My medium is leather and I write several special orders at shows which are fully paid for in advance. Delivery might be 1-2 months depending on work load in studio. Here is the problem I have encountered and am looking for feed back about. These are real examples. At a Colorado show, a client from Texas ordered a canteen decorated with nickel spots -$250. He said he would email me the design he wanted done. After 12 months of phone calls ( non returned), and emails I put the order in a dead file. Another time an inventor type wanted me to make a prototype tool case that rotated rather than tipped over when you get down on hands and knees. He showed up 2 YEARS after the fact and wanted a bunch made. I declined. The latest this spring, also from a Texas client, was a $65 ostrich inlay dog collar. I have left messages and sent emails to this guy for his dog's neck measurement with no reply.I am wondering if these folks might not have had too much to drink and don't remember where they spent their money.
Thanks Kay. The suggestions about follow-up were read and considered. I have to keep administrative time under control as it does not produce art which equals income. I've decided to send a 6-month letter and if it's not delivered or there is no response: que lastima, and move on.
Not sure but I think some of you are missing the point....he has tried to contact the customers with all the info he has, they don't respond. I don't think additional contact will do much. Like I said put the orders in the "no response" file and work on your new orders - if they ever crawl out then you can worry about completing the work. Keep the cash and don't sweat it. I would change your policy up money upfront either.
It is all about the story, and the emotional connection that you make at the point of sale. The unfinished story - can you remind them of their yearning for the "rest of the story". Did they see themselves dancing with those chaps, or that belt; were they having the item made for a wedding or awards ceremony? Was it a gift ? If the occasion is past, they need a new reason and a new date to desire your treasure. It is all about the romance.
Here is another one I forgot about until I saw the skin in a tub behind my belt storage. This fellow is a cowboy artis who hangs out with Hollywood types on Aspen " ranches". He shot an animal on a hunt and skinned it from the back so a pair of chaps could be built with the animal's legs on the front. I got the skin after it had been tanned. He wanted another artist to make the chap belt which was OK with me but I wasn't going to start the project until everything was in my studio. I got $600 down on the $1200 order. That was 2004, eight years ago! I asked other clients about his where abouts. For awhile, everybody had "seen him around" but no one knew where he was at - phone, address, email always changing. At this point I don't know if he is dead or alive. He was a pretty hard partier and was either broke or flush to the gills.
I think the postcard idea is good. I used to work for a photographer that did senior portraits. I was always amazed at the people who paid for a sitting, looked at their proofs and then placed an order then never came and picked up their order. They pay for the sitting, they have to put at least half down on their order and we had orders sitting there for years. They end up getting stuffed into some out of the way place taking up room. The photographer got paid for his time, but any profit was lost in the order sitting on the shelf. And these people are all from the photographers same locale. Why do customers do such things? Who knows. Richard, if you do your part, don't worry about it. Send them the self addressed postcard and maybe make a phone call and you have done your part.
A visual reminder might be helpful. A photo postcard of your work, or of your booth might jog their memory. When you take the order, have them self address the postcard. That way the act of actually addressing the postcard might jog their memory when they receive it later from you. (And is good marketing) An email with a photo showing a copy of their invoice - order with their signature might also be effective. If they have a smart phone, have them photograph the invoice and email it to themselves. That would combine a visual element with an action element. If you can find a way to add a humorous element, that will also increase their memory power. Good luck.
Hi Richard, I haven't had this happen, but a couple of thoughts...people are really mobile these days maybe the phone number (if it was a home number) is no longer valid. But if you got to voice mail it's still theirs. Same thing with emails - they change like water flows out of the tap! I guess I would give one last call and say basically - "you have already paid for (item) and I am waiting for your (needed info) This will be my last request so the ball is in your court. You can contact me at.... I would have a file for such custom orders, note the dates of contact and not give it another thought. At least you've been paid. I wouldn't worry about people asking for the money back. If they do, that's another decision.
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Not sure but I think some of you are missing the point....he has tried to contact the customers with all the info he has, they don't respond. I don't think additional contact will do much. Like I said put the orders in the "no response" file and work on your new orders - if they ever crawl out then you can worry about completing the work. Keep the cash and don't sweat it. I would change your policy up money upfront either.
It is all about the story, and the emotional connection that you make at the point of sale. The unfinished story - can you