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Here it is after 6:00 pm on a friday night, to my left is the sound of the plotter whizzing away vinyl, to my right is the constant humming of the edge. We have a 16ft. cube van to do tomorrow complete with full color graphics... The staff just left all 6 of them, and me the little owner is still here churning out product. Next week is going to be complete madness with tradeshows, Vehicles, warehouses, Airplanes, stadiums, and on and on.... I should be thankful that we're busy to keep everybody going. With 6 employees it's starting to get a little scary for a little guy, and now I need more help, in the production side of things, like weeding vinyl, applying, installing.. you get my drift. How do you guys go about drumming up good employees? I pay them half decent, and will pay them more as they get faster... but sometimes I wonder if Pay is enough... Less than 2 yrs ago my wife Judy and I started this shop and I can't seem to ever get the work out fast enough. I know organization is a really big part of it all.. Delegation probably being the most important, but now we need more help where do it end? I know I'm rambling here but 11:00 tonight I will still be here.. I guess I just should be happy that I have all this work to do and accept that it's impossible to keep all the customers happy all the time. Oh well, the edge is asking for another color, back to work.... Neil
------------------ "Keep Positive"
SIGNS1st. Neil Butler Paradise, NF
Posts: 6277 | From: St. John's NF Canada | Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
Dang, Neil. I just wish I could find a couple people who want to work around here, let alone a seventh person.
As to your query, rather than looking to higher a second person, perhaps you should start looking to slowly raising your prices to start weeding out jobs.
We tried the "need more help" in the past, but it never worked like we had hoped. I started following Jay Cooke's advice about raising prices instead, and it has worked wonderfully.
Just a thought.
------------------ ********** “During my service in the United States Congress, I took the initiative in creating the Internet.” (Al Gore, CNN’s “Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer,” March 9, 1999) **********
Warning: A well designed sign may cause fatigue due to increased business.
:) Design is Everything! :) Glenn Taylor in beautiful North Carolina
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Glenn I would love for that to work.. and that's something that I've been struggling with. How do you feel about trying to lure people away from other shops... I know that's not the "political correct" thing to do.. but if people expressed an interest before then I wonder if it's all that bad. I going to try another add the local paper.. for the 3rd. time. Neil
------------------ "Keep Positive"
SIGNS1st. Neil Butler Paradise, NF
Posts: 6277 | From: St. John's NF Canada | Registered: Mar 1999
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posted
I've never been a big fan of "appropriating" an employee from another shop. I guess that's because that is I've lost quite a few people that I had spent a year or so training that way.
We've been trying to hire people through some of the government sponsored training programs, but they just haven't worked out. Either they never showed up or would quit after a couple days. Unemployment here is 6.6% and you wouldn't believe how many businesses are desperate for qualified (i.e. - have a desire to work) people.
As it is now, I have two part-time employees besides myself and my Mom (the owner). I need to find at least 2 full-timers just to take the load off of me. Raising prices has helped a lot. But, I'm still forced to have to turn down work.
------------------ ********** “During my service in the United States Congress, I took the initiative in creating the Internet.” (Al Gore, CNN’s “Late Edition with Wolf Blitzer,” March 9, 1999) **********
Warning: A well designed sign may cause fatigue due to increased business.
Design is Everything! Glenn Taylor in beautiful North Carolina
Design is Everything! 
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