HOW TO

BUSINESS BY JIM HINGST

When you are done with this phase of planning the project, you should have a clear picture of who is responsible for each task, which suppliers you will be using for materials or wholesaler manufacturers for signs you are outsourcing, install crew schedule, equipment needed, and budgets set.

#4. Monitoring the Project: How to Avoid 90 Percent of the Mistakes. Hold weekly team production meetings to make sure project milestones are being met.

My shop held production meetings two days per week. Monday after lunch was our big meeting for the week. Here we would go over every job, review all open tasks, and address the items and issues that were blocking jobs from moving forward. On Thursday morning, we held a shorter meeting where we again discussed any problems or blocks on projects.

While this schedule worked well for us, we also communicated in between these meetings, if any problems arose. Project managers, sales reps, and designers would always make themselves available to the fabrication and install team to clarify any questions.

From initial designs to the final sign being installed, we never lost sight of the fact that it takes the whole team to achieve success.

#5. Close the Project: Customer Satisfaction Leads to More Jobs. Once final signs are installed, it is time to close the project.

Call the client and make sure they are 100 percent satisfied with the results. Address any concerns, and if there are any punch list concerns, correct them in a timely manner.

Make sure you have a system in place to manage the final tasks and that you have stored all important project documents, designs, and photos for future reference, if needed. It is easy to get busy with the next big project and not close out jobs correctly.

Finally make sure to thank your client! Our shop always sent out the final invoice with completion photos and a “thank you” note signed by several staff people. It was a nice touch and usually helped us get paid on time.

You’ve Got This!

As you perfect your planning process and build trusted relationships with your clients, the scope of your projects may become more complex.

Do not shy away from large, complicated projects—they can be fun and profitable. Plus they allow you to build a large portfolio and create a sense of pride and accomplishment with your team.

You may feel a little uncomfortable to start, but if you stretch yourself, you and your team will watch great things happen!