DO YOU ASS-UME? You’ve heard the expression about “assume”? It will make an “ass” out of “u” and “me”. Here’s a simple tip that goes back to marketing 101 - Don’t assume your customers know what they need. And, don’t assume they know what you know. The best way to...

THE BUCK STOPS HERE Sometimes when we repeat a task over and over, we don't look at the details as much as we should. We trust the customer, the parts manufacturer or simple circumstance. The opportunity for problems presents itself when we become comfortable,...

HAPPY CUSTOMERS TELL THOUSANDS THRU SOCIAL MEDIA The best form of advertising is word-of-mouth. The old studies showed that a satisfied customer will tell 2-3 people about their good experience with your company, while a dissatisfied consumer will share their...

TIME IS MONEY One thing I’ve learned after many years of business is that my time is very valuable. I can balance multiple machines running and I can squeeze in some time with my customers, but it can be difficult being the “parts guy” as well. Like most shops, I...

REDUCE – HEAT, PRESSURE, STRESS In the machine shop business we often consider stress, heat and pressure, as it relates to combustion, compression, bi-metals, etc. But when the weather gets extremely hot, like it’s been this summer, it’s also important for Managers to...

DEATH OF A SALESMAN Death of a Salesman isn’t just a famous tragedy by Arthur Miller. It seems to be a sign of the times! Human contact is slowly being replaced by e-mails, e-blasts and e-carts. Record store salesman - gone; now you download one song at a time. Video...