Now that we have moved past our January 2016 resolutions, and if you are like me, gave up on that new change in yourself, maybe it’s time to look forward to this years business resolutions.
My favourite saying that I typically apply to business is, “the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.” I think I heard the saying when we first went through lean manufacturing. At that time this saying felt fresh and invigorating. I since discovered the saying is actually a quote by Albert Einstein.
So every time I think about or hear it now, it always brings back all the principles of lean manufacturing, efficiency and improving our business bottom line.
To bring on positive changes in your business, you should think about joining a new association, or become more involved in your current ones, such as the CKCA, AWMAC or NKBA, or at the very least check them out and decide which is the best fit for your organization. From there, maybe think about attending one of their events. With what you can learn there, it will certainly bring a bit of added value to your company or workplace.
At these association meetings, dynamic guest speakers address topical and timely industry issues, while tours of member manufacturing plants or other related companies in the woodworking sector are organized as an integral part of these sessions. Participants also get the latest information on suppliers’ products, and other ideas, which they can immediately apply to their own business.
Hopefully to inspire you, I will share a bit of how I have made joining and attending these events pay off.
Avondale Kitchens is a family owned company I started with my wife Suzanne in 1984 in a small 2,600 sq. ft. shop. It is now 14.000 sq. ft. and fully automated, producing one kitchen per day, designed, manufactured and installed.
My son Adam is the factory foreman and my daughter Karen is in production, show-room marketing, and coordinating production. My wife works in the office about four days per week, she is my main helper and back up during Saturday mornings in the showroom and her most important role in our company is Saturday mornings and doing our two major home shows in the spring.
I originally learned the cabinet business from Suzanne’s father, when I started with him in the housing construction business when I was 20 years old. Those where the days when we built Kitchens on site with just a table saw and router.
When my father-in-law got sick and couldn’t work anymore, my wife and I were forced into business and we then started with making cabinets in our small shop. That was a revolutionary concept at that time in our area, considering all cabinets were built on site.
In 1995, we moved to a 12,000 sq. ft. factory and showroom. That was when we started marketing outside of our own little town and expanded out to a four-hour radius installing cabinets. Later Avondale pulled back to a two-hour radius, which is a more efficient and much more comfortable reach.
In 2004, Avondale started on the journey to lean manufacturing and automation. That’s when Andrew from CNC Automation in Montreal, set up our firm with a nested based cutting CNC station.
That has worked so well for us, that once it was all paid for, we purchased more machines. We then increased our shop to 14.000 sq. ft. and put in a sanding machine and a robotic paper belt spray-finishing machine.
Currently with our factory fully automated, we produce one kitchen per day, with a typical lead-time of three weeks. But keep in mind that if we had to, we could deliver kitchens in two weeks for wood door cabinets and within one week for painted doors. We normally have between 3 to 25 weeks to deliver when orders are taken, depending on the homeowners or contractors requirements.
Avondale markets 95% to homeowner and our marketing is what I call referral-based marketing. 80% of our new customers already know somebody with an Avondale kitchen.
We do two weekend home shows in the spring, backed up by a direct mail campaign where we send all past customers a home show flyer with four free tickets. Avondale does some magazine and newspaper advertising, we have a state-of-the-art website, solid presence on HOUZZ, and the latest marketing focus is on making Facebook and social media marketing work for Avondale.
It has been evident over the years the only constant in business is change. Currently, the biggest changes and innovations that are happing at Avondale are the implementation of mobile technology and social media marketing into our business. So now when I am attending a machinery show, CKCA meeting or plant tour that is the areas where I’m usually sniffing around to see what’s really going on with the other guys.
If you want to take a look at what we are doing on the social media side, just check in with our website, Houzz or Facebook.
So give it some thought, what are you going to do this year, to change your way of doing business to help improve your bottom line? Get out there and check out what’s happening. Travel a little and learn a lot. Hope to see you at one (or all) of this year’s events.
