What was the smallest change you made in your business that had the biggest impact?

[Notarealsignguy]

I like this idea. If possible, Can you please share with me the spreadsheet format and the daily schedule board?

It's for a paint shop so the spreadsheet won't be relevant for a sign place. Here is the schedule board. The left is the job list, top right is job codes in Spanish so they don't get creative or waste time writing descriptions. They just put A B C etc, the job number and how much time they had on it. I take a picture of the board everyday so if there is ever a question about their time card (like wrong job number) I don't have to go ask them to figure out what they meant. I scribbled on the top because I was mad that someone put their dirty hands on the walls.

 

[Stacey K]

It's for a paint shop so the spreadsheet won't be relevant for a sign place. Here is the schedule board. The left is the job list, top right is job codes in Spanish so they don't get creative or waste time writing descriptions. They just put A B C etc, the job number and how much time they had on it. I take a picture of the board everyday so if there is ever a question about their time card (like wrong job number) I don't have to go ask them to figure out what they meant. I scribbled on the top because I was mad that someone put their dirty hands on the walls.

No tenía idea de que tenías una tienda en su mayoría española. ¿Haces toda la escritura de pizarra en español?

 

[garyroy]

Thanks, NotAReal, the pic of the board gave me some motivation to do the same.
We are presently tracking orders in desktop Lucite holders, moving them down the line as the job progresses.

 

[gnubler]

Lots of good feedback here.

I'm still pretty new, but my biggest change so far was training myself to own my business, not have the business own me. I stopped advertising to the general public and mostly only do B2B. The customers come to me.

I worked for a place years ago who had a decades old slogan "The customer is the boss". F that, no thanks. Like the marketing gimmick "The customer is always right", that needs to go away permanently. I'm providing a service for someone and want them to be completely happy, but the exchange is a two way street. People that don't respect my time can go elsewhere.

 

[malav]

It's for a paint shop so the spreadsheet won't be relevant for a sign place. Here is the schedule board. The left is the job list, top right is job codes in Spanish so they don't get creative or waste time writing descriptions. They just put A B C etc, the job number and how much time they had on it. I take a picture of the board everyday so if there is ever a question about their time card (like wrong job number) I don't have to go ask them to figure out what they meant. I scribbled on the top because I was mad that someone put their dirty hands on the walls.
View attachment 160801

Thanks. Also, if you can share that excel spreadsheet? Have a good weekend, Sir!

 

[Notarealsignguy]

No tenía idea de que tenías una tienda en su mayoría española. ¿Haces toda la escritura de pizarra en español?

Si, yo speaky Spanish. Por las Mamacita's mas o menos.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

Thanks. Also, if you can share that excel spreadsheet? Have a good weekend, Sir!

I'll have to get it from my wife, send me a PM on monday in case I forget

 

[Notarealsignguy]

If it helps anyone, we used vandalguard for the dry erase and expo fine markers. To clean it we filled a spray bottle with acetone and use these lint free prep wipes. It works better than anything else we have tried and the board comes clean with no ghosting. Some rags don't clean well but these do.

 

[Signscorp]

Replacing a 30 year old CNC with a shiny new one.
Wait, that would be a big change, cost wise.
Ummm, switching from xacto to snap off blades? Or changing from offering gloss and matte, to always selling satin unless it's specified one way or the other. Saves so much time loading and unloading.
Replaced auger with a drill. Now nobody asks where the mixed gas is/is it mixed already/who used the gas can last/what color is mixed gas...
Spike by ike. Game changer for working up quotes when you can't afford to have the bucket truck stop by.

really curious how good this thing is. Do you find Spike Ike is good enough to use for lightbox faces?

 

[Stacey K]

Si, yo speaky Spanish. Por las Mamacita's mas o menos.

No lo hago, solo estaba tratando de ser genial. Utilicé el traductor de Google