Gut Feeling

[Tim Bateson]

Sometimes you just have to follow your gut feelings.
Yesterday a new customer called wanting 5 crystal awards.... by tonight. Got my order into JDS just 3 minutes before the cut-off for next day delivery. I don't usually keep stock as I am more of a service business, but ordered a couple extra on a "hunch".
Today he tells me he needs 6. When all 6 where done he says.... by any chance you wouldn't have one more would you? I did indeed & made some great profit off the fast turnaround.
Some days things just work out perfectly.

[Kev Williams]

It's nice when you can out-guess Murphy's law, that customer will be back

Sure am glad I don't have to buy those things- I've been doing quite a few lately, but I'm 'just' the engraver for the award suppliers, so they get to buy them

I am going thru a similar situation with my best customer, I almost outguessed Murphy, but not quite- For 5 years they've ordered between 10 and 20 black aluminum warning plates for ski-lift towers. This year I get an order for 100. Which got bumped to 130 the next day. I ordered enough material to make 140. Yesterday I just finished up the 130 and I get an email, now they need 150... I'd ordered a total of 35 sheets, but need 38... -- fortunately there's a Marco warehouse about 5 miles from me, and they have 'em in stock. Not a bad order at $18.50 a pop. And the real bonus is job security-- I build all their operator panels, and if they're needing plates for 150 towers, I'm going to be crazy busy again this year...

[Tim Bateson]

Customer called again this morning. Not only did the Crystal Awards go over well, he ordered more....at the expididated rate they paid yesterday. This is the 3rd large order this month for this company. Finally making inroads into one of the largest international companies based here.
About 99% of the Crystal Awards I do are for another award distributor/retailer. It's nice for a change to put my own label on a few.

[Chris DeGerolamo]

wait, wait, wait: I thought you weren't taking new customers Tim? hahaha

[Mike Null]

Tim

In case you want to expand your crystal offering or want sandblasted items, Crystal Blank is just across the river from you. Just send them your drawing and they'll sandblast for you if you want.

[Tim Bateson]

wait, wait, wait: I thought you weren't taking new customers Tim? hahaha

lol Mostly true, but when a big company (P&G) comes calling, I'll answer that call every time.

[Bert Kemp]

WOW Tim this could be the retirement income or at Least let you quit your day job. Congrates

[Tim Bateson]

WOW Tim this could be the retirement income or at Least let you quit your day job. Congrates

If I had a dime for every time I thought that "this client" was my retirement ticket.... I'd have a pocket full of dimes. Nope, just another customer.... who I'll give priority to. My "largest customer" changes from year to year. Currently it's for a part that I signed a ND. Hundreds of this "part" coming through my shop. I'm allowed to acknowledge that much, anything more would be a breach. Seriously.

[Kev Williams]

98% of my customers are companies, been this way since day one. When ANY company calls, you answer

But as for finding 'the big one', there's a common paradox that ALWAYS comes into play, which works like this:
If their payments to you for engraving for them begin to approach the amount they pay their cheapest employee, they will buy a machine and train that employee to do your work. It simply becomes more cost-effective to do the work in-house...

My 5 best customers account for about 65% of my annual sales, yet my annual costs to each of them are a bargain compared to any of their employee's earnings... The trick is to keep it that way!

[Tim Bateson]

...If their payments to you for engraving for them begin to approach the amount they pay their cheapest employee, they will buy a machine and train that employee to do your work. It simply becomes more cost-effective to do the work in-house...

My "at one time" largest customer - Faxon Firearms, didn't just hire a person, they bought another firearms company that was already specializing in Fiber lasering. Smart move on their part. A lot of loss income for me. No biggie. Still a good business contact and I'm not hurting for business. Besides those guns, hundreds at a time were heavy! My back doesn't miss them.