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Stoner/Doom Bassists Thread, Part 90: Maxed Out

#15,946
The_Janitor said:
Them: "Hey The_Janitor, what's your opinion of this work-related thing? It's your call, we'll do what you think we should do."

Me: "Well, I think we should ______________."

Two weeks later... "Hey we're going to do the opposite of what you suggested, even though it's costly and will probably have zero positive results. Help us figure out how to do it."

Head + Desk.
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I have some equally face palmy stories from my days as a production manager at various companies. Giving presentations to bosses about how we could make the same product in less time, eliminate some of the more pricey consumable materials (like using a blowtorch to make a cut edge glossy, don't ask), with less material waste and create a higher quality product. In effect making it so we could get a lot more work done in less time for less money and make customers more happy with the product, with no downtime or change in setup, just procedure change. Every single time I got a flat "no, keep doing it the way we are now". Usually because the owner of the company didn't know anything about the actual product or the process and just leaned on the excuse that the person who they bought the business from told them that's how it's done. I quit every job like that I ever worked and then they went out of business within 2 years.
 
#15,948
Corey Y said:
I have some equally face palmy stories from my days as a production manager at various companies. Giving presentations to bosses about how we could make the same product in less time, eliminate some of the more pricey consumable materials (like using a blowtorch to make a cut edge glossy, don't ask) ,with less material waste and create a higher quality product. In effect making it so we could get a lot more work done in less time for less money and make customers more happy with the product, with no downtime or change in setup, just procedure change. Every single time I got a flat "no, keep doing it the way we are now". Usually because the owner of the company didn't know anything about the actual product or the process and just leaned on the excuse that the person who they bought the business from told them that's how it's done. I quit every job like that I ever worked and then they went out of business within 2 years.
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askrere is tempted to ask.
 
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#15,949
This showed up today. Digipak looks really great.

IMG_1616_zpsbb70872c.jpg
 
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#15,950
Blank_0101 said:
askrere is tempted to ask.
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Ask whatever you want, it's nothing exciting or secretive. I worked for a couple sign companies. The last one I made ADA signs. Handicap bathroom signage, the room numbers for hospitals and school, that sort of thing. The kind of stuff that is several layers, with raised portions/letters, braille, sometimes backpainted or more complicated things. Most of that job was using vector plotting programs and a laser plotter. Sometimes I used C&C machines for carved wood signs and other things. There was a middle management guy whose job it was to just walk around and complain to everyone ("why isn't this done yet?", "how many jobs did you get done this week?"), but nobody there ever gave a second thought on how to do a job quicker, nicer or more efficient. They just complained, then refused to take any suggestions on how to improve things. I feel like the thing that makes me good at recording, mixing and producing is what makes me good at building things and cooking. Being able to think about something, break down the process and adapt to get the best/quickest/most efficient result. A lot of people involved in production at small companies that build things learned one way to do something and then never change, no matter what problems crop up from it. The details of my particular experiences are mind numbing, I won't subject you to them. I went from that into sales, which I hate and will get out of at the first opportunity. I've always built or installed things up until what I do now and my father is the only one I worked for that ever updated a process or took a well thought suggestion on how to improve something and he's the only one still in business.
 
#15,951
Corey Y said:
Ask whatever you want, it's nothing exciting or secretive. I worked for a couple sign companies. The last one I made ADA signs. Handicap bathroom signage, the room numbers for hospitals and school, that sort of thing. The kind of stuff that is several layers, with raised portions/letters, braille, sometimes backpainted or more complicated things. Most of that job was using vector plotting programs and a laser plotter. Sometimes I used C&C machines for carved wood signs and other things. There was a middle management guy whose job it was to just walk around and complain to everyone ("why isn't this done yet?", "how many jobs did you get done this week?"), but nobody there ever gave a second thought on how to do a job quicker, nicer or more efficient. They just complained, then refused to take any suggestions on how to improve things. I feel like the thing that makes me good at recording, mixing and producing is what makes me good at building things and cooking. Being able to think about something, break down the process and adapt to get the best/quickest/most efficient result. A lot of people involved in production at small companies that build things learned one way to do something and then never change, no matter what problems crop up from it. The details of my particular experiences are mind numbing, I won't subject you to them. I went from that into sales, which I hate and will get out of at the first opportunity. I've always built or installed things up until what I do now and my father is the only one I worked for that ever updated a process or took a well thought suggestion on how to improve something and he's the only one still in business.
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TL;DR :woot:

Kidding I did, you worked for some weird people. But middle management he just needs results I guess, if the company goes out of business it's not technically his fault he can just say to new employers look I was told to turn A into B and I did all the way until the butter end.

Edit: bitter end lol... And it sucks, but the better companies always seem to have a policy where they listen to any employee with an idea. Middle management is in the middle of things and should be responsible for communicating the issues and innovative ideas on the floor to the business owners to make decisions.
 
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#15,952
Blank_0101 said:
TL;DR :woot:

Kidding I did, you worked for some weird people. But middle management he just needs results I guess, if the company goes out of business it's not technically his fault he can just say to new employers look I was told to turn A into B and I did all the way until the butter end.
Click to expand...

That guy was the biggest turd I ever worked with. He had zero experience building or managing anything, everyone who worked there wondered whose cousin or nephew he was that he got that job. He just sat in an office, then got up once an hour and made the rounds asking everyone what they were doing. He didn't actually DO anything or know what anyone did or how they did it, so he never had any constructive input about anything. A couple other department heads I worked with theorized that his job was the justify not giving anyone raises, ever. After I left I found out he moved on to be a construction manager for his wife's dad's roofing company, sounds like he failed up.
 
#15,955
Corey I hear you on managers/owners not knowing their ass from a hole in the ground.

Every year we have a review that outlines our cost benefit to the company. Bonuses and raises are dependent on that, and company profitability. This past year I hit the cap on my bonus per my position, and was given a $0.50 an hour yearly raise (some cost of living increase huh?). With out that cap, doing the math the way they do, I would have nearly doubled my pay. Couldnt do that thought, would have cut in to the multi billion dollar profit.
 

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