We all want to bring in more money and business for our sign shop. However, what’s the best way to go about doing that? There are plenty of ways to bring in new business, but one great way that you might not have thought about before is sign service. There’s a big demand for sign services, so you don’t want to miss out on this opportunity, especially if you want to bring in more revenue. There are always going to be people who need repairs, cleaning, and similar services for the signs they already have. By offering up sign services at your sign shop, you can start catering to more clients.
Let the sign shop pros at shopVOX help you to learn how to start offering sign service.
Start an Hourly Rate Plan
If you want to start providing sign services to customers, the first thing you’ll need to do is determine the hourly rate you’ll need to charge. There are a lot of costs that go into providing these services that you need to know you’ll be able to afford. For example, what is the cost of labor for employees providing this service and their burden rate? You’ll also need a service vehicle, which comes with many costs itself. What is the hourly cost of running the service truck, the insurance needed for it, the gas it will require, and maintenance? If you need help determining the overhead cost of offering sign service, shopVOX can help. You can use the shopVOX shop rate calculator to break down your overhead costs for the service to help you get an accurate hourly rate.
Of course, this isn’t all that you need to consider when setting your prices. This will cover what the service will actually cost your business, but you also need to make a profit from it. We recommend aiming to make a 20% to 30% profit. It’s also important to look at what others in your area offer for services like this. Obviously, you don’t want to charge too much if they can get a better deal elsewhere, but charging too low will also hurt you. Make sure your hourly rate covers the cost it takes you to run it and makes it a profit but stays competitive.
Stock Up on Supplies
Before offering sign services, you’ll need your technician and service truck to be loaded up with the right supplies for the job. Without having enough supplies, your sign service will never be as successful as you had planned. Remember that it’s better to have something and not need it than it is to need it and not have it. If your technician is constantly restocking items for your service truck, you’re going to end up wasting a huge amount of time. This means less time actually serving your customers and bringing in revenue. When you do need more supplies for the truck, run out and get them on your own or have someone else designated to do this, don’t have your technician spend their time getting this task done.
Figure Out the Type Of Work You’ll Do
Next, you’ll need to plan for the type of work you’ll actually be doing to provide this service. You want to be prepared for the jobs you’re going to be taking on, so you need to decide exactly the types of service you’re going to offer. You can replace burnt-out light bulbs and other parts, fixing non-illuminated letters, and maybe even offer services for maintaining parking lot lights. You want to be sure that the services you plan to offer will be in demand in your area. To do this, you might have to have someone do night watch to bring in leads for this service. When you have some good leads in, have your sales team contact them to schedule an appointment. You might also have your technician contact your leads to book appointments.
Find the Right Technician
You can’t offer this service without having a technician you can trust. Finding the right technician can sometimes be a challenge when you want to ensure they’re capable of handling all the duties of the job. You’ll need someone with a lot of experience working in the electrical field who will be able to troubleshoot and fix an issue quickly. Your technician also needs to be great at staying organized and can keep your truck in great condition. They’ll be representing your shop when they’re out on jobs, so you want someone professional who will leave a great impression.
Invest in Sign Shop Software Today
Offering a new service is a great way to expand your sign shop. However, adding on a new service isn’t always easy and requires a lot of planning to execute. Having the right print shop software is extremely important if you’re going to offer sign service. The features in shopVOX will help make it easier for you, your technician, and the rest of your team to manage the tasks involved with this service.
Contact shopVOX to learn more about how you can use our software for your sign service.