It’s no secret that manufacturing can be a tough business. Putting in long hours and constantly working against deadlines is arduous, to say the least. Considering how many pieces have to fall perfectly into place for big deadlines to be met, it’s no wonder companies frequently buckle under pressure and drop the ball. If the prospect of missing an important deadline has caused you to lose sleep, the following tips can help put your mind at ease.
1. Find a Reliable Supply Chain Management Company
If you depend on a supply chain management company for transporting raw materials, make sure they have a proven track record of timeliness. In many respects, your production schedule is dependent upon when these materials are delivered – and a late shipment can lead to a missed deadline. Before contracting with a certain company, take care to do some online research. Client testimonials and consumer feedback sites can prove exceedingly helpful in finding the right company for the job.
2. Provide Workers with Incentive
Meeting tough deadlines often requires people to put in overtime. Since no one relishes continuing the daily grind outside of normal work hours, it stands to reason that your team isn’t going to put forth their best effort when their leisure time has been compromised. Fortunately, the right incentive can effectively change the way your employees feel about burning the midnight oil. An increase in pay, for example, is always a great motivator, so if you can afford to do so, add a little extra to the hourly wages of workers who stay past normal business hours. You might also consider giving your team a vacation day or two once the order is complete.
3. Keep Clients in the Know
Missed deadlines are sometimes unavoidable. In some instances, this is due to a screw-up on the clients end, but more often than not, the fault lies primarily with manufacturers. Although no one is ever happy to hear about a botched deadline, it’s in your company’s best interest to inform clients of deadline problems well in advance of the agreed-upon date. If, for any reason, it appears that you won’t be able to meet a deadline, it behooves you to contact the client the instant you start having doubts. Chances are they won’t be pleased, but the earlier you bring this to their attention, the more forgiving they’re likely to be.
Manufacturing deadlines may be stressful, but they don’t have to be all-consuming. Running a tight ship, staying meticulously organized and heeding the above-mentioned pointers can go a long way in making botched deadlines a thing of the past.
