Technology, Competition and the Glass Industry

Posted by enegrin in Polished Edges on May 10, 2011

Technology integration, into our products and our operations, is a vital component to the future health of almost any organization today. Glass is a vital and burgeoning Industry with diverse opportunities for new products and whole new businesses.

Technology helps me run a best practices company. We are always looking for creative applications for glass and related materials. Our capital appropriations practices for equipment and tools are justified by an ability to outdeliver our competitors on both single source capabilities and for the impeccable quality and precision for which we have earned a well deserved reputation.

A regular and perceptive reading of trends will help prevent a business from becoming too complacent. In many ways, technology has helped to level the playing field in other Industries with adverse effects on non-tech savvy competitors. By not refreshing the product and services offering, these businesses become more and more alike with little more to differentiate them than price.

With change taking place inside and outside of our businesses at lightning speed, having a strategy for keeping up to date is important. Since I am in my fourth decade in the glass business, it goes with little explanation that I possess a broad perspective. Yet, I make it a point to religiously keep current with most Industry Journals and online publications as well as those of our primary customers.

I also attend various Industry events which allows me to supplement my regular check-in calls to colleagues in other companies with these chance face-to-face meetings in restaurants and on the tradeshow floor. Keeping informed provides a great perspective when making important decisions about the future of your operations.

New product innovations from some of the leading research companies in our Industry hold the promise for new business opportunities and new markets to serve. Innovative surface materials, photovoltaic glass, plus new ideas in display and design utilizing Architectural Decorative Glass are just a few examples of items that can bring distinction to a creative organization.

One of the key reasons for maintaining a technology edge is to stay ahead of the competition, to do something new, innovative or simply recognizable. In today’s excess capacity economy,  “follower” competitors are losing ground. And, it isn’t just limited to technology matters. If you have competitors, and most all of us do, the ones who are still standing today can be characterized as aggressive, innovative and well prepared. For the most part, the weak have already fallen by the wayside.

At the same time that competitors have gotten better, customers have gotten smarter. They have more choices than ever before, have many more information sources and, take longer to make decisions. These smart buyers make intelligent decisions – they demand the newest products and innovations, the most features and all at the best price.

For me, this discussion always comes back to marketing. You can be innovative, offer competitive prices and consistently deliver on time. But, what if no one knows about you? Don’t be the best kept secret in your market.

To be prepared to get your fair share, you need a clear business plan, innovations that distinguish you from others in your business, a competent workforce, efficient production abilities, and a communication plan to stimulate the market and win the sale.

Together the people, the products and the direction of our Industry provides a progressive platform for expression and healthy growth. Continuing to invest in our businesses and in our Industry is a good bet.

Thank you for your interest in my blog, I am eager for your feedback as well as the opportunity to build new business relationships. Please contact me at polishededges@galaxycustom.com

Galaxy Glass & Stone® has a worldwide reputation as an industry leader in Architectural Decorative Glass. With over 32-years of success in this field I offer my expertise to the professional community as a content expert on any glass related matter. My future blog postings chronicle perspectives on a range of issues of a personal and professional nature that I believe will be of interest to members of the glass industry.

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How to Hire the Best Available?

Posted by enegrin in Polished Edges on April 6, 2011

It seems harder to get good people while unemployment is so high.

Now should be a great time to find reliable and energetic people to grow and further develop our collective workforces. However, I am not sure whether we are all waiting for the economic turnaround thinking we will get our old world back or, just putting off accepting the new reality. In any case, it remains difficult to find quality workers to add to our team.

There was a time when vocational/technical schools provided a reliable stream of young people with good intuition and a desire to learn. Today, these schools are not producing enough people ready and willing to work in industrial environments. And, the challenge facing those with more advanced skills and seniority is a mixed bag; unrealistic earning requirements, less productive work habits and poor attitudes.

So how do you find the right people to join your team?  How do you know if the person in front of you is in it for the long haul?  And where do you start on the search for a qualified employee?

Filling our employment requirements used to be a constant challenge.  We have addressed this issue by creating a versatile hiring process that works for any type of employee category, from sales to shop labor.

The process starts with having a clear outline of the skills required for the position. If the position is a current one, a quick look at the formal job description should be all that is necessary to create a job offering statement. If you are creating a position for the first time or have been operating without such protocols in your company, you’ll need to create a list of skill requirements and expectations you have for the position. Then, turn the list into an advertisement.

Your ad or position statement can then be communicated through your social networks and placed in commercial job post media. There are many schools of thought on how to structure and compose a recruitment ad. The Internet is full of resources for this step.

Word of mouth is always an excellent way to begin the job search.  It removes some of the unknowns from the equation.  Ask your staff for referrals and prepare and send an email to appropriate vendors, customers and friends of the company for recommendations and referrals.

The process we developed at our company helps ensure that we find good employees who know how to follow directions. The steps are organized to quickly qualify or disqualify prospects in the most efficient manner. Our first principle is to always be on the lookout for good people.

Once we get interested in someone, we engage respondents in the process.

We insist that candidates include a cover letter highlighting their background and the reason they believe they are qualified for the position. If the cover letter does not come in, we don’t even look at the resume. Either the prospect is “Robo” responding or doesn’t follow directions.

When responses come to us, we briefly review the cover letter and resume to determine if the prospect meets our general requirements. If we believe they may, we forward back a complete job description with a questionnaire. We want to see how they write, if they will follow directions and if they are “connected” to the position. If they don’t meet the criteria, we reject them.

Even with a comprehensive interview process, sometimes things don’t work out.  It can be costly to hire and train an employee and then find out they are not the right fit.  We have found that a trial period of 30 to 90 days greatly improves the likelihood of success in hiring a new employee.

Many other companies are now doing this—offering the candidate the position on a contingency basis.  After the trial period, their performance is evaluated.  At that time, they are either let go because they don’t meet company standards or, they are hired as a full-time employee.

There should be plenty of qualified employment prospects.  Finding the right fit is achievable if you have a process. As the hard facts of our economic reality take hold, I believe workers will seek quality companies that offer sustainable wages and ample opportunity for growth.

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