In your stone business, the glues, razor blades, and acetone run out.
Transmissions, diamond blades, and CNC spindles wear out.
The consumables are simply replaced. The equipment, if maintained properly can sometimes be repaired. If not, it must be replaced too, usually at great expense.
So what about your install crew?
What happens when their bodies give out???
Do you view them as a consumable commodity that’s discarded when they’re all used up? If they’re beyond repair, do you just replace them?
[Awkward pause for your reflection]
You’re probably one of the good ones who will make a place for a broke down installer in your shop.
But what about the man who replaces him?
Isn’t he just as likely to wind up in the same situation?
To that point, let’s just review the typical installer’s situation for a minute: 30-45 years old, 10-15 in the stone business – 5-10 years installing. He’s probably got a wife or ex-wife and a few kids at home. The home most likely has a mortgage, which he is responsible for.
Now that we’ve personalized him, we remember…he’s human…just like you and me.
And, after spending the best years of his life acquiring the skills of a professional installer – no less significant than a journeyman electrician or mechanical engineer – his body gives out.
You tell me. How does that man start over at this point in life?
“But, but, but…” you say. “He knew what he was getting into,” you say. “It’s his choice to work in the stone industry,” you say. “I’m not asking him to do anything I haven’t done,” you say.
Ya ya ya, I’ve heard it all before. But only because that’s what I told myself every time I saw my installers leave the shop for another job.
Yes, I know that’s a tough question, it’s the question that led to the No Lift Install System.
Related Articles
Best Install Rig in the Stone Business
In the stone business, the shop guys seem to have all the toys and all the advantages. Even the most simple shop set up will have a forklift, slab clamp, and boom, not to mention lots of extra room, including bathrooms and break rooms. Many have vacuum lifters,...
3 STEPS TO GET COUNTERS READY FOR INSTALLS ON TIME
How can you improve your installs? Do you want to make them faster, better, easier — all of the above? In our latest video from our Installs Made Faster & Better series, we share with you three key principles on how to get countertops ready for install before your...
