Word on the Street by Kevin Carty
Survey Results and Responses — Part 1 of 2
Our thanks to everyone who participated in the recent Classic Exhibits survey. Your feedback is greatly appreciated. I know surveys can be a nuisance, but the data and the comments you shared will not fall on deaf ears. Much to the contrary. Like surveys of the past, we use this information to keep evolving as a company. So again, thanks!
I’ll share many of your questions and comments over the next two weeks where I’ll answer and/or describe how we plan to address them.
In no particular order . . .
Can I work with one particular Project Manager who gets to know me and how I work as opposed to going through “Projects” and getting a different person each time?
Answer – Most certainly! It’s always your choice. If you would rather work with one dedicated Project Manager, please let us know, and we will make sure that person handles all your quotes and orders. Really the only potential pitfall is if that PM is overloaded, it may take him or her a bit longer to get back to you. But if that is the case, you can always use someone else for that particular project.
With so much aluminum extrusion out there these days, I would like to see designs that get away from “highlighting” the extrusion so much. I don’t want it to go away, but I would like to minimize how much is actually seen.
Answer – We have heard this from several distributors and have started to readdress many existing designs and transform them into SEGUE kits. SEGUE kits use MODUL TSP profiles that utilize Silicon Edge Graphics (SEG). This offers the best of both worlds — Hybrid Design with less exposed metal. Please do a search in the Visionary Designs gallery for SEGUE kits to see the full assortment.
Training Boot Camp at Classic! I would like to see this happen at the Classic facility. Two days of intensive training.
Answer – Great idea! We do this “one-on-one” or in small groups currently which is effective, but I agree that a larger group provides a different and much needed group learning dynamic. It also ensures you face-to-face time with the Classic team. We will schedule this in 2011.
Personally, I would rather know that you are very busy with quotes and designs and know that it will take longer than normal to get something from Design or Project Management. If it is going to take 5 days, then I would rather know that. Whether I like it or not. But sometimes I am told that I can have something in “standard” time only to have it show up a day or two late.
Answer – To be frank, most of the blame falls directly on Senior Management. We set a very high level of expectation when we meet with Distributors. And at the end of the day, especially in the busy season, I think we set our PM’s up for failure. For example, currently we are slammed with business — Quotes, Designs, Orders, etc. and on some days it is just not possible for a PM or a designer to hold the line when it comes to turnaround times.
Both PM’s and Designers have echoed your comment, especially during the busy season. We will try to better set the proper expectation both internally and externally. After all, we would much rather that you are pleasantly surprised by an early delivery than disappointed by a delay.
Classic needs a better process for allowing Distributors and Designers the ability to access DXF’s and other design files. While you do have an FTP site, the bulk of what is in Exhibit Design Search is not available there.
Answer – While I can’t promise a “quick” fix, I will say that there were several comments regarding this topic. Many of you even said that you didn’t wanted to burden our Design Dept. with routine requests, and with proper access to the files, your in-house design team could do much of the designing especially for kits.
This will be a longer process to bring up to date and fix, but we will meet about how to best address this challenge.
I wish I could opt-out of certain galleries on my Exhibit Design Search site.
Answer – Actually you can (within reason). Please contact Mel when you have time and he can explain the procedure.
Next week, I’ll respond to more questions and comments and review many of the statistical results from the survey.
Be well and have a wonderful week.
–Kevin Carty
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