Sage advice

Author:: David DeCristoforo
Publish date:: May 22, 2019

There are many times when we have the pressure of a deadline. The need to hit a payment schedule, contract requirements, customer demands and a myriad of other factors can put us in a time bind.

Rushing a job under these conditions is understandable but not always the best way to go.

When we rush jobs, we are subject to the possibility of making mistakes or letting small things slip by that we might otherwise catch. These have a nasty way of cropping up at the worst times. Customers notice things that we might feel are insignificant enough to pass inspection.

An oft repeated comment comes to mind, from a guy I always refer to as the Old German Cabinetmaker, who once told one of his employees, “Never you have time to do it right but always you find time to do it over

Sage advice worth repeating.

This Business About Woodworking

We plan out our jobs, workflow, schedules … everything we can think of. And then we try to factor in the unexpected with contingency clauses and other exclusions.

This Business About Woodworking

There’s a saying that the customer is always right. We know this is not really the case. The customer is often wrong.

This Business About Woodworking

How often have we been in the position of having to do something, knowing that there is a tool or a piece of equipment that could get it done easily, quickly and efficiently? Personally, I have been in this position many times.

This Business About Woodworking

We all have protocols. Whether it’s a construction method or payment schedule, for example, these protocols are communicated to our customers in the hope that we will have a smooth, trouble free relationship through the course of a project.

This Business About Woodworking

There is a lot of concern these days regarding the amount of waste we are producing.

This Business About Woodworking

A good salesperson will go to great lengths to avoid giving a customer an opportunity to say no. But what about the times when we want to say no?

This Business About Woodworking

I’m one of those people who just goes nuts when we have to go through daylight savings time changes. I have a hard time adjusting to the one-hour shift, especially when the time jumps forward.

This Business About Woodworking

It is often said that the customer is always right. Obviously, this is suggesting that the customer should always be accommodated in whatever he or she wants. And, to some extent this is a good policy. It can often lead to a very happy and satisfied customer. But not always.

This Business About Woodworking

Technology has been creeping into how we do business for a long time now. Obviously, CNC machines have taken on an increasing role in cutting, milling, shaping, carving, etc. And hand-held tools like routers and sanders are a lot smarter than used to be.