Ever Felt The Pressure ??

[Mojo]

Have you ever taken a job where you feel alot of pressure because you want work to come out perfect ?
Yes, we are responsible for putting the pressure on ourselves but I just took a full awning job on an
05 Endeavor motorcoach ( all 4 slide awnings need replacing ). I am feeling a huge amount of pressure.

It is pretty cut and dried but the awnings are being installed by a dealer who wants to start using me for all their awning work. This is one of Florida's largest dealers / factory service centers and they are extremely picky but outside contractors work. You screw one of their jobs up and they will never call you again.

I am feeling the pressure big time as these awnings have to be absolutely perfect. They have been waiting for my first awning job there and the owner said " I cannot wait to see your work ". If this was a normal customer I wouldn't feel any pressure but there is a lot of future business riding on this one job ( not to mention my reputation in this area ).

The entire job is being done in Recacril and Solarfix ( Tenara ).

Here's to a perfect job. :)

Chris

[gene]

If you do the same quality of work that you normally do, it will be perfect. Just don't try to do any better than perfect, that's where people tend to screw up.

Good luck on this. It sounds like a great opportunity.

gene

[sofadoc]

You screw one of their jobs up and they will never call you again.

Does that mean "if you TOTALLY screw it up", or "if it isn't perfect"?
From your description, it kinda sounds like they must plow through a lot of outside contractors.
If that's the case, it's only a matter of time before they find something  that causes them to "never call you again".
No pressure there! :D
Good luck!

[Mike8560]

Ya people.can alway find somthing if they want to. Good luck Chris

I get pressure but it's more from rime frames.  I've had deers goof up Nd fell me about somthing they messed up
on and they need it right now and I've got to fix it for them.

[Mojo]

I know the owner and he is a good guy and very loyal. But he is a stickler about precision and perfect looking work.

It is one of the reasons why people with these coaches drive from up North to Florida to have them work on their coaches. They are one of the best in the country but they demand perfection from their outside contractors.

He already gave me his " pep talk " and demanded any awning I do is done in recacril, has two rows of stitching and is done with Tenara thread. He even went as far as to say I want all the fabric cut with a hot knife. Obviously he has done a great deal of research on these awnings. :)

I have a great deal of respect for him because he goes the extra mile for all his customers and takes great pride in his work. This is what add's to the pressure............meeting his expectations.

But being OCD and a perfectionist myself I am sure I can deliver top notch awnings to them. Still....... I feel the pressure..........lol

Chris

[Mojo]

I also forgot to mention the customer is a well known member of an RV Association and when I talked to him he said he was driving down here from the Panhandle because he heard my awnings were the best you could buy.

Evidently my name got circulated at a big rally up North. I know when this job is done he will report back to the association about my work as this is the first member I have done work for. The national President of this association was the one who recommended me to this customer.

Between the dealer and the association I am sure you can see why I am feeling the pressure. I will come out of this a hero or a zero......lol........ ;D But I will do the best work I am capable of and to be honest I try and do the very best on all of my jobs. I feel any customer dropping money into my lap deserves the best I can give.

I probably should have sent the guy to Port Charlotte to see Mike. I would have told him Mike can turn the job around in 4 hours. But then with Mike being 20 years older then me I would hate to put the pressure on my old buddy ...lol

Chris

[kodydog]

But being OCD and a perfectionist myself I am sure I can deliver top notch awnings to them. Still....... I feel the pressure..........lol
Chris

Having the confidence is half the battle. I'd rather work for someone who will inspect the product closely and appreciate a job well done than someone who says, just set it over there and asks how much do I owe you without really looking at the workmanship.

Is there such thing as perfection? I don't know. Do the best job you can and you'll have no regrets, no mater what happens.

[crammage]

I so agree with you Kodydog.  I recovered two chairs for a drapery outfit one time.  Was really careful and did a good job hoping to get more work from them in the future.  When I delivered them she took a quick glance at them, said they looked great and then went got the check to pay me and off I went.  I was very disappointed she didn't take time to inspect my work.  she subsequently sold the business to someone else and I never heard from them again.

I tell my customers that if they shave a concern about something let me know, I'll make it right.  They're the ones that have to live with the furniture not me.

It feels good when people appreciate your work.

clay

[seamsperfect]

Here is one thing you have to keep in perspective.  Perfect compared to what?  We as upholsters generally keep very high standards,  what we think might be an OK job is perfect in 99% of customers eyes.  We all strive to do the best we can but also keep in mind that what we might think is a little off is a great job done according to the customer.  Just do you your normal work everyone is accustomed to and you will be fine.  If you make it too too perfect then it will be expected of you from here on out on every awning you do, you want to talk about PRESSURE ;)
Kevin

[Mojo]

Your very right Kevin. I think the whole problem is trying to meet my standards which are always high.
I admit I put the pressure on me by setting my standards so high. I have been like that all my life. The many things I have done I have never been satisfied with but everyone else is over the moon.

Maybe I need to concentrate on pleasing the customer instead of myself. Their expectations are typically a little lower then mine...  ;D

Chris

[seamsperfect]

Your very right Kevin. I think the whole problem is trying to meet my standards which are always high.
I admit I put the pressure on me by setting my standards so high. I have been like that all my life. The many things I have done I have never been satisfied with but everyone else is over the moon.

Maybe I need to concentrate on pleasing the customer instead of myself. Their expectations are typically a little lower then mine...  ;D

Chris

Yes sir my standards are very high as well.   I try to meet them with everything that goes out the door.  I just try not to over exceed,  then you set even a higher standard on yourself.   Just like my moto " quality and consistency are  my keys to success"
Kevin

[byhammerandhand]

Here is a good article on the subject:
http://www.woodshopnews.com/columns-blogs/finishing/498313-practice-doesnt-need-to-make-perfect


I heard a speaker a few months ago.  He said that when someone compliments your work, just say thank you and shut up.   Don't say things like, "Well, I had a little problem with this corner here, it's not as tight as I'd like and there is a little problem over here that I tried to fix up as best as I could.  Just shut up.

When I used to work with salesmen, there was always a saying something like, "Make the sale and shut up."   Too many kept trying to sell after the customer was ready to commit.   Their rule was put the contract on the table and push it their way.  The first person to talk after that "loses."

[Gregg @ Keystone Sewing]

I feel pressure when a customer calls up and tells me they found me on the Upholstery Discussion Board.  This is because I know if I'm not 100% on point, or having an off day, or whatever, everybody here will know about it.  I mean, seriously, talk about accountability here.  I seen a post about another dealer not often mentioned here, and although I can't comment, I can imagine to myself and think damn, if that were me in that situation, I would be raked over the coals here.

[MinUph]

Chris,
  I've always felt that none of my work is perfect. Well not none but close. And the clients love it. I have worked to my standards all my life and never wish to lower them to a clients. I am sure YOUR standards is the reason for the referrals and recommendations from others. Stay with the way you have been it is obviously working. Please yourself and the client will be pleased.