Your model sounds more conventional than most of the members of this group, who generally do not work on bikes for customers. More than semantic, for most operations in this group, the community members work on their bikes under the supervision of volunteers (less frequently staff) to accomplish repairs. Thus, input is matched to output. Some volunteers also work on bikes for donation/sale/gifting.
In a conventional Independent Bicycle Dealer, repairs are a function of mechanic availability. Typically, a shop will have a work order/repair tag that is placed in a file/hook/slot, representing a day of the week. When the order is created, a time value is assigned and the file/hook/slot is capped at a total time value based on anticipated mechanic availability. It is useful to have a 20% time value contingency. Parts and labor are noted on the work order as accomplished. Many IBDs have a limbo file/hook/slot for bikes waiting on parts, warranty, etc. When a bike is identified for assembly (IBDs deal in new bikes) a work order is created and placed on file/hook/slot.
On Fri, May 8, 2015 at 6:59 AM, Laura Biren birenlaura@gmail.com wrote:
Hello all,
Was wondering if any of you had any advice on backlogs and successfully quoting customers when their bike will be done?? We have a combination of repairs/tune-ups, as well as overhauls of bikes people are requesting to purchase from us. So far we have one giant list of bikes that need to get done in order of when people came into the shop and approximately when they desire the bike to be done.
Thanks a bunch!
-- Laura Biren Outreach Intern at BF Community Bike Project bfbike.org 617 939 4330
The ThinkTank mailing List <a href=" http://lists.bikecollectives.org/options.cgi/thethinktank-bikecollectives.org">Unsubscribe from this list</a>