Managing Increased Volume for a Large Client in a Printing Business
I own a small printing business, and a large client has approached us with a long-term contract. However, I’m unsure if my team can handle the increased volume. I’m worried about scaling too fast and losing control over quality and timelines.
What should I do? Please advise using 7SFS.
Here’s how you can approach this situation using the 7 Steps Fulfilment System (7SFS):
1. Celebrate & Be Grateful
Acknowledge the Opportunity:
Celebrate the fact that your printing business has attracted the interest of a large client offering a long-term contract. This is a testament to the quality of your work and presents a great opportunity for growth.
Express Gratitude:
Be grateful for the opportunity to expand your business with a reliable, large-scale client. Recognise that this could lead to increased stability, revenue, and future business growth.
2. Align Your Fulfilment Vision
Reaffirm Your Business Vision:
Align this opportunity with your long-term vision for the business. Is growing your client base and handling larger contracts part of your growth strategy? Does this expansion support your goals of increased profitability and market presence?
Set Clear Goals for the Contract:
Define specific goals for handling this contract, such as ensuring quality, managing the increased volume efficiently, and maintaining client satisfaction. Make sure these goals align with your team’s capacity and business vision.
3. Know Your Win
Define Success for Scaling:
Success means fulfilling the increased volume while maintaining the high-quality standards that have earned your client’s trust. You want to scale in a way that doesn’t overwhelm your team or compromise timelines.
Track Key Metrics:
Identify key performance indicators (KPIs) such as project turnaround time, quality control, team workload, and profitability. These metrics will help you gauge whether the scaling process is manageable and sustainable.
4. Know Your Client's Win
Understand the Client’s Expectations:
Your large client expects consistent quality, timely deliveries, and efficient service. Their win is knowing that you can handle the increased volume without sacrificing these key elements.
Communicate Your Commitment to Quality:
Reassure your client that you will maintain quality and meet their expectations, even with the larger volume. Set clear timelines and realistic expectations for both parties to avoid misunderstandings.
5. Sign Win-Win Agreement or No Deal
Evaluate Your Capacity:
Assess whether your team and current equipment can handle the increased workload. Consider if you need to hire temporary staff, invest in additional equipment, or partner with a subcontractor to help manage the volume.
Negotiate Realistic Timelines:
Work with your client to establish a timeline that balances their needs with your team’s capacity. This could involve negotiating staggered deliveries or implementing phased project deadlines to avoid overwhelming your team.
6. Deliver with Excellence
Maintain Quality Control:
Implement quality control measures to ensure that increased volume doesn’t lead to mistakes or rushed jobs. This could include adding checkpoints during the production process to monitor quality and timelines.
Improve Efficiency:
Look for ways to streamline operations to handle the extra volume, such as optimising workflows, automating processes, or adopting project management software. Ensuring efficiency can help your team handle the workload without compromising quality.
7. Achieve with Joy
Celebrate the Contract:
Celebrate the successful onboarding of your large client with your team. Recognise the effort it took to secure this contract and the opportunity it represents for your business’s growth and stability.
Reflect and Plan for the Future:
After completing a few phases of the contract, reflect on how well your team has managed the increased volume. Assess whether you need to make further adjustments in staffing, equipment, or processes to ensure long-term success.