Marine Fabricator July/August 2019 - 49

shops start out operating with one or
two people. Usually these shops will
run hard and heavy during their peak
season, sometimes working 12- to
14-hour days and weekends. Then
they hit a brick wall with no work
lined up for the off-season and they
struggle terribly.
Being located on Lake Michigan,
we have a peak season from April
to November. Because our season
is so short, we concentrate on
marine canvas only during peak
months. All upholstery, cleaning,
repair and odd projects are done in
the off-season, which evens out our
inconsistent workload.

If you find yourself so overwhelmed
during your peak season that you're
turning work away or not returning
phone calls, remember that project
could be an off-season job. Peak
season products for any company
should be offered year-round, but it
takes foresight. Set aside time each
week to reach out to those prospective
clients to bid the job. Explain you will
pattern their job toward the end of
peak season and fabricate during the
winter/slack time. This locks in your
contract. As our season nears its slack
time, we concentrate on patterning all
the jobs we secured over the summer
to give us a consistent 12-month flow
of work.

"Start with
prioritizing your
product line
for peak and
slack times; then
separate the
'money makers'
from the 'time
wasters.'"

Prioritize money makers
Start with prioritizing your product
line for peak and slack times; then
separate the "money makers" from
the "time wasters." Every product
should have its own set of standards,
even if you are a one-person shop.
Standards should include geographic
perimeters-in other words, determine
how far you will travel for a job before
you lose money. For example, we will
travel two hours to Chicago for a full
enclosure but would never go there for
just a bimini top.
Establish guidelines for how that
product will be patterned, fabricated
and delivered. Educating your clients
on this process reassures them you
have standards. Be consistent. Boaters
talk and word gets out!
Create ways for the time wasters to
become money makers. For example,
our guideline for repairs is we do not
pick up or deliver-it's a time waster.
All repairs have a minimum one-hour
labor fee, no matter how minor the
repair, which now makes it a money
maker! Setting aside a day each week
for repairs is another way to maintain
consistency in your shop and with
your clients.
www.marinefabricatormag.com | 49



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Marine Fabricator July/August 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Marine Fabricator July/August 2019

Marine Fabricator July/August 2019 - Cover1
Marine Fabricator July/August 2019 - Cover2
Marine Fabricator July/August 2019 - 1
Marine Fabricator July/August 2019 - 2
Marine Fabricator July/August 2019 - 3
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Marine Fabricator July/August 2019 - 50
Marine Fabricator July/August 2019 - 51
Marine Fabricator July/August 2019 - 52
Marine Fabricator July/August 2019 - Cover3
Marine Fabricator July/August 2019 - Cover4
Marine Fabricator July/August 2019 - Expo Brochure 1
Marine Fabricator July/August 2019 - Blank1
Marine Fabricator July/August 2019 - Expo Brochure 2
Marine Fabricator July/August 2019 - Expo Brochure 3
Marine Fabricator July/August 2019 - Expo Brochure 4
Marine Fabricator July/August 2019 - Expo Brochure 5
Marine Fabricator July/August 2019 - 63
Marine Fabricator July/August 2019 - Blank2
Marine Fabricator July/August 2019 - MFA Workshops 1
Marine Fabricator July/August 2019 - MFA Workshops 4
Marine Fabricator July/August 2019 - MFA Workshops 5
Marine Fabricator July/August 2019 - MFA Workshops 2
Marine Fabricator July/August 2019 - MFA Workshops 3
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