IDEA for Intern: Track all unused machine time and equate it to ‘lost sales dollars’.

Hire an intern to calculate the accumulated time on unused machinery and equipment in your facilities (time your production machines were turned off and unmanned due to lack of sales).  Convert this time into lost absorption or lost sales (hours time potential sales/hour).  Track, report and post this every day to put pressure on sales personnel to fill up your machinery. (i.e. plant production = 87% of full capacity or $40K of lost sales per day).  Consider small bonuses or ‘financial kickers’ for those sales reps bringing in sales orders that start up a ‘dead’ machine.