The Big Picture - March 2012 - (Page 14)

graphics on the go graphics on the go Untapped Resources: Utilizing Installer Expertise By Jared Smith W e all know that we wouldn’t be here without the masterful craftsmanship of our installers – they are a shop’s unsung heroes. But because their work comes at the tail-end of the job, they’re frequently forced to right all of the wrongs that have occurred along the way. Amazingly, it seems that no matter what we screw up on the front end, the installers can ﬁ x it on the back end. Tile too small? They can stretch it. Phone number wrong? They can probably patch the correct number in. Forget to tell the client what time to arrive at the shop, or double-book two wraps? The installers willingly wait around or stay late to get the job done. The list of mishaps the install team is forced to clean up goes on and on. But all of this is not only unfair to the installers, it’s simply bad business. These practices will cause stress – stress that can lead to mistakes and burnout, both damaging to proﬁts. It’s important we realize not only how valuable these men and women are, but also how valuable their input can be. In the design loop Let’s begin with the design process: The design team should always get an installer’s opinion. Many times we run into issues during the install that could have easily been avoided if only the sales and design teams had involved the installers before the production began. Or, better yet, before the proof was sent to the client. I’m not saying that it’s absolutely essential to run proofs by the installers before you send them to a client, but if the design requires a potentially challenging install, the designers need to rec- ognize that an installer’s opinion is a must. And, yes, I’m saying this should happen before the rep shows the proofs to the client and the client falls in love with something that will cause everyone issues down the line. I deﬁne a successful job as a job with maximum client satisfaction, high-proﬁts, uncomplicated production, and straightforward installation. To give your shop the likeliest probability for success, consider all aspects of the job before locking down the design. This is especially true when dealing with ﬂeet wraps. If you don’t think about the install far enough in advance, you can end up with a problematic, client-approved design that complicates not just one install, but many – costing your shop time and money, and costing your installers their sanity. Involve your installers and involve them early. The installer can suggest di erent courses of action for the design that will save the install team time and hassle on the back end. For instance, the installer can suggest ways to fade a color or suggest lowering a stripe to avoid a complicated door handle, or design the bumper so that the color breaks on the body line. These seemingly simple suggestions can save time, improve the quality of the vehicle wrap, and in turn, make for happier customers and more-proﬁtable jobs. Streamlining production Installers also have the ability to streamline how the graphics are produced to ensure the most e cient install. Take tiling for example: It’s just as easy to print a vehicle wrap that will result in a complicated install as it is to produce a tiled vehicle wrap that saves a ton of time in the install bay. Consider, for instance, tiling options for full-size trucks. Printing the bedside graphic panel in one long horizontal piece saves installers 15 minutes – that’s 30 minutes saved per truck. One hundred trucks later, you’ve saved your shop more than $1000 simply by tiling your truck beds horizontally. Another tiling issue comes up when you have a vehicle with multiple windows that are close together, like a VW bus or Chevrolet Suburban. Should these windows get wrapped with one piece of perforated window ﬁ lm with >45 JARED SMITH is president of bluemedia (bluemedia.com), a leading provider of design and printing for use in vehicle, large-format, and environmental applications, in Tempe, Arizona. 14 THE BIG PICTURE MARCH 2012 http://www.bluemedia.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Big Picture - March 2012

The Big Picture - March 2012
Contents
InSight
Wide Angle
Up Front
Graphics on the Go
Inside Output
Superwide: Making It Big
Displays of Strength
Success and Sustainability
‘One Piece at a Time’
R+D
Job Log

The Big Picture - March 2012