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We have been swamped for the past 20 months. Everyone keeps telling me how lucky I am that were are so busy. But being busy is one thing, swamped for months on end is another. We can't even catch our breath, don't have time to service trucks, etc. I have people upset with me because I can't get it done quick enough. I'm someone who has always taken great pride in meeting my customers deadlines, and this is driving me crazy. How does everyone else handle this? Do you just let the complaints go in one ear and out the other? Do the best you can and let the chips fall where they may? I could probably stand to add another crew and truck, but it takes a long time for that to pay off. Beside who knows what the future will hold. My luck, before I got everything running smoothly, the economy would die again. Anyone have any suggestions to save my sanity?

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Just one thing at a time. Prioritize. Take a day off with the shop - shop party! Have pizza and games for the employees kids. Amazing how much that can improve morale.

We are really busy also, life is good!

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We are in the same boat. Blowing every years past sales out of the water, we could add another truck and crew but like you who knows when its going to slow down. We run a super lean company. I would rather have people with as much work as they want to handle then too many people and them sweeping up when it slows down. The workers have nothing to complain about. they are out of here at 5 everyday working 5 days a week. Its us owners what work 70-90hrs a week. Not that I am complaining. I built up this monster so I have to slay it. We will be adding our first outside sales rep in the coming months to take some of that work load off. With estimates of how many people we have to brush off because we are too busy that should pay off in spades.

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We're buried as well. I added one new helper for the field last week. I'm going to drop the hammer and add another one for Fabrication on Monday. Our foreseeable future is packed up tight.

I'm closing my shop the entire week of Thanksgiving. We all need a break here. Minimum of 50 hrs a week for all employees for the last year. I need to get some PM done on my trucks. And, I will finally be taking a full week off for the first time in 8 years. I don't want phone calls, or deal with employees questions...

I too have been turning down good jobs lately. It really sucks. I remember about 6 years ago, praying for some...

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We're buried as well. I added one new helper for the field last week. I'm going to drop the hammer and add another one for Fabrication on Monday. Our foreseeable future is packed up tight.

I'm closing my shop the entire week of Thanksgiving. We all need a break here. Minimum of 50 hrs a week for all employees for the last year. I need to get some PM done on my trucks. And, I will finally be taking a full week off for the first time in 8 years. I don't want phone calls, or deal with employees questions...

I too have been turning down good jobs lately. It really sucks. I remember about 6 years ago, praying for some...

Mark;

Now who are you trying to kid? You know darn well you won't be able to stay away from the office for a week. I have followed your posts for awhile now and know you are a hard driver and a dedicated business owner. Stay away for a week.........give me a break.

Giving the whole shop a break for the week, do you need a good electrician? I work cheap and i actually know my trade!

Keep fighting the good fight my friend.

Best

"Don't be afraid to see what you see" - President Ronald Reagan

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Dominic....I'll be gone. Sold my beach house in May of this year. Because I could never get away to use it. So the wife and I rented a place on Padre Island for the week. On the water with a nice fishing pier / dock for my boat. It's a 9 hour haul from Dallas. It's as close to Mexico as I want to get (2 miles). I splurged and got a big place. So my brother in law, and his wife are coming. And they're bringing my 89 yr old mother in law, and her friend. So we'll have a small intimate Thanksgiving dinner at some resort or restaurant.

I'll be drunk, sticking fish, or myself. Howling at the moon, and what ever else I can remember to do.

They all know this trip is for my sanity. And I will not be doing the tourist thingy. Whiskey, Fish, Food, Sleep, and no work cell phone. If the business burns down. I'll find out when I get back.

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We were so slow this week that Our printer ran for maybe 5 hours all week. Its been a nice change and we've managed to clean things up and organize. Next week will be a crush with many bigger jobs all lined up to drop at once.

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Picking up deposits almost every day for new jobs, national-shipped in type work pays in full up front, especially permit work. Not interested in financing anybody's project or playing games with a middle man. Cut loose all deadbeats. Up-tick in neon sales.

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We have been pretty busy too, but it is starting to slow down, as it does most every November/December. I hope it doesn't slow down as much as it did last year!!

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I'm with you Angie, we had a steller September, did OK in October with a lot of new locations starting, not selling as much in November but will clean up from October and hope to sell enough to keep everyone busy through December & January. Things can dry up in New England during the long cold winters. If things keep up we'll have to add staff in the winter that's a first for us.

Edited by burkeenterprise
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I would love to add another truck and would have no problem keeping it busy. Finding another qualified crew has been impossible. We have put adds in the local paper, craigslist ect and almost no qualifed responces. It's depressing.

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I took half a pee this morning and the rest when i got home, no time at all, 2 weeks behind

 

63 foot Elliott v60

50 foot 8 ton crane/auger

Skid steer with forks and dirt bucket


www.signworksinc.com

www.wehangsigns.com

Signworks Inc.
Toronto, Canada
416-653-7227
1-877-912-7446

 

 

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Matthew, your referal idea is great ONLY if the sign company you refer them to is as good as yours. Otherwise they hold you responcable for the refered companies work. I refer to a very short list when the job is out of our scope because of this.

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