At the extremes there are two levels of service businesses; one with multiple layers of administration and even investor distributions, and another where the principals are the producers. Graphix Sign & Web is the latter.
My company is an outdoor advertising business in its bootstrap period, so I cannot afford to spend on anything that doesn't go straight to the work. That is how I came upon Graphix and why I look forward to working with them long after my company advances beyond our launch phase.
Our needs are specifically sign installation and maintenance, so my review is limited to those services.
Competency is the baseline for any service, but the other, more ethereal, and I would argue, more important, attributes that I look for in any service provider, are work ethic and discipline. The determination to see the job through to the end, regardless of the circumstances, is a rare quality. It cannot be part of the company's culture without first being part of the principals' characters.
The two principals are hands-on managers with high standards, and their lean crew work together like couples who can finish each other's sentences. Given the quality of their service, I have no doubt that they can grow, which will of course require them to hire administrative staff. But if they remain true to their ideals, that growth will allow them to offer a broader range of services while retaining their standards and competitive pricing.
As is frequently the case with small businesses, they risk diluting their focus; I find sign and web to be a curious service mix, and I admit to not having seen the web side of their name when I found them, so someone else will have to chime in on that part of their business. But if you are in need of sign fabrication, installation and/or maintenance, I recommend, without reservation, that you would be wise to include them in your next RFP. read more
