Slippery Rock Gazette

Sharon Koehler

Stone Industry Consultant

Last year at this time, I was encouraging you to look at your cyber security. Change passwords, use a VPN, change your PINS, and activate 2-step authentication for your safety. I am going to encourage you to do that this year as well, for the exact same 3 reasons:

• Data breaches this past year are on the rise.
  
  
• All the holiday shopping.
  
  
• It has probably been a while since you thought about your cyber security. (Like a year, maybe?)

However, in this new year I am going to encourage you to do something else as well… Take stock of your surroundings. 

For a lot of businesses, not all but a lot, January and February are a bit slower work-wise. Winter weather, holiday spending and holiday energy burn-out tend to take its toll at the beginning of a year.

This is the perfect time to look at your surroundings with a critical eye.

Showroom

• Check for outdated or damaged displays. Are you still showing a butterfly sink when you haven’t seen one in years? 
  
  
• Do your countertop displays need to be cleaned, repaired, and repolished?
  
  
• Are your quartz displays (or any displays) current and up to date?
  
  
• Is everything clean?
  
  
• Do you need to swap out that 10-year-old Uba Tuba for a new, modern natural stone or quartz color?
  
  
• Is everything labeled correctly or have the labels gotten dirty or peeled off?

Office

• Have you been meaning to get a new computer to replace that old, slow relic you have now?
  
  
• Do you have broken or unused equipment or furniture hanging around for no reason other than you haven’t had time to get rid of it?
  
  
• Do you need to go through your files and organize or archive, or both?
  
  
• Do the walls need new, fresh drywall repair, and paint?
  
  
• Are all your vendor catalogs new and up to date?
  
  
• Do you need to upgrade your internet to something stronger and faster?

Shop

• Have you been putting off getting that new piece of equipment you want because you haven’t had time to get it or to train on it?
  
  
• Has a team member been wanting to learn a new skill or machine but there hasn’t been time?
  
  
• Is all your safety equipment up to date, labeled and in the right place? (When was the last time anyone stocked the first aid kit or checked the eye wash station?)
  
  
• Do your forklifts or other equipment need routine maintenance?
  
  
• Is your storage area easily accessible and neat so stored items can be found quickly and correctly?
  
  
• Do you need to make any changes to your shop layout for more efficient processing?

Material

• Are your slabs stored in a safe manner to help prevent accidents with a team member or customer? (Straps, bars, or other safety equipment?)
  
  
• Are your slabs labeled as to color, dimensions, etc.?
  
  
• Are the walking aisles clear and free of trash and debris?
  
  
• Is your non-UV resistant material stored away from direct sunlight?
  
  
• Are your remnant pieces stored neatly or just put wherever there is a spot?
  
  
• Do you have any faded material, or material that is in all actuality too small to really do anything with that can be disposed of?

Vehicles:

• Are they up to date on routine maintenance like oil changes and inspections?
  
  
• Do they need any special maintenance? (Have you been putting off fixing that cracked windshield, fixing that minor coolant leak, or repairing the heat and A/C?)
  
  
• Do all their lights and electronics work properly?
  
  
• Are they relatively clean and neat on the inside? (Yes, I know they are work vehicles but sometimes they get too trashy and that reflects negatively on your business.)
  
  
• Are the wraps and signage on your vehicles that advertise your business clean with up-to-date information and readable?
  
  
• Are the outsides of your vehicles in decent shape with no large dents, peeling paint, or scrapes?

People:

• Is everyone on the same page? Does the receptionist say what the installer says and is that what the salesperson would say as well?
  
  
• Is everyone familiar with the company procedures and processing steps?
  
  
• Do all employees understand company policies? (And perks, for that matter.)
  
  
• If company uniforms or clothing is provided, is it still in good condition and does it fit well? (With the understanding that some team members may get VERY dirty.)
  
  
• Do all employees know who the HR person is in case they need HR for whatever reason?
  
  
• Do all employees understand the chain of command?

All businesses have ebbs and flows. If it’s not January/February, it may be some other time. No matter when it happens, use it as a chance to take stock of what is going on around you. Slow time does not have to be useless time. Slow time can be productive time, maybe just in a different way.

Please send your thoughts and comments on this article to Sharon Koehler at Sharonk.SRG@gmail.com .