Scheduling can be one of the most complicated parts of running a shop. Each job is just a little different, particularly if you’re running a job shop. That can make it hard to schedule and make sure that each job finishes by the due date. This process gets even more complicated when you’re trying to schedule everything by hand. That might be possible in a small shop, but once a shop gets large enough, or busy enough, it’s no longer just a hassle to plan all of that manually; it becomes impossible. However, either of Shoptech’s ERP systems can get your shop on top of your scheduling, no matter how complicated it gets.
Communicate with the Customer
Even if everything is going according to plan, customers still like to keep in contact while their job is being worked on. Sometimes, their questions are harmless, like when a customer just wants to know where their job is in the shop. With E2 SHOP or E2 MFG from Shoptech, you can quickly find which step the job is on and put the customer’s mind at rest that their job will be done on time. Other times, the customer wants to make a change to their order. At that point, it becomes crucial to know which step the job is on so you can know if you’re able to apply those changes or if you’ll have to scrap the parts you’ve been working on. When you know the job status, you can quickly tell the customer how much more time and money you’ll need to make the changes on that part. You can have an informed discussion with them about this quickly instead of having to waste time running out to the floor. Once you have completed the part, then you need to ship it to the customer. E2 SHOP or E2 MFG can automatically send an email to your customers when their jobs are shipped out to them. That level of communication keeps your customers happy and coming back to your shop. However, not all scheduling problems are that easy. Sometimes, you have to change your entire schedule.
The Rush Job
You’ve probably come to expect it by now. You’ve got all of your jobs scheduled out perfectly so they all get done on time and no one has to work overtime. Everything is balanced. Then your best customer calls in and asks if you can make their job a rush job. Of course, you say yes and then run out to the floor to change all of that scheduling that you worked so hard on. If you’re scheduling manually, this process takes a long time and upsets everything. With E2 SHOP or E2 MFG, it’s not a problem. All you have to do is change the due date and it will shift the schedule and show you what alterations need to happen to still meet other due dates. If you just want to check and see what would happen if you changed the due date on a job, a digital whiteboard is much easier to edit than a physical white board. That way, you can check and see what kind of chaos could happen if you change the due date and it will only take a few clicks. Using one of Shoptech’s ERP systems, you’ll never have to plot out a schedule by hand again.
Conclusion
Scheduling is crucial to getting jobs done by their deadlines, yet it’s never really finished. Things change all the time from the part itself to when the part is due, and your shop has to be nimble enough to make these changes. With E2 SHOP or E2 MFG, your shop can be, and you can keep in communication with your customers every step of the way. This level of communication will make your customers confident that you’ll get their job to them on time and as they specified. An on-time job just as they ordered it is a great way to make your customers happy, and a happy customer is a happy shop. Once again, scheduling saves the day.
