Shop Time vs Shopping Time

     As a girly girl, I love to shop, so buying for a living works well for me! Being a buyer means I shop all day, everyday! It requires me to spend lots of time looking over reports, analyzing usage and inventory numbers, getting quotes, checking costs and tracking shipments. These things all keep me in my chair at my desk for most of the work day. However, something that I've found to be really important is time in the shop. Some facilities have a required daily walk through the shop and the stocking areas. If your's doesn't, take some time at least several days a week to get out to the manufacturing area.
     One of the reasons I think it's important to visit the shop is to show the guys/gals who work out there who you are and to get to know them a little bit. Building a relationship with the people who use the materials that you buy gives them more confidence in you. It helps them see that you're an actual person, not just a name. Being out on the floor regularly also shows them that you're one of them, not just someone who sits at a desk all day. The facility I work at isn't climate controlled. So when I go out to the manufacturing areas, it can be really hot or really cold, or even rainy. I think the people who work out there everyday gain a new respect for me when they see me in the same, sometimes uncomfortable environment that they are always in.
     Learning the different areas and machines is really helpful for buyers too, so is another good reason to visit the shop floor. Knowing what material is used on which machine and what task or tasks each machine performs helps you understand manufacturing from a different perspective. I've found that the plant workers and managers like that I take an interest in what actually goes on in the shop and they even respect me a little more because I can converse with them about the materials as well as the machines.
     Walking the plant with a manager gives you time to check out all of the storage areas and take note of inventory. When you actually see the size of the storage areas and the materials on hand, you can visualize when you're buying to help you determine quantities to buy. It also offers the opportunity for the plant manager to talk to you about any issues. As I noted earlier, it's good to build relationships because that builds others' confidence in you as a team member.
   
     So, get up out of that chair! Do some shop time everyday.