for Better Control And Profitability

Tool & Die Shops

SALES

• Have you expanded your market by using SIC lists and industry computer files?
• Have you developed low cost mailers that sell your services?
• Do you critique your advertising design to capture the customer?
• Have you evaluated your return on advertising costs?

OPERATIONS

• Have you evaluated your machine layout and work flow to reduce "bottlenecks"?
• Have you reduced setup time and increased running productivity through usage of ratio delay studies?
• Do you have quality control procedures and specifications?
• Do you use work cells to reduce labor costs and inventory costs?

FINANCIAL

• Have you developed flexible budgets at various levels for sales and fixed costs?
• Have you determined break-even levels and how to lower them through cost controls?
• Do you know your actual job cost per order so accurate markups can be developed?
• Do you have cash flow forecasting and cash flow management systems?

PERFORMANCE

• Are your shop personnel motivated through performance standards?
• Have you developed group labor and spoilage incentive plans designed to reduce costs?
• Do you use "The Share Plan" to give key personnel a piece of the action?
• Do you use  material standards to control spoilage and yield costs?

INVENTORY

• Do you plan and establish inventory levels for seasonal variations?
• Have you developed procedures to prevent capital tie-ups through accumulation of obsolete and slow moving items?
• Have you evaluated your space utilization for maximize storage capacity and for use in more profitable operations?

ADMINISTRATION

• Is the authority and responsibility of key people clearly defined?
• Do you have a management information system to measure and control key operations?
• Do you have an accounts receivable collections procedure and computerized file tracking system?
• Do you use organization charts to minimize line and staff head count?