I recently filmed a webinar with some signage industry veterans that truly opened up my eyes to the importance of setting up your employees for success. Just as a successful football coach would prepare their players up for a big game with the proper exercises, playbooks to study, film to watch and possibly even a meal plan to follow, sign shop owners can get their installation teams ready to go in a similar way.
One signage industry veteran with two decades of experience installing and maintaining electric signage recently told me that when his sign shop was in the process of upgrading to become a “one stop shop,” the most important aspect of the business upgrade was properly equipping and training his work force. Without the adequate training, attempting to take your business to the next level can often lead to bottlenecks, stress on the staff and possible departures.
When setting up your employees for success is done properly, not only does it increase the efficiency of your shop, but it increases morale and confidence amongst the staff. It’s pretty logical when you sit back and think about it. I’ve definitely felt much more confident and level-headed when properly prepared at my jobs in the past, whether that be cutting grass, making pizzas or laying out a magazine. To put it simply, preparation knows no bounds.
This means anytime there is an equipment upgrade at the shop, a new protocol put in place, a departure from the team, or even some scheduled PTO from a high-level employee, it’s your responsibility as the shop owner or manager to make sure your team has the materials they need to optimize operations underneath the changes.
There are plenty of famous quotes about this idea, of course. Abraham Lincoln once said, “Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” His equally famous historical counterpart Thomas Edison once proclaimed, “Good fortune is what happens when opportunity meets with planning.” And just for good measure, we were left with this from Chinese military general, strategist and philosopher Sun Tzu, “Plan for what is difficult while it is easy, do what is great while it is still small.”
While this may seem a bit like waxing poetic when it comes to operational strategies at the shop, the importance of having a confident and capable staff cannot be overstated. It can be the difference between a proper install and a massive insurance claim.
Creating a true, time-tested gameplan can be intimidating. However, if your plan gains the approval of your staff, it will be much easier to onboard new employees. They’ll see for themselves that directions aren’t there to micromanage, but to properly set up the team for success.
