W
hen you sell an order for embroidered goods, there are many questions that must be answered before your contract embroiderer can create a single stitch. As with all promotional products orders, the successful outcome of the order is largely dependent on how detailed and complete the information is that you collect from your customer and then provide to your contractor.
Unfortunately, far too often, contract embroiderers are not provided with all the key information they need to correctly accomplish the job order. For example, we cannot guess if your customer wants the logo on the left or right chest, as it is just far too expensive for us to make the incorrect choice. We contact the sales person, and ask the questions to get the missing information.
And then we wait. And wait. And wait.
Then the salesperson contacts us and asks, "When will this order be ready?" When we tell her the date, she may become frustrated because it may be later than she expected. Yet when we ask the questions about logo placement, or for a confirmation or clarification about a thread color (there are way too many "blue" options for us to presume to guess), the salesperson cannot provide the information that we need, as she doesn't have it from her customer.
As the contract decorator, it is our job to produce what the sales person wants, by the deadline, and to meet the specifications of the customer. It is impossible to do that when key information is missing. So who is responsible for making sure that all the key points are covered when the order is handed to the embroiderer?
I believe it is a shared responsibility. The sales person needs to know what information the contract embroidery shop needs. Using a form or a checklist is an easy way to ensure that all the information is gathered as you close the sale. If you regularly sell decorated apparel, this will all seem "old hat" to you. If you do not frequently sell embroidered apparel, it is easy to forget the details that are critical to your contract embroiderer. If you’ve never sold an apparel order and then contracted it out to an embroiderer, this is what you need to know in order to do it efficiently, and therefore profitably.
When you close an order for coffee mugs, your customer selects the mug, and decides what logo should go on it and in what colors. When you close an order for embroidered jackets, your customer still must decide what logo and specific colors are desired on it. But you also need to know how many jackets in each size, and if you need ladies jackets as well, and if the logo on the ladies jackets should be as large as on the men’s jackets.
If your customer orders shirts with a left chest pocket, and then you tell us the logo is a left chest placement, it still isn't enough information. We need to know if you want it on the pocket (which sews it shut in most cases, as the pockets are not big enough to hoop) or above the pocket, which does not look all that good in some cases, depending on the shape and size of the logo. If the customer wants it on the right chest, should the logo be centered opposite the pocket, or should it come up a bit higher? We need to place it where the customer will be happy with it – so we need very specific information in order to accomplish that.
Apparel sizing is consistent for the most part. There are some styles, however, that run a bit large or a bit small. If your customer is on a really tight budget and is not able to order any extra apparel, or if he doesn't order the sizes with 100 percent accuracy, then what? If it is embroidered, the contract shop should be paid for that work. Yet the shirt is of no value to anyone else at that point, besides that customer. It is not the embroiderer’s job to make sure the apparel is going to fit everyone. It is the embroiderer’s job to make sure that what is embroidered are the right products, in the right quantity of the sizes as ordered. So we do indeed want and need a breakdown of the products, by style, quantity and size. If you tell us the job is 100 golf shirts, we will embroider 100 golf shirts. If you tell us the job is 100 golf shirts, six Small, 20 Medium, 40 Large, 40 Extra Large and eight XXL, we are going to wonder which 14 shirts we should not embroider! Don’t chuckle – this happens, often!
Then we have to determine the best thread colors. Threads do not come in all the colors of PMS hues. We have several hundred colors to choose from but, unfortunately, we do not have the full spectrum of colors that are available in ink. So if you say the logo should be in royal blue, we have to figure out which royal blue is the best choice. And sometimes, the thread color is different enough from the logo color that we would rather have confirmation instead of disappoint your customer.
When you get an order for embroidered apparel, make sure you get all of the following details from your customer to pass along to the contract embroiderer:
• Style numbers and quantities per size
• Design size – specific measurements of minimum and maximum height and width are very helpful, per style
• Design placement – be very specific, per style
• PMS colors that we are attempting to match
When you provide all the key information to your contract embroiderer, he or she can complete the order on time and in exactly the way that will please your customer. It makes you look like a hero with your customer, which increases the chances of repeat orders with you.
Jennifer Cox is president of the National Network of Embroidery Professionals. NNEP members receive personalized marketing consulting designed specifically for their business. To join NNEP today, visit NNEP.net, email Jennifer at hooper@nnep.net, or call 800-866-7396.