Changing Customer Expectations / Lead Time & Minimum Quantity

[Gilligan]

And we rarely actually have to go into overtime.

That's just my excuse to justify charging them more.

[Inkworks]

The point is the custy gets this kind of service, the over and above type, and then wants the same thing next time.. this custy now how a mindset that they can get their orders like this all the time. They use another company and walk in tue morning and expect to get their hand held for a friday order and lose their minds when they are told it will take 2-3 week before they get their order.. but but but.. that guy did the same thing for me in 3 days last time...

It's part of the want it right now consumer mentality we're in.

It's wed.. how many got a phone call today in the afternoon for a custy who needs something for a friday afternoon event..

Exactly why so many of our customers never go anywhere else, particularly the wineries for drinkware. We're good, priced right and faster than anyone is able to be so far. Our turn is often a day or two. Sometimes I lament that they expect so much, but if they expect that and every other competitor tells them they're crazy, so much the better for us.

Fast turns are now an effective barrier to entrance for our competitors.

[Inkworks]

Touching on minimums too.

When we get asked what is the minimum order for "x" our answer is invariable "1 pc." then we go on to explain that because of set-ups etc. 1 piece is often the same price as 12pcs. or more (first column for pad printing drinkware is a lot charge for 1-60pcs. you pay the same for 1 as for printing 60pcs.) I'd sayorder  conversion to the higher quantity is around 75% as people see the value in getting more, and understand why it's priced like that.

Much better than just saying the minimum is 60pcs. and even if they do only order 1 pc. we make good money on it, so why say "no"?

[mimosatexas]

That's pretty much how I work as well.  Setup charges are setup charges for me, and I dont care if they print one or 1000, I am going to make that money.  Just now I had a woman pay me $135 for 4 shirts and the job took me about 4 minutes of printing, and with emails and setup time I spent about 25 minutes on the job.  For me, that is great and I would do that all day...

[Maxie]

That's an interesting way of looking at overtime.
I keep trying to get more efficient so we don't need overtime, sometimes there is no choice.

[jsheridan]

that's how OT should work..  it's gravy on that heaping plate of steak and taters you got from todays work.

way more shops go into OT just to get today's work done and or fix a mistake from that day, and that just eats at the bottom line.