THE TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGING

Things are beginning to turn around and orders are filtering in which is more than a little comforting. If they don’t happen at this time of year and business does not build as we approach the holidays, then we have cause for concern.

Having said that, there is a definite trend emerging and that is in the number of late orders. It can be expected though as event planners, corporations and the hospitality industry as a whole, feel their way through the situation.

You cannot expect companies to open their wallets and throw money at every opportunity – they will be selective and make sure they spend where they are likely to see the best return.

From the carver’s perspective, this will mean late orders and we had all better get used to it. In the bigger companies, this will mean overtime so be prepared to remember this when quoting jobs.

Will business ever return to those heady days when you turned out sculptures as fast as you could ? It is doubtful and be prepared to make adjustments to in your operation to meet these changing circumstances.

Pay attention to pricing, too. Cost is an important factor but so then, is service. Make sure you deliver on time, within budget and look professional while you are doing it.