Episode 181 - Workspace Money-Making Design Tips

Custom Apparel Startups

The space in your shop, retail store or warehouse is essential to how much money you can make. Not surprisingly there is an entire field based on workspace optimization and customer experience. How fast you can get things done, how comfortable your customers feel and the overall space you work on can heavily impact your success.

Examples:

• Customer walks into two shops, which one do they buy from?
  • A - Cool art on the walls, music playing, samples on the walls.
  • B - No decorations, loose thread on the floor, and ink stain on wall, and something sticky.
• Production - who can produce shirts faster?
  • A - Neat and clean workstations, equipment nearby, labeled shelving.
  • B - Boxes of shirts shoved under a table, 20 ink carts all various filled stacked up, heat press in the corner away from everything else.

So how can you make your workspace make money for you?

Know Your Style

If your workspace is a pleasant place to be, you will work better in it.

• First design your space to fit your style and brand.
• You want it to feel good to work in, if you are uncomfortable in the space, you won't be happy.
• Like art a lot? Put some on the walls. Into fishing? Put up a singing fish.
• Consider how you dress and incorporate that into the look. if you dress modern / fashionable, get furniture and decorations that are in that style.
• Tip: Hire a designer or consult friend or family who's good at it.

Consider Visitors

Will customers enter your workspace / shop?

• If you are going to be alone with no visitors, make the space yours.
• If you plan to have customers come in, consider their experience:
  • Have table and chairs for them to sit in.
  • Keep coffee, soda, water bottles.
  • Have samples ready to show off.
  • Put up pictures or books of work to flip through.
• Make your workspace a different place than your customer interaction space.
  • Don't push away shirts you are working on so a customer can sit and chat.
• Have public Wi-Fi.
• Computer or tablet available to interact with customers on.

Don't Break Your Back

Workplace injury or long-term strain on the body is a real thing. Help yourself stay healthy.

• You are in the business of picking things up, bending over and working with machinery, watch your health.
• Put the heat press at the right height.
• Get foot stools and shelves.
• Use tables that match your height.
• Get gloves or braces for back / wrist / knees (if recommended by a Dr.)
  • Or just go to your Dr and say "I do this, what strains or injuries could I get and how do I prevent them?)
• Tip: record a video of yourself working and see if you notice times you strain, bend, hunch over, etc. (or show your Dr!)

Your Workflow Should Be In the Design

Make your space work for you by having everything in the right place.

• If you go from Heat press to printer to heat press to boxing, then consider designing your space in that flow, put the machines/tables in that order.
• If you are bumping your elbows or cannot get a good reach, move things around.
• Be creative like putting heat press facing a printer, this way you turn around and the press is right there.
• Consider more than just placing things by a wall, maybe a circular placement makes sense.
• Tip: record a video of work and see if there is something you notice about wasted time.... like "Look - every time I need a box of shirts I go all the way over there and back, and look – I almost tripped on a wire once!"

Sounds, Tastes and Smells

Eyes are not the only sense, think about the others.

• Music can be a great way to keep you motivated.
• Music can also give customers a good vibe of your shop. If you primarily sell to high schoolers, play pop music.
• Air purifiers, outdoor fresh air, air fresheners, incense, etc. are great ways to keep the shop from smelling like still air, sweat or a factory.
• Keep healthy snacks, gum, mints, sodas, water, coffee, tea etc. Not just for customers, but for you.
• All of this matters because it keeps you going, keeps you positive.

According to a study at Oxford University people who are pleased with their work environment are 13% more productive, and that can include YOU.

Brand It

Have your shop fit your brand, because it's part of it.

• In the last episode we talked about branding, and your shop should fit that too. Just like your website and your social media.
• If you use fonts or colors on your website, use them in your office.
• Use samples from your site, as samples people can see in real life.
• Music, Sounds, Smells, visuals should match your feel.
  • Sell to business professionals? Make your shop feel like a modern office. Look up google or apple offices.

A good workspace and shop design will absolutely have a long-term impact for your business. This is not only for your production, but your mental and physical health... and of course your customers will WANT to do business with you!