In business today, we are told to believe that the customer is always right. So surely it makes sense to ask their opinion, listen to them, and actively respond to their advice with new products, adjustments, and enhancements. This makes sense, broadly, for incremental changes. Changes...

Relying on traditional supply chain execution systems is becoming increasingly more difficult, with a mix of global operating systems, pricing pressures, and ever-increasing customer expectations. There are also recent economic impacts such as COVID-19, supply shortages, the global recession,...

Over the past few years, remote designers have taken a more prominent seat at the table. Now, it is almost impossible to find a candidate who has the qualifications and fit for your team AND will relocate. Over the years, after WWII and up to the Great Recession, relocation was a tool...

Does this conversation sound familiar? “How fast can we reliably supply that component job to our customer?” asks the sales manager. “And don’t make us look like fools by telling me a date that will never be met or is too far out!” “I will tell you how...

Year after year, too many companies suffer needlessly with the same common problems. Even after making new equipment investments and receiving assurances that things will be different, the old issues keep rearing their heads. !  Even with the additional equipment investment, production...

With the coronavirus moving many positions from the business office to the home office, some employers are learning things they never thought possible. One of those things is how remote employees seem to have more time to devote to getting the job done. I spoke to several employers about...

Have you used our Safety First topics in your production safety meetings? If not, why not? Safety First began in 2013 and the topics rotate every 24 months. This rotation schedule ensures that  your new hires have access to important safety topics. From Substance Abuse, Safe Lifting...

Establishing a proper margin to maximize profits for your roof truss component sales is not as easy as most people think. Most do not have a clear understanding of how small changes make a significant impact on the company’s profitability. Making the most profits possible, no matter what...

As a team, we have been providing both in-person and virtual visits for all of our potential and current clients with projects underway. After a recent virtual training week, a company owner called me and told me how much he appreciated that I listened to his team and did not over talk or force...

I applaud employers who haven’t laid people off so far, but I can’t help but think of 2007 when hiring quickly dried up. Back then, hiring slammed on the brakes while the rest of the economy slowly ground to a halt over the next year. This time, it is not a financial problem...