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Well, our company is in a complete makeover of how we do our order entry and track orders through the quote, design, proof, production, etc...phases. We are keeping busy here and we have always had a way of doing things, but it seems so un organized.
I need to re-vamp our process here....How do you do it? Any advice?
Thanks Thanks Thanks!!!
-------------------- Theresa N. Hoying Visual Concepts 130 South Lester Avenue Sidney, Ohio 45365 937.492.2110 Posts: 176 | From: Sidney, Ohio | Registered: Feb 2007
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-------------------- Ricky Jackson Signs Now 614 Russell Parkway Warner Robins, GA (478) 923-7722 signpimp50@hotmail.com
"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Sir Issac Newton Posts: 3528 | From: Warner Robins, GA | Registered: Oct 2004
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Yeah. Ahem.....I got a bunch of small post it notes stuck all over the shop, and a block of signfoam with a nail in it that I stick them on sometimes (when I can find them) that my daughter made me when she was 6. I also have a list of jobs on my Microsoft Works Task Launcher that I look at at least once a week.
I know. Don't even say it.
-------------------- Deri Russell Wildwood Signs Hanover, Ontario
You're just jealous 'cause the little voices only talk to me. Posts: 1904 | From: Hanover, Ontario, Canada | Registered: Dec 1998
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I use clipboards hung on the wall. If I can't find something I put the dog to work!
-------------------- Ryan Culbertson The Sign Shop at Quick Copies Greenwood, SC
Rock and Roll means well, but it can’t help tellin’ young boys lies. Mike Cooley - Drive By Truckers Posts: 453 | From: Greenwood, South Carolina | Registered: Apr 2007
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[ October 06, 2007, 11:09 AM: Message edited by: Ryan Culbertson ]
-------------------- Ryan Culbertson The Sign Shop at Quick Copies Greenwood, SC
Rock and Roll means well, but it can’t help tellin’ young boys lies. Mike Cooley - Drive By Truckers Posts: 453 | From: Greenwood, South Carolina | Registered: Apr 2007
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posted
Actually the way we do it is with work orders and file trail and one person overseeing the trail/Billing/Scheduling. (Which is my wife Glenda.) Leaving me time to actually run my Business. After the initial contact with the client we usually assign a designer for the project depending on what style they are looking for and type of job.
Example. If they want a Dimensional/Gold Leaf/ Glass etc. They are assigned to me.
Vehicle Wrap/Modern or Wild Design they get Stacey.
Cartoonist Carved or Sculpted they get Kevin
And that person is responsible for the design/Printing etc. After they sign off then it goes to Angelo in the production area then it is decided on who is making it (Skill based for the project.)
Once its just about done we schedule the Installation with our installer. Since our shop does very few installations it has taken a huge load off and has saved us Thousands of dollars in insurance and labor.. (Its more profitable for us to sub out most of all our installations) We focus on what we do best and that is Design and Production. We actually do sign manufacturing for about 15 different shops right now and is working out very well for everyone. Kinda like having 15 sales people working with you.
All this is done with 6 People and a few part timers we call in when we need them.
-------------------- a.k.a. Brian Born www.CheckersCustom.com Harrisburg, Pa Work Smart, Play Hard Posts: 3775 | From: Harrisburg, Pa. U.S.A. | Registered: Nov 1998
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Dave, it's gonna hurt up front but it's worth it. There is so much more to it than just tracking orders, etc. After a year or so you'll have an almost instant marketing query database. You can find out how many magnetics you sold last year, who bought them, when was the last time they ordered, who your biggest 10 customers are, etc, etc. There is a nasty learning curve to it tho; I'm not going to say it's easy but it is worth it.
-------------------- Ricky Jackson Signs Now 614 Russell Parkway Warner Robins, GA (478) 923-7722 signpimp50@hotmail.com
"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Sir Issac Newton Posts: 3528 | From: Warner Robins, GA | Registered: Oct 2004
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(Actually Judi, not Kent) We use individual plastic folders with the work order and other papers that follow the job around, but we also maintain a "Sales Report". This is a simple worksheet that can be done in Excell or on a yellow pad. The columns are: 1)Invoice number; 2)Job name; 3)job description; 4)Price; and 5)invoice date. Columns 1-3 are completed when the job is SOLD. Columns 4-5 are completed when the job is invoiced. Incomplete or non-invoiced jobs are easy to spot when we review once a week.
-------------------- Kent Smith Smith Sign Studio P.O.Box 2385, Estes Park, CO 80517-2385 kent@smithsignstudio.com Posts: 1025 | From: Estes Park, CO | Registered: Nov 1998
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