Where Is Our Technology Taking Us?

How important is technology to you? Can small businesses survive and thrive without it? How far have we grown in the technology world? This article will take a look into the past, present and future of our technology growth. Our goal at Pavement Stencil Company is to provide you with what you need when you need it. By the time you have finished reading this article you’ll see how committed we are in keeping up with the best ways available to always be there for you right on time!

Through the years Pavement Stencil Company has grown leaps and bounds in the technology realm. Starting out in 1990 every stencil was traced by hand with a custom made knife. After a short time, a die cutter was introduced to mass produce alphabet and number stencil sets. The die cutter was a heavy machine with two rollers, one on top of the other. Perfectly arranged razors fabricated within wood, called die’s, produced each letter or number needed. By sending the die’s thru two rollers an alphabet or number stencil set was manufactured. Soon after, we were able to cut handicap and arrow stencils that way as well. Adding each die one at a time made the hand traced stencils fewer and production faster. Even still the heart of PSC knew there was a faster way.

Past Accomplishments

Upon arriving in Roanoke, Virginia for the opening of our second location in 2008 “Bones” the router was introduced. Consequently, finding Bones changed manufacturing stencils above one inch to a quick and efficient process. In addition, this was triumphant because the previous method, hand tracing did not allow us to manufacture smaller letter and number stencils. Not only that, adding the machine meant we could raise our goal to shipping orders the same day customers ordered them! As growing often does, adding “Bones” made room for further growth.  We became busier and hired additional staff. In turn, that meant we required another machine. Today we have three machines! Hand traced and die cutting days are now a part of our history.

Machines are not the only way Pavement Stencil Company can offer you the best customer service possible! We understand that technology is just one facet to the entire customer service package. We’re always fast, friendly and available when our customers need us! Once we were certain we could perform our goal of getting orders shipped the same day, we realized another issue at hand. Customers want stencils that match their own handmade stencils posing the question, “How can we make this happen and have the stencils match exactly?” After immense research we introduced a Drawing Board to the PSC technology family. It allows us to use tracings of any stencil to copy into our computer. This method has helped satisfy our customers! It allows consumers to continue using their handmade stencils with NEW material, rather than converting their entire stencil inventory over to different specs. Being in the industry for 26 years has helped us discover that a lot of contractors make their own wooden stencils before they are aware of the solution that is our material! Once pavement stripers realize how amazing our stencils perform, they typically shift their loyalty to our product. Furthermore, the Drawing Board allows our contractors to successfully match a job that is new to them and have been previously striped by another company. A company who may apply different stencils than they do. What a contribution this piece of technology has been!

Growing To Meet Your Needs

Even with the amount of growth Pavement Stencil Company has achieved, we still want to do more to help! This brings me to the number one technological advance this world has seen. TEXTING! Texting has become a part of society’s tapestry. It has assisted every persons multitasking skills! What does texting have to do with stencils you may ask? Well, we are already committed to being available to our customers however we can and that includes texting! On the job and need to order a stencil? Quoting a job and not sure if we have the stencil you need to re stripe? Want to see if we have a stencil that you’re looking for? Did a customer request a custom logo to go on their parking lot? Cumulatively, these can be addressed by text if you so desire. Many of our customers have sent us pictures of stencils or markings on the ground thru text and it has been quite helpful to us and the customer.  At any time, you can send us a text to 540-206-7724. We will be just as available to you as we are by phone call or email! Our business is your business and the quicker we can assess your needs the quicker you can keep those jobs rolling!

Technology!? I think we have proved that it is pretty important! Could we survive without technology? Of course! However, thriving is what we want for our business and yours! Our future lies in your hands and we value your growth. Our promise is that along with our continuing growth in the technology realm, we will not lose the personal touch that seems to be lost with the use of computers. We are Technically Personal and Personally Technical. We will always grow hand in hand with both as the years go on.

Have an idea of how we can better help you? We’d love to hear it! Please let us know by emailing us at [email protected], calling us at 800.250.5547 or texting us to 540.206.7724.

Until next time.. Warm wishes! The PSC Team