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Gino
Premium Subscriber
Stupidness. It's not on your list.
Trying to figure out why so many other people can't do their job and then having to fix them.
I'm not talking about the guys in the shop, but the vendors that lose trucks, forget to put something in the order, salespeople that don't have a clue as to what they're selling, foreigners on the phone that speak English... but don't understand the language, silly answers from just about anyone, customers that want it by the day's end and show up a week later and last but most important..... people that cut into my drinking time.
Trying to figure out why so many other people can't do their job
I'm not talking about the guys in the shop, but the vendors that lose trucks, forget to put something in the order, salespeople that don't have a clue as to what they're selling, foreigners on the phone that speak English... but don't understand the language, silly answers from just about anyone, customers that want it by the day's end and show up a week later and last but most important..... people that cut into my drinking time.
J Hill Designs
New Member
I'm with Gino on this one... especially the last and most important line
Letterbox Mike
New Member
None of the things in your poll really take that much time, it's all the other crap that interrupts performing those listed tasks that slows everything down.
If I could sit down completely uninterrupted I'm pretty sure I could do an entire 10 hour day's work (order processing, prepress, file prep, design, quotes) in 2-3 hours tops, but constant "outside" distractions from my employees, customers, sales people and misbehaving equipment turn a 3 hour day into a 10+ hour one every f'n day.... ugh.
If I could sit down completely uninterrupted I'm pretty sure I could do an entire 10 hour day's work (order processing, prepress, file prep, design, quotes) in 2-3 hours tops, but constant "outside" distractions from my employees, customers, sales people and misbehaving equipment turn a 3 hour day into a 10+ hour one every f'n day.... ugh.
StopSignGraphics
New Member
I'm the most productive from 5pm to 10pm, the time when the phone doesn't ring and no one comes in the shop.
cartoad
New Member
I am most productive from 7am to 8:30 am and 5:30pm till I go home,
during the day the biggest time waste is price shoppers who never call back and the people who come in the store asking directions, drives me bats. I guess they think that a sign shop should know where everything is located.
during the day the biggest time waste is price shoppers who never call back and the people who come in the store asking directions, drives me bats. I guess they think that a sign shop should know where everything is located.
iSign
New Member
if I got that many of those, I'd put a directional arrow sign by the door. It would point "OUT"
..then I could just say "read the sign"
Edserv
New Member
What really kills us, is trying to "be all things to everyone." Before I get to my list below, our single biggest profit-suck, time-suck, etc, is trying to do what people ask of us without having a really firm grasp on the job scope. We normally receive 2 to 3 new job requests per week that are new to us. Sure, most sign company veterans may claim that it's because we're new, but even if it's a rookie thing, I don't know, for the LIFE OF ME, HOW you would train a staff in reasonable time to answer all the requests that a normal sign shop receives. If anyone has an answer, please send me a quick answer. I've researched this industry and have talked with veterans and franchise owners, and it seems this is a very slick industry indeed. It's "custom on demand." With every job being somewhat different!
After 2.5 years in the sign business, we are lucky to be around (3 other sign shops have closed their doors in the last 18 months.) Fortunately, we have a strong internet presence (lets go banners- number 4-7 on Google home page for vinyl banners) and work really hard at servicing and prospecting new and current customers.
Without our aggressive internet and local marketing system, I don't know. By the way, we have worked out of a large home studio for the entire 2.5 years. We only meet with clients and do phone sales. It's awesome having ZIP overhead. (Although we are getting tired of working from home.!)
A few other "time sucks
1) Lack of design/creative "systems" where we get cooked doing 200% extra design work.
2) Pushing the envelope on "rush turn-overs." ("sure, we'll have it to you tomorrow.")
3) Lack of incredible inventory controls where we're buying inventory and having it shipped over-night because we didn't plan better. This REALLY kills us, being in Hawaii!
4) Mistakes in quoting, due to rapid growth and falling short in training new staff members.
5) Being mislead by vendors (oops, we forgot to tell you there would be an extra $200 charge for xxxx handling).
6) Re-Do's from lack of experience or mis-quoting jobs. Everyone has to admit, this happens quite a lot. (sure, we're new, but you know it happens to everyone.)
7) Huge accounts receivables. We're trying to tighten our a/r and only accept jobs that pay with cc/ or at time of order!
8) Lack of job-costing systems. I'm still "scratching my head" on this one. Unless you are "doing it," without a tight inventory spoilage system, you really don't know what you're staff is doing. "If they don't steal a little, they steal a lot.?" I hate this phrase, but guess what? It's true.
