Recording your production

[inkbrigade]

Hey Everybody. Just wanted to fill you in on something I've been doing lately. We installed a decent camera that overlooks the shop. Got a PC setup that records the shop all day. Then I grab the video and bring it home.

I play the video 4X speed and watch everyone work. It's amazing when you watch at this speed you start to see patterns.
Like we need to keep the shop towels and gloves in the different spot. Or that I need to add a shelf by the other press. We need to keep shipping boxes by the end of the dryer.

I had this idea a long time ago, but never had the time to implement it. I finally have it setup and I must say I think it's gonna help increase productivity.

One thing I want to mention is that it's really important to let your employees know what's going on. We have a great staff and I didn't want them to worry that I was spying on them or trying to catch them goofing off. I want people to have fun at the shop. So it was important to me that the employees were cool with it. Another thing I don't do is say stuff like "I was watching you on the video and you did X wrong." If someone is doing something weird we deal with it as a training issue and we'll talk to the employee.

I doubt i'll watch the video everyday, but from time to time check in and watch for patterns to processes to see what can be made faster and better.

I'm going to automate this and have it save the exported videos via dropbox at some point. That way, when i'm ready to watch the video it's already on my laptop.

If you guys have any questions let me know. Just thought this idea might be useful to others.

[LuckyFlyinROUSH]

Everyone should have cameras in their shop. I have a monitor right next to my computer screens to see whats going on. At first all the employees are like wtf, but then they don't even notice them. Pretty awesome tool to help you keep track of whats going on in your business.

Also deters theft, not that any of our employees would do that...but they know that they are being recorded. Also gives me piece at mind when I leave the office you know you can rewind and see what they did while you were gone. Helps you keep the good employees and pass on the bad ones.

[inkbrigade]

Yep we do that too. My wife runs the shop and she's on the phone or doing emails all day. We bought a big screen tv and hung it across from her desk. This way she can see what's happening in the shop.

I think we're gonna put a camera in the screen room and by the washout booth. It's a good way to make sure employees are coating two and one

Prob install some cameras outside for security and seeing when delivery drivers have arrived.


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[beanie357]

We can access over web.
Employees forget them in a week.
Settled several fights and employee squabbles by having them.
Also had a racking system collapse and cameras got us better insurance settlement.
Love cameras.

[Admiral]

16 cameras here.  Pretty neat system, can watch from cell phone / over web easily. 

We were able to track down the exact minute our trailer was stolen and then they saw it on a traffic camera, then of course couldn't follow it on the highway to get anywhere with finding it...

Camera didn't catch the plate unfortunately...

[alan802]

I love our cameras, I have to keep myself from spending too much time watching them.  But the crew thinks they don't work right now since last they heard they were not functioning.  The amount of crap I catch them doing is astonishing.  I wish I were not a nice guy sometimes.  One of my problems is going to be gone as of Wednesday.  It was tough but he finally got a job somewhere else and I couldn't be happier about it.

[kingscreen]

I mentioned this in another thread.  But it wasn't until I shot a time lapse video of a full day for fun that I realized how little one of my employees actually worked.  The video was useful in discussing the issue with the employee. 

[Gilligan]

Wouldn't be bad to trade videos with someone that is "more productive" than your shop.  Then you could show your employees that feel "over loaded" that this is what "another" shop looks like.

Then again, I could just be thinking about my problems out loud.

[tancehughes]

Yeah, cameras have paid off nicely here. We have an 8 camera system, and the one over production I watch while at my computer.

I had to talk with an ex-employee about his cell phone usage and that I had already explained the rules. He said he wasn't using it and I told him I had seen him on the camera. He just stumbled over himself after that. Needless to say, he doesn't work here anymore.

I want to put together a time-lapse video though, the idea sounds really cool! The video sizes are just huge on that DVR!