These tips are based on the Business Boot Camp for Wrap Professionals by Avery Dennison presentation given by Justin Pate (Amsterdam) and John Duever (Vinyl Images; Fenton, MO) at the 2019 ISA Sign Expo.
- Give all your installers stop watches. Have them time each panel they do, and take the average. Use it to schedule and monitor it on a regular basis.
- Sales reps and designers must understand the installation process.
- Design efficiency helps print, production and installation.
- Design tip: Tiling vertically versus horizontally can reduce install time by up to 50%.
- Cleanliness matters. A clean shop can operate at maximum capacity; a dirty one cannot.
- Make sure ownership of artwork is clear. Who gets the art if the client wants to kill the project? (Hint: If you made it, you should own it.)
- Things happen. Give loyal customers a break for extraordinary circumstances. (“I got you this time.”) Just don’t overuse it!
- Make sure your design department has the right files, or is getting permission for custom work. If your designer doesn’t have a logo and a vector file, they’ll often just create them, which wastes time.
- If the phone rings three times, have whoever’s closest pick it up. Smile before you answer, and teach your whole crew your standard greeting.
- Track your errors down to the minute detail so you know when to replace equipment — and people.
For a full recap of the 2019 ISA Sign Expo, click here.