I'm sure there are about 20 more things, I'll work on it.
After 2.5 years in the sign business, we are lucky to be around (3 other sign shops have closed their doors in the last 18 months.) Fortunately, we have a strong internet presence (lets go banners- number 4-7 on Google home page for vinyl banners) and work really hard at servicing and prospecting new and current customers.
Without our aggressive internet and local marketing system, I don't know. By the way, we have worked out of a large home studio for the entire 2.5 years. We only meet with clients and do phone sales. It's awesome having ZIP overhead. (Although we are getting tired of working from home.!)
A few other "time sucks
1) Lack of design/creative "systems" where we get cooked doing 200% extra design work.
2) Pushing the envelope on "rush turn-overs." ("sure, we'll have it to you tomorrow.")
3) Lack of incredible inventory controls where we're buying inventory and having it shipped over-night because we didn't plan better. This REALLY kills us, being in Hawaii!
4) Mistakes in quoting, due to rapid growth and falling short in training new staff members.
5) Being mislead by vendors (oops, we forgot to tell you there would be an extra $200 charge for xxxx handling).
6) Re-Do's from lack of experience or mis-quoting jobs. Everyone has to admit, this happens quite a lot. (sure, we're new, but you know it happens to everyone.)
7) Huge accounts receivables. We're trying to tighten our a/r and only accept jobs that pay with cc/ or at time of order!
8) Lack of job-costing systems. I'm still "scratching my head" on this one. Unless you are "doing it," without a tight inventory spoilage system, you really don't know what you're staff is doing. "If they don't steal a little, they steal a lot.?" I hate this phrase, but guess what? It's true.
I'm sure there are about 20 more things, I'll work on it.
Marlene
New Member
ditto
plus local planning/zoning committees. you do all to square footage allowed, lighting types allowed, etc. only to find out that one of their members just doesn't like the color green or they have decided that they would prefer a tree to be planted instead of a sign. time gets chewed up having to explain that a tree is nice but without a sign the business can't do business. believe it or not, we just lost on that issue and are having to re-design a sign as a building sign instead of a free standing. the building is not designed for a sign, it is mostly windows and no real wall space and , oh that nice tree will block any view of anything we can put up there anyway....it takes a ton of time to work with stupid people
Craig Sjoquist
New Member
Interesting question indeed along with replies
Fatboy
New Member
Foolin' around on the internet
That sounds like me:ROFLMAO:
heyskull
New Member
Customers are my biggest waste of time!!!!
If I could have a meal for every customer that comes in my shop and is clueless as to what they want, I would be a very fat person!
Or asks "Do you do signs?"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Price shoppers who have empty pockets.
I am at my most productive when I'm not at the shop!!
Oh and last but not least.... Wondering what to have for lunch.
SC
If I could have a meal for every customer that comes in my shop and is clueless as to what they want, I would be a very fat person!
Or asks "Do you do signs?"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Price shoppers who have empty pockets.
I am at my most productive when I'm not at the shop!!
Oh and last but not least.... Wondering what to have for lunch.
SC
Jillbeans
New Member
I'm with heyskull.
All except the lunch part.
I chose intake, it takes a long time to court the client sometimes.
Second longest is approval, once I waited 18 months for a logo approval
(paid in full up front of course)
Next time that client took a mere three months.
Love....Jill
All except the lunch part.
I chose intake, it takes a long time to court the client sometimes.
Second longest is approval, once I waited 18 months for a logo approval
(paid in full up front of course)
Next time that client took a mere three months.
Love....Jill
firesignz
Celebrating 10 Years in business
Oh where to begin?!?!?
People who have no idea what they want.
The "customer" who found a bandit sign on the side of the road touting an IMPOSSIBLE price on 100 full color cor signs that he wants me to match (sure I would LOVE TO waste my time making 100 coroplast signs for 29 cents each - with the stakes included!!!)
People who know what they want but shouldn't be looking for it in a sign shop
Dealing with people who just don't understand that things cost ME MONEY and that I am not in business to give it to them for nothing...
And so much more!!!
People who have no idea what they want.
The "customer" who found a bandit sign on the side of the road touting an IMPOSSIBLE price on 100 full color cor signs that he wants me to match (sure I would LOVE TO waste my time making 100 coroplast signs for 29 cents each - with the stakes included!!!)
People who know what they want but shouldn't be looking for it in a sign shop
Dealing with people who just don't understand that things cost ME MONEY and that I am not in business to give it to them for nothing...
And so much more!!!