR LOCK THAT DOOR!

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

I got an install at Jimmy Johns coming up.

 

[Stacey K]

I got an install at Jimmy Johns coming up.

Well make sure you put on the kitchen door EMPLOYEES ONLY!!!! lol

 

[gnubler]

I changed my hours to 8-4 by appointment and I put window perf on the windows and door so nobody can see in - BEST THING I EVER DID.

Yes! My shop hours are now 9 to 3. Gives me time before and after for appointments and site visits. I also blocked out my ground level windows after people ignored the Closed sign and looked through a window and knocked.

I'm also a one-man shop and most often the biggest cause of clusterf*cks is me not following my own procedures and processes. I knew of a business once whose motto was "The customer is the boss". Nope, not going to happen. I dictate the rules, and if they can't follow simple procedures they can go elsewhere.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

Gnubler and Stacy have a new franchise sign shop to sell.... Call now for available territories. Idaho and Wisconsin already taken.

 

[Humble PM]

Gnubler and Stacy have a new franchise sign shop to sell.... Call now for available territories. Idaho and Wisconsin already taken.

View attachment 170268

My feminine side says I'll take the south London franchise. Do I have to alter to get the weird front tooth?

 

[Ronda]

I changed my hours to 8-4 by appointment and I put window perf on the windows and door so nobody can see in - BEST THING I EVER DID.

I typically do not lock my door when I'm here but when I do, it's because I'm behind and I'm getting interrupted too much. A couple times a month I will lock the door, turn the music on, silence my phone and email and get working for a couple hours. Interruptions are terrible, they say it can take 23 minutes to get back on task. If I come in on a Saturday or Sunday I also lock the door. I've never had any commercial work come from a weekend, only people looking for a sticker or just being nosey.

My open hours when I had my storefront was 9 to 3 Mon thru Thursday. Fridays I could catch up or have an extra day off. No days off from October to Christmas because that was the embroidery busiest time. Now all my hours are by appointment because my shop is at my house which is AWESOME!

 

[Stacey K]

My open hours when I had my storefront was 9 to 3 Mon thru Thursday. Fridays I could catch up or have an extra day off. No days off from October to Christmas because that was the embroidery busiest time. Now all my hours are by appointment because my shop is at my house which is AWESOME!

Those are great hours! I have people asking me all the time if I'm open Saturday or Sunday...LMFAO. NOPE.