LJ,

Your comments about engraving showroom samples is some very sound advice. I was guilty, in the early stages of my business, of not wanting to "waste" my inventory by engraving it as samples. Boy, have I come full circle on that concept.

Customers have no visual concept of what an item will look like engraved. By engraving your items you will actually get your customers in and out more quickly. They will typically take the foundation of what is engraved on the sample, tweek it a bit and be on their way.

On the subject of single-piece, customer-owned engraving, why don't you at least quote them a price that makes it worth your while to disrupt your production? By doing that, you will at least capture the worthwhile portion of that business.

Just guessing here, but the time it takes to initiate the job with the customer, take down their specs, and figure the quote is already a disruption from production. And given the value these jobs would need to be to justify the break from high volume work, the majority of them will likely be refused anyway, so why bother?

Sei

Chuck,

Now you could get me in serious trouble with this post. My wife gets more than a little irritated when I get the credit for her gorgeous showroom. She will be quick to tell you and me both that it is *her* showroom. Here's hoping you'll edit your post replacing "Roy' with "Shirley."

kidding mostly, but Shirley has created one of the nicest medium sized showrooms in this part of the country and anyone traveling through Arlington TX should visit.

To all,

How could I be so, callous, so cruel, so.. so... so.....blatantly mistaken about All American Awards in Arlington Texas.... my career in this idustry is over before I start...sigh...I am doomed. I must jump out of the basement window......

SHIRLEY Brewer, has in fact created a magnificent showroom and when I visited I found myself to be most welcomed by this very professional and open woman and her family. It was like my own little tradeshow....

Chuck

Chuck,

Atta Boy! Now I'll hopefully be allowed back in the house!