Lead time is a company’s ability to deliver a request within a specified timeframe. Naturally, the shorter your lead time, the better for business – so it’s common in manufacturing to feel constantly pressured to reduce your lead time, or ‘get things done faster’.
There’s a good reason for this. Studies have shown that the first proposal or product sample received is 80% more likely to get chosen. It wasn’t cost or quality or value; it was ‘being first’. You heard it here first – lead time has a direct impact on how likely a client is to engage your services or use your products.
So how do you reduce your lead time, without simply ‘working faster’ or reducing the standard of your products or services?
Reducing lead time the PSI Brand way
Here are some of our key strategies for reducing lead time in an organic and sustainable way, without working faster or compromising on quality.
Work in parallel
At PSI Brand, we aim to complete work in parallel, rather than in series. Although this doesn’t actually lessen our workload, it enables us to complete projects sooner by making more effective use of our time, and is a common resource optimisation method used in manufacturing and production. For example, when we begin a graphic setup, our printers will already be preparing their sheets for printing the first colour, which enables the project to be printed sooner.
Eliminate handoffs
Every handoff in a process is an opportunity for delay or error, so we take ownership of our projects and see them through from start to finish wherever possible. Handoffs require work to be stopped and then transferred, often to a worker or station that already has a queue of work to get through first, or to a worker that needs to spend time getting up to speed with the current project. They can lead to miscommunications, and unnecessary time spent on a project that could be completed much sooner.
Compress work
How do you get the same amount and standard of work done in less time, without working faster? This is where technology comes in – whether it’s investing in faster manufacturing equipment or developing more advanced IT infrastructure, we look at new ways in which we can compress and simplify our processes to enable us to complete work in less time, while maintaining our high quality standards.
All of this contributes to PSI Brand’s responsive customer service and quick turnaround times, fortified by our emphasis on regular and open communication and commitment to delivery within the promised timeframe.
Frequently asked questions
What is your lead time?
At PSI Brand, we are proud to offer a 7-day lead time RUSH Service option. This reflects our commitment to maintaining the highest standards in customer service.
How long until delivery?
Our shipping time depends on the delivery location – we use international couriers FedEx, TNT and DHL for efficient, on-time delivery. We’ll let you know how long your delivery is expected to take at the time of ordering but typically its within 3-7 days to the most of our customers.
How soon can we get graphics for rotomoulding?
You can usually expect to receive your shipment three to four weeks after placing a graphic order, however we can expedite the order process in the case of urgent requests – just let us know when you need it by, and we can negotiate a rush order lead time using our RUSH Service.