Quality Installers?

[jfiscus]

I have always had trouble finding quality installers here in our area, and now we need to add another one to our staff (full time employee) here. We have one full time installer and a few quality sub-contractors currently, but the demand seems to be outweighing the labor supply and those sub-contractors are not interested in employment here.

We placed an ad on craigslist looking for installers, but does anyone have any other ideas or options on where to look for quality installers?

 

[704signs]

What type of installer are you looking for? Interior exterior or both? Do they need to know how to run bucket trucks and lifts? What about vinyl? Will they be dealing with your customers? There are so many different things that come to mind when I think about installers. Good Luck in finding the right person.

 

[jfiscus]

What type of installer are you looking for? Interior exterior or both? Do they need to know how to run bucket trucks and lifts? What about vinyl? Will they be dealing with your customers? There are so many different things that come to mind when I think about installers. Good Luck in finding the right person.

I guess I needed to provide more information; I thought posting in the vehicle wraps section would infer vinyl wraps. Primarily vinyl/wrap installers, but we also do other interior/exterior installations.
I know there are a hundred different options, but right now we just need another person to put vinyl on CORRECTLY...

 

[boxerbay]

http://www.sgia.org/PDAA/

 

[jfiscus]

http://www.sgia.org/PDAA/

That only takes you to our company and one of our subcontractors... (Cincinnati, OH)
Although that is kind of nice to see.

 

[bwrapped]

Avery and 3m seem to say its as easy as peel,stick, and trim. Sounds like my 6 yr old. Could manage this! Ha on a serious note quality installs come with much practice and knowledge as well as proper tools!

 

[jfiscus]

Avery and 3m seem to say its as easy as peel,stick, and trim. Sounds like my 6 yr old. Could manage this! Ha on a serious note quality installs come with much practice and knowledge as well as proper tools!

Do you know any installers/potential installers local to Cincinnati?

 

[bwrapped]

Do you know any installers/potential installers local to Cincinnati?

Personally I do not, though the company I work for does lots of work in the area. I am located in indianapolis, not far. Good luck but I say quality comes with practice.

 

[Kentucky Wraps]

Having the same problem down here near Lexington. If I could be a traveling installer and call my own hours and rates...I wouldn't wanna be an "employee" anywhere either.
It's an industry wide problem. Most experienced wrappers that work hourly for companies, making $10-$20 per hour just don't realize the alternate potential or are more comfortable with the safety of the umbilical chord providing steady, reliable paychecks and perhaps medical benefits.

 

[jfiscus]

It's good to hear it's not just us then. I know the pay is good here, and there are benefits/insurance and always a steady paycheck. After talking to a few of the independent guys, they always seem to be broke; waiting on the next big chunk to come in a month later (to pay those late bills with) and they are always out of town away from family. Maybe it's because so many of the installers are still young and "unattached" that allows them this freedom?

 

[AceSignsOnline]

I think we've pretty much given up on trying to find guys that can come in and handle our big jobs without any direction from us. We have found it more useful in the long run to hire guys with common sense and a good work ethic, regardless of their experience. Everything else can be learned.

 

[jfiscus]

I think we've pretty much given up on trying to find guys that can come in and handle our big jobs without any direction from us. We have found it more useful in the long run to hire guys with common sense and a good work ethic, regardless of their experience. Everything else can be learned.

WAIT - you found people with a WORK ETHIC??? I thought they had all gone extinct!!!

 

[AceSignsOnline]

WAIT - you found people with a WORK ETHIC??? I thought they had all gone extinct!!!

Haha well, it's hit and miss at times, but I guess we've been lucky. A lot of times, it's the ones you least expect!

 

[bwrapped]

The side money is where its at....but the money isn't steady enough even being one big job. WE need STABILITY people, not heres a job call me a month later heres another, if that was the case we could all start our own business.

 

[Kentucky Wraps]

I know a guy who is booked out weeks at a time. It's because he developed relationships with shops all over a 100 mile radius and markets himself professionally.
No excuse for a skilled installer to be out of work when the demand is that high.

 

[HulkSmash]

Good installers is hard to find. We're blessed with the people we have. We have been through a bunch of installers, and i think we have our "A" team now.
I believe you have to find people who love installing. I had an installer who we trained... he was great... but hated wrap installs.. he had no passion for it.. and it showed in his work..
sloppy cuts.. etc etc etc. We found people who have pride in their work and are embarrassed to leave things not done right. They enjoy coming to work here, and doing what they do..
I think that's the biggest part in finding a successful installer.

I've used PDAA and UASG websites to find installers.. unfortunately.. they also have some rotten apples on there.... it's best to get referrals from other companies.. if you ever

need installers in certain areas, PM me i have someone in almost every city.