There are many well run sign shops around the world but most of the small ones (10 to 15 employees) I’ve had the pleasure of visiting have a lot of work to do, behind the scenes, before they are operationally efficient enough to deliver dependable results to customers and reliable profits to their owners.
The problems that cause project delays, rework, cost overruns, work loss injuries and poor employee morale are not necessarily lack of tool investment or equipment, but have to do with simple common-sense stuff like shop cleanliness, organization and communication.
Managers and owners are happy to spend on the newest gadgets but just as important is the mindset around production management and the discipline to run an efficient operation that earns profit dollars and makes customers and stakeholders happy.
Some of the often overlooked but extremely important ways to improve performance involve how your shop is set up and how workers perform their duties every day as a routine. They are:
- Efficient plant layout with clear pathways
- Clean benches, floors and shelf spaces
- Well-lit work areas
- Dedicated WIP staging queue’s
- Work in Progress ID Tags
- Centralized communication hub
- ERP Production Management Software
- Well maintained supply-chain system
- Work stations for task specific work
- Pre-shift team huddles
These 10 items can be implemented in any shop with-in a matter of days and weeks, and usually without any additional capital investment. You have what you need already, the big shift is in your culture and the dedication it takes to transform your business to a new way of doing things and the persistence to stick with it.
I challenge you to take the next two weeks to pick up a broom and move things around. You will be amazed at the turn around in your quality of life and your status with your banker…I guarantee it!
If you would like more information on how to transform your shop into a money maker you can be proud of, please drop me a line or visit my website www.oculuscoaching.net to schedule a free consultation.