A little reminder about time-frames and double rubs...

I was reminded recently by a company to always be cautious with time frames.  The date they assured me they would have a fabric by came, and when I called to check on it they told me that any date they give me really means that date plus or minus 5 days.  Cute.  I expect next to hear it it plus or minus 5 business days, not counting odd numbered days.

It reminds me of the time a certain major company...which starts with a K and ends with an ravet.  Labelled their 9,000 double rub goods as suitable for heavy duty upholstery work.  I of course called and the CSR immediately told me that for upholstery they would of course recommend that we apply a knit backing.   Of course.

Bottom line.  Watch those promises and use common sense.  You can only control what you do yourself.  If you keep the customer informed throughout the process then hopefully they will realize it is you and them trying to get through this, as opposed to you trying to get one over them.

A reminder...

There is no reason to spend your time and gas going to see someone who cannot be helped.  We have all had people who need help.  Some even need extra help.  There are a handful who need so much help that they can't even explain to you what they need.  These are not the people I am talking about.

In order to be successful you need to be able to make sales.  It doesn't matter if you are on commission or not. Even a salaried salesperson can't spend all day every day collecting pay and bring no money into the company they work for.  So what do you need in order to make a sale?

1.  You need to know the general nature of the work.  If someone is calling you out for a service that you don't  provide, you can't go.  I know it seems obvious, but sometimes someone will ask for something like a sound baffle, and when you say that you don't do that they will say "come anyway".  This request is usually justified with a vague assurance that they may be open to other option.  Don't do it.  They want a sound baffle, even if you convince them to take velvet curtains once the job is done they won't be happy.

2.  You need to know if they have something specific and unobtainable in mind.  Example:  I saw this discontinued fabric 5 years ago, please come out and help me, nobody else says they have it.  Much like the above, if you can't fulfill their order, don't go.  This is not someone who is saying I want something like this.  They want that EXACT item.  You can't get it, and unless they can afford to have it replicated, offer to keep them in mind should you ever come across it.

3. You need to make sure that the items are not needed in a time frame that cannot be met.  I have gotten calls the Monday before Easter for custom slipcovers that need to be completed by Sunday.  If the workroom cannot do it, there is no reason to meet.  You can offer to have them ready for a later date, but make sure you are VERY explicit and they acknowledge your alternate date as acceptable.  I spent a very long day once driving out to a customer who as soon as I crossed the threshold said, my window treatments will be ready in a week right?  I reminded her that I explained this was impossible, and she gave me the "well since you drove all the way out here...if they can't be done by then you might as well turn around and leave now."

4.  Lastly you need to make sure that the decision makers are going to be present.  If daughter makes "all the decisions", but Mom has final say on fabric...and Dad has final say on budget...then you can't possibly complete  a sale without meeting with both of them too.  If you are paid an hourly fee you could take multiple trips, but it is just better for all involved if you can schedule a time when everyone is available.

I will leave you with a bit from my side of the desk.  I had a coworker once who I found out was running their own side business (in this industry it seems like every coworker is), when confronted about it she explained that she told the bosses how much she needed to earn, and when she didn't get that much it was on them, it's not like she didn't tell them in advance how much she needed.  I will skip the lecture on what is wrong with that and just say; some clients operate under the same logic.  They will not feel even slightly bad if you waste time and gas since they TOLD you initially, no matter what they agreed to part way though that they needed a SERVICE you don't offer, MERCHANDISE you can't obtain, a TIMEFRAME that you cannot meet, or a PARTY you need consent from is not present.  And if you don't even ask the questions in advance, shame on you.

Anyone else going to this?

MAYA ROMANOFF CEU FEATURING A WALLPAPER-MAKING DEMONSTRATION MARCH 20, 1 P.M.
	Join Joyce Romanoff, president of the renowned wallpaper company Maya Romanoff, for a CEU on 20th- and 21st-century wall coverings. She will have her team of artisans here who will perform a demonstration of how they make some of their beautiful papers.A reception will follow at Donghia, Suite 503. The program is free, but registration is required. Please RSVP at the link below. To see more about Maya Romanoff and its beautiful papers, see our blog post here.
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Wallcoverings...

While not my favorite, I thought I would share what flocked wallpaper has become...

Click it...

What if you want something that is a little more spectacular (and flocking free) check out this link.

http://www.mayaromanoff.com/

You won't be sorry.

Trade Secrets...

I should probably have titled this post "Nothing New Under the Sun".  My boss and I had a discussion two days ago about if there are things that we don't even know to do.  It is very hard to argue that there is nothing that you don't know about, or that nobody could come up with a better way to do what you do.  I can say that with certainty I know of nobody who is doing work of a higher quality than we produce.  I can certainly agree that there are more expensive materials out there, but as far a fabrication techniques...a visit to a highly recommended workroom today reinforced my beliefs.

So here is my challenge, come up with something, some method of fabrication, or some style of treatment that is high-end that we don't do.  Let's compare notes.  Maybe I'm wrong.

Going the extra mile...

I just finished seam-ripping some trim off four sets of tie-backs for a client, (this is what I get for not insisting that she buy new) and I found one of her bone rings is missing.  I have no bone rings...so next step was to take a 14 gauge galvanized wire ring in a matching diameter that I made and sew it on to the back.  Let's hope this good deed goes unpunished.

Another Pro Tip...

Never schedule yourself to work on Dec. 24th (or the day before Thanksgiving for that matter).  It's not that you will have the day off, instead it is a virtual guarantee that you will be making an emergency delivery or completing an emergency install.  Check my other blogs to see what I did today.