Question Is Sign Management Software My Answer For The Steps It Takes To Close A Sale?

[Mastermatt87]

My wife and I have been running shop for a year now. Started in the house and quickly outgrew the garage, dining room and office space. We just moved into a nice size commercial building and finally have the space we need. We are becoming more organized and getting more requests for quotes. But it seems like our sales have all been a little different when it comes to the closing process. We don't want to reinvent the wheel if there is a good policy and procedures code to go by if some of you are already using it. Typically I make the first contact and figure out what they are looking for and then go to my wife who creates the quote. Then the buyer tells me if they want it and we get the payment and begin the artwork and production side. Then it's delivered or installed, whatever the buyer decides. We are looking for a more professional way to conduct the business and prevent mistakes. Do any of you require a signed purchase agreement from the buyer, and what about proof approval forms signed and returned before production begins? It just seems like a lot of signing and receiving before getting the job started on a $300- $1000 sign. Not sure if this makes a difference to clientele. What are the steps your shop takes from the time someone asks for a quote to the tine of delivery or install of the sign? And will something like Sign Tracker help us to keep a system that works and have some consistency to the whole closing a sale process? Thanks in advance!

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[WrapYourCar]

I don't think you need that software... as long as your quote is fair and they like dealing with you... thats all that matters. If they seem a little dodgy get a deposit first. As long as they approve via an email there is no need for signing any agreements etc. I suggest you to create the quotes yourself if it's your customer. The last thing a customer wants is to have to deal with 2 different people

 

[hcardwell93]

I email a proof and require that they reply that it is approved. My proof document states that upon client approval they are responsible for colors and wording as shown. If they want to have it redone after approval its on their dime.

If you have Adobe Creative Cloud subscription they have a Docu Sign app you can use. I use this any time I want very specific cover my ass things spelled out with clients signature. You can email it to them, have them sign and you have a permanent electronic record without leaving your office.

 

[Megagrafix]

Don't get lost in processes.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

As long as they approve via an email there is no need for signing any agreements etc.

As long as you have something written by somebody that is in authority or somebody that you could accept on good faith that has the ability to sign off and approve projects, the above is good enough.

However, for those that show up in person, you are going to want something for them to sign off on.

You are going to want a process, that is for sure. If nothing else for efficiency and to protect yourself and your business (providing that the process you use is a good one).

Now, if you are especially going to offer terms, I would strongly suggest having contracts that detail terms and conditions. I would suggest having it drafted by a lawyer, I have seen some creative "contracts" that will use terms like "emergency repairs" versus "repossession" when payment is not met within a certain time frame. That wouldn't fly legally in the jurisdiction that I am in (and in some others that I've looked at). So just because they sign something, doesn't mean that it's binding when it comes down to it.

Some might believe that this is overkill. I've been in 2 trades that used to be done on a handshake, can't really do that in today's world. Just a cost of doing business nowadays, right or wrong.

Try not to get too caught up, but you do want a process in place, again hopefully a good one. A good process saves on various forms of waste in the long run.

 

[Christian @ 2CT Media]

I can tell you that after nearly 10 years in business with out having a truly defined process and barely any CYA emails we are now going through the grudgingly painful process of refining our Willy Nilly business to one that has defined structure and flow. As we approach the million dollar sales mark it's more important than ever so I know your struggle!

 

[Mastermatt87]

Thanks everyone. Yeah, we want a similar process to help with efficiency and as a CYA to fall back on. Right now we aren't offering any terms. We have had one person request for financing and after it was all said and done he put half down and paid the rest of it that next month.

So do you guys send your quote before a proof? Or at the same time?

We haven't been very strict on our artwork fees. Sometimes we charge it before we get started, sometimes it's added into the quote at the end. Sometimes they already have the artwork so it's not even necessary. Is this something we should be enforcing and not overlooking or is a "process" we shouldn't worry about getting too caught up in?

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[hcardwell93]

Thanks everyone. Yeah, we want a similar process to help with efficiency and as a CYA to fall back on. Right now we aren't offering any terms. We have had one person request for financing and after it was all said and done he put half down and paid the rest of it that next month.

So do you guys send your quote before a proof? Or at the same time?

We haven't been very strict on our artwork fees. Sometimes we charge it before we get started, sometimes it's added into the quote at the end. Sometimes they already have the artwork so it's not even necessary. Is this something we should be enforcing and not overlooking or is a "process" we shouldn't worry about getting too caught up in?

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As far as art fees go, if I get a request for black helvetica letters in a white box I don't charge for an art fee, it's just built into the "here's your sign" price.

If someone wants a wrap designed they will get a quote for everything without doing any sort of proof. It will be set up as a line item for the wrap, and a line item for artwork with an estimated range. It's also good policy to specify a limit on how many times you will modify the artwork before adding more charges.

 

[Mastermatt87]

As far as art fees go, if I get a request for black helvetica letters in a white box I don't charge for an art fee, it's just built into the "here's your sign" price.

If someone wants a wrap designed they will get a quote for everything without doing any sort of proof. It will be set up as a line item for the wrap, and a line item for artwork with an estimated range. It's also good policy to specify a limit on how many times you will modify the artwork before adding more charges.

Thanks! Good to hear this method works!

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[bannertime]

If you don't have structure and policies in place you open yourself up to charge backs, legal actions, whatever. We painfully won our only charge back dispute because we finally found an email saying something about no refunds and that we specified exactly what we were going to do.

So you've got to categorize your customers. Customers that will always pay art fees, customers that have their own art, customers that need to pay deposits before you'll even start, etc. Some of our products include minor art fees, but anything with more than 2 colors will most likely call for an art fee.

Create a solid order process. Step 1, Step 2, Step 3, etc.Then stick with your guns. Stop the customer in their tracks that says "I need this, this, and this, at this time." "Hold on, here's what I need from you first." Then repeat it all in writing/email with signatures, phone authorizations are a no-go. Every time we step outside of our policies, something stupid happens. Software can help manage all that, but depending on how big your business is, it isn't required.

 

[equippaint]

I wouldn't go real crazy on lower priced basic signs in worrying about the CYA deal. It's not like you're going to take someone to court over $500 which is where it would really matter. Have some sort of order sheet with a rough sketch, colors, materials and the text initially. Something that'd take a couple mins to do with a customer in front of you and will also serve as a reference for you doing the proof. They can sign that or approve through email, get the deposit and then go on with a proof. The same order sheet can be put out in the shop with the design that they choose as a work order for production.
Totally winging it is a hard habit to break but too much paperwork is a dog on production too.

 

[hcardwell93]

Totally winging it is a hard habit to break but too much paperwork is a dog on production too.

That's a great way to sum it up! I try to get all details in some form of writing just to avoid "but you said!" or "but i REALLY wanted...!". You can pull up your email chain and point out exactly what was asked for and promised.

 

[Billct2]

A written quote, with terms, signed off on. Then the proof with details, approved. It's a fairly simple process.
When you have repeat customers an email order may be sufficient.

 

[Sidney]

Thanks everyone. Yeah, we want a similar process to help with efficiency and as a CYA to fall back on. Right now we aren't offering any terms. We have had one person request for financing and after it was all said and done he put half down and paid the rest of it that next month.

So do you guys send your quote before a proof? Or at the same time?

We haven't been very strict on our artwork fees. Sometimes we charge it before we get started, sometimes it's added into the quote at the end. Sometimes they already have the artwork so it's not even necessary. Is this something we should be enforcing and not overlooking or is a "process" we shouldn't worry about getting too caught up in?

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One of the biggest mistakes anyone can make is to design anything for free. I am amazed at the amount of sign business owners that actually do renditions without any type of deposit, in hopes that they will get the job….bad ideal! If a “potential” customers says “the sign shop down the road is giving me a rendition before I give them a deposit”, you need to let them go down the road. When you add the time it takes to give the “potential” customer and idea of what you can do for them, times that by “x” amount of “potential customers per month, you will have probably just let a week or two of one of your employees salary, fly out the window. Time is Money!