A Day In The Life Of A Rookie: Efficiency
Efficiency is the title for the fourth edition of my blog because that’s the main thing I’ve accomplished over the past three weeks. Not necessarily learning more product or industry information but getting better with the things I’ve already learned. It might sound boring but it’s pretty important.
It’s important because efficiency allows me more time to focus on new projects, in turn, giving me more opportunities to learn product and industry information. So as you can see, efficiency directly relates to me progressing with this business. For example, I’ve gotten much better coordinating with our installation crews and keeping a mental note of what phase different projects are in and which people are where. When I first started, things moved fast and I had a hard time taking in information without feeling like my head would explode. Now, things still move fast, but I know the information a little better so it’s easier to take in and I can do the coordinating quicker.
To end this Blog I wanted to do something a little different. Because I’m still learning the business/industry I thought it would be interesting, and possibly comforting, to hear some rookie stories from others around the office. It could’ve been a story that stuck out in someone’s mind, maybe the day everything clicked, maybe a mistake they made, whatever they remember from being the new person in this industry. I decided on contrasting inputs, one person fairly new to the industry and another who’s been around the block once or twice. Enjoy!
Dan Storey, Project Manager – 2 years with Storage Solutions
“My first (of many) rookie mistakes was an oversight on lead time. I had a customer who ordered some racking from Storage Solutions, but we had to order the wire decking new. I forgot to accommodate for the manufacturing lead time when I scheduled for the installation. Long story short, we sent down the used uprights, beams, and hardware with our installers, but there were no decks for them to put on the racks. So, we had to scramble to find available equipment that would work for this job because the customer needed it done ASAP. The story has a happy ending though… we were able to get them the products necessary to finish the install and they were happy with the end result. I also learned a valuable lesson about lead times in the process!”
Kevin Rowles, President – 17 Years with Storage Solutions
“This may not be comforting to you, but after 17 years in this industry I still feel like a “rookie”! There is much for us all to learn and multiple opportunities in our ever changing business world – but, you must have passion for what you do, keep your eyes open, and maintain your entrepreneurial attitude! It’s overwhelming at times – but would have it no other way…that challenging spirit is contagious around here and contributes to our success…and headaches! (also contributes to waking up in the middle of the night – just keep your notepad handy and go back to bed :)”