Reply To: Dr. Vinyls Working Together

[mitchellreid]

Techs and Owners,

Recently I touched base with a fellow Dr. Vinyl, Steve Biggerstaff, out of North Carolina. We have become friends and have done our best to stay in contact at least, a few times a year. During our most recent phone call we were talking about the entire gym recovering work we had done for Hi Tone Fitness in the Southeast. He mentioned that he had received a call from another private gym in his territory who had heard about us from that previous work. This gym was a little far away to handle while he and his nearby, fellow Dr. Vinyl’s were so busy with their local work. I let him know I might be able to get to it as I was near that area once or twice a week. He was nice enough to send me the matching vinyl so I would not have to make a “dead head trip” to that location just to see what colors they had at the gym. The week after I received the vinyl I traveled to the location in North Carolina when rain chased me out of my normal route in East Tennessee. I spent a few hours working on the priority pieces the customer needed recovered while I was inside out of the weather. I made arrangements to return on a second trip for pieces that required sewn covers. The next day I traveled back to finish up my weekly work in East Tennessee that the rain had pushed me off of a day earlier. It really worked out well for me. I was able to work my route and additional work and not be hampered by the weather. That is what we mobile techs are constantly looking and striving for.

The funny thing was Steve felt like I was helping him when in fact, he was really helping me. This has become a reoccurring theme with us. I would have had no work to do on that rainy day. Basically, I was once again handed a job to do when I normally would not have been able to work.

I know I may be starting to sound like a broken record, but I want to continue to encourage all Dr. Vinyl’s to work together. I know in the everyday grind of business we have to focus on our own day to day problems in order to be successful. My point is that I think we can make money and help our fellow Franchises out as well. There is little to be gained in letting ANY work we can do as Dr. Vinyl slip away and possibly go on to help our competition. Just think about the possibility of what I am saying. Doing this could fill gaps in your business, like it did mine, and make your business stronger while weakening your competition who does not have other Franchises to work with, learn from, or rely on.

Morale of the Story: Helping another Dr. Vinyl out is a great thing to do…You may just find out the one you are helping the most is You!

Mitch Reid
The Wandering Upholsterer
All Who Wander Are Not Lost