We all have bad habits. Sometimes they start as a quick fix to an immediate need, and sometimes they evolve out of processes built to serve products and equipment that is no longer part of the business. Over time, they become ingrained in the fabric of how work is sold and how jobs flow through the business. Every one of those habits costs the business money. It might be a little. It might be a lot. But it is costing money.

As you approach 2020, this is a great time to find those habits and banish them to the past. Here are three things you should stop doing today for a healthier and more profitable 2020:

In 2020, every job that you accept without complete specifications means that someone must chase down the details, confirm inventory availability, and verify finishing requirements. No matter what the estimation and quote say, there is still a need to verify every aspect of the job before it enters production. When that doesn’t happen, the risk to the job is high. Incorrect substrates, wrong trim, database mismatch for variable-data work, and even incorrect mailing dates all impact the final margin on the job. You may find that jobs that showed a healthy margin during the estimation and quoting stage end up with a loss when the job details are tracked.