51 Issue 254 - August / September 2024 email: news@signlink.co.uk at any given time. The team held daily meetings lasting 15 to 20 minutes focusing primarily on job due dates, ensuring they had enough resources to get orders done on time. The larger shop had up to 180 jobs moving through production at the same time. The timeline leads were a little more flexible but the projects were a lot more complex. When Amanda first started working at the larger shop, it was very disorganised, so it required meeting every day for 30 minutes using an online job board to track each task and stage of production. Once things were settled, they were able to meet just two to three times a week. Amanda found these meetings to be an absolute must. They were the best way to let everyone know who was responsible for each part of the project, and it ensured they had the resources to get the jobs done on time. Therefore, she recommends meeting every day until everyone is comfortable with managing the shop’s resources. Regular production meetings helped Amanda solve so many issues, and it will for your shop too. Meetings work! IMPACT ON TEAM RELATIONSHIPS: Managing resources well shows that the company values its team’s time and skills. Efficient resource management supports employees, keeping them motivated and reducing burnout. IMPACT ON CLIENT RELATIONSHIPS: Clients like getting their projects on time without delays. When resources are used efficiently, projects stay on schedule, making clients happy and loyal. They're more likely to come back and recommend the company to others because of their good experience. 3. INCREASED QUALITY CONTROL: Regular production meetings provide an opportunity to review project details and identify any differences between sign designs, and what is actually being fabricated in the shop. It goes without saying that catching mistakes in the shop is much easier to fix than in the field. If you consistently address quality control issues with your sign projects, over time you make fewer mistakes, and you and your team will be known for making great signs. At Sign Tech International, we often walked the floor following production meetings to ensure what was being fabricated was exactly what the client ordered. On larger projects, team members were required to sign off on a job before it left for installation to ensure the details were correct. Regular production meetings ensured that mistakes rarely happened in the final stages of production. IMPACT ON TEAM RELATIONSHIPS: Focusing on quality control shows your team the company is dedicated to doing great work. Your team will feel proud knowing they help keep up high standards, making them more satisfied in their roles. IMPACT ON CLIENT RELATIONSHIPS: When you always provide great signs, clients trust you more. When they get what they expect or even better, they see you as a dependable partner for their signage needs. This makes them want to come back to you again and refer your shop to others. A PROJECT STAGE VS A TEAM TASK You might be wondering; how do we start and what tools can we use? Well, it begins with understanding a couple of important things about project management. First off, it's important to know the difference between a production stage and a team task. A production stage is where a job is in the process from start to finish. In our shop, we had five main production stages: STAGE 1: OPEN JOB / OPPORTUNITY: At this stage, a potential client asks for a quote. It's the beginning of the project, where we figure out what the client needs and the best solution. This might involve checking with the landlord or city if it's for an exterior sign to make sure everything's allowed. STAGE 2: PRE-PRODUCTION: This stage is when you've got the green light to start the project. It involves designing, researching codes and permits if necessary, making production files, and ordering materials. STAGE 3: PRODUCTION: This is when you make the signs and get ready to install them. STAGE 4: INSTALL / DELIVERY: At this stage, you're either putting up the sign at the job location or getting it ready for delivery to the client. STAGE 5: CLOSE-OUT: At this stage, you make sure the client has the sign and is satisfied with it. It's also when you get the final payment and wrap up the project. Each production stage has a set of tasks for the team, usually managed through an app. This helps your team know what they need to do each day. There are specialised tools for the sign industry that can assist in managing production meetings, production stages, and team tasks. I suggest researching to find the best fit for your team. SignTracker is excellent for sign shops, while Printavo is great for print and garment shops. These apps also offer quoting and file management features. If you only need a job board, there are generic apps that could suit your needs. Handling a heavy workload can be overwhelming, but I assure you, with regular project management meetings and the right tools, you'll regain control of your work. This leads to happy clients and a team proud of their accomplishments.
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