Rant Customer Rant

[Boudica]

Wow. Okay. Seems like everyone is pretty pissed off at the notion that sometimes I get stressed out. Haha... salty.

No one is pissed off - it's just annoying to hear you incessantly whine about your job. Venting is one thing, but jeez, must you keep repeating yourself?

 

[Notarealsignguy]

Not constantly. If you abuse and put stress on your car, you are destroying it little by little. And yes, you can always buy a new one.

You can pull out your wallet and take cash out and give it to someone else to replace the car that you destroyed.

And then you can do it again when you destroy this new one prematurely...

...and again...

...and again...

OR you could drive the car the way it was intended and get your money's worth out of it.

It is entirely up to you.

I understand how things wear out, you don't need to explain it. Stress and burnout is a relative term, you seem to have a low threshold which gives you a myopic view of this whole idea that we are discussing. There are people that are exactly the opposite of what you described that you can not see because your whims have become facts in your head. Trust me, there are people that thrive in stressful situations and burnout when the job is boring. Of course everyone has a point of burnout but many will never hit that level from being overly busy at work. Those are the people we look for, hire and treat well. People like this are not unicorns. I feel like the people that talk as you are have never actually had to work in a real stressful environment before or had to be on call 24/7.

 

[Eforcer]

Signarama Jockey and anybody else interested, should be aware that solutions to “rush” have already been created and put into practice a rather long time ago.

See the attached image of a work order dated over 36 years ago.
View attachment 169948

Other than the date of Dec 1987, especially notice the first line item as being specified with a service time; 2-Hour. Options for this item, film developing in this case, were 1-hour, 2-hour, 4-hour, and 24-hour. The 1-hour charge would have been $10 for the quickest turnaround and of course less for the later turnaround times. Normal turnaround for this and many other services and products was a 4-hour option, in by 10am out by 2pm. Also notice there is no “rush” as there is no such thing, much like FedEx, but that’s another story.

Both ownership and employees should understand that when there is a viable system to manage the madness, especially if it makes them more profitable, then the madness might actually be invited. “Your lack of planning is making me more money” is a familiar cliche.

So, just like FedEx, offer service level options, as products and materials already have them, correct?

It pays for shops like this…

EDITED TO ADD: If you're truly interested, I can help with software. See me while I'm still a merchant member here at Signs 101.

This video just shows a very poor run operation. Rolls in order on a conveyor, clean floors. Labeled substrates. I mean come on. PUFF I'm back. I was dreaming...nice shop!

 

[Notarealsignguy]

I don't think I'm out of the mainstream on this. HR professionals have made entire careers about advising employees on how to manage the workers stress levels to increase morale and productivity.

I hope you realize that they do this for the benefit of the company, not the employee. The clue to that is in your own statement - increase productivity. How do you manipulate a person to get what you need from them is the root of life in business. Manipulation may be a bad word but its the truth and is what it is. May I suggest you read the book, how to win friends and influence people? It should be required reading in all business schools.

 

[Boudica]

I understand how things wear out, you don't need to explain it. Stress and burnout is a relative term, you seem to have a low threshold which gives you a myopic view of this whole idea that we are discussing. There are people that are exactly the opposite of what you described that you can not see because your whims have become facts in your head. Trust me, there are people that thrive in stressful situations and burnout when the job is boring. Of course everyone has a point of burnout but many will never hit that level from being overly busy at work. Those are the people we look for, hire and treat well. People like this are not unicorns. I feel like the people that talk as you are have never actually had to work in a real stressful environment before or had to be on call 24/7.

Are you saying I'm not a Unicorn?

 

[Notarealsignguy]

Are you saying I'm not a Unicorn?

nope but texassignmaker is. He's like a miniture unicorn but same idea

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

Notareal's ideal employee...

 

[Notarealsignguy]

Notareal's ideal employee...

are you trying to convince me to hire you?

 

[Signarama Jockey]

I hope you realize that they do this for the benefit of the company, not the employee. The clue to that is in your own statement - increase productivity. How do you manipulate a person to get what you need from them is the root of life in business. Manipulation may be a bad word but its the truth and is what it is. May I suggest you read the book, how to win friends and influence people? It should be required reading in all business schools.

It kind of works to the benefit of both, don't you think? Happy, motivated employees equal good work equals profit. Win-win.

Ah yes, that is a good book. I have read it. I'd go so far as to recommend it to high school kids, although these days if it's not a tweet or a TikTok...

 

[Notarealsignguy]

It kind of works to the benefit of both, don't you think? Happy, motivated employees equal good work equals profit. Win-win.

Sure but that's a bit conflated. They don't care if you're happy unless it benefits them, which it does. It's not done out of the goodness of their heart and if it did not lead to an increase in the bottom line, they would not do it. They want you happy within their work environment with their minimum set of expectations. These will never change in order to make you happy which proves that their purpose is self serving. It's not wrong, it's reality and it does work provided that - you do what's expected, like juggle work that is thrown in your lap at the last minute.

 

[Signarama Jockey]

Sure but that's a bit conflated. They don't care if you're happy unless it benefits them, which it does. It's not done out of the goodness of their heart and if it did not lead to an increase in the bottom line, they would not do it. They want you happy within their work environment with their minimum set of expectations. These will never change in order to make you happy which proves that their purpose is self serving. It's not wrong, it's reality and it does work provided that - you do what's expected, like juggle work that is thrown in your lap at the last minute.

Yes, that is the nature of a transaction. It is a trade that both parties accept the terms of.

Your employers aren't nice to you out of the goodness of their heart. True. Your employees don't show up to work out of the kindness of their heart, either. Your customers don't give you money out of the kindness of their heart. It's all an exchange, and the only thing up for negotiation is the terms of the trade.

Employers benefit from happy workers, so it is in their interest to keep them content. Workers benefit from a satisfied employer in the same way. Customers benefit from Employers and workers figuring out how to operate in harmony. If any of those three decide the juice is not worth the squeeze the whole enterprise falls apart.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

Yes, that is the nature of a transaction. It is a trade that both parties accept the terms of.

Your employers aren't nice to you out of the goodness of their heart. True. Your employees don't show up to work out of the kindness of their heart, either. Your customers don't give you money out of the kindness of their heart. It's all an exchange, and the only thing up for negotiation is the terms of the trade.

Employers benefit from happy workers, so it is in their interest to keep them content. Workers benefit from a satisfied employer in the same way. Customers benefit from Employers and workers figuring out how to operate in harmony. If any of those three decide the juice is not worth the squeeze the whole enterprise falls apart.

Exactly, so hurry up and get that stuff printed, they need it today.

 

[Signarama Jockey]

Exactly, so hurry up and get that stuff printed, they need it today.

lol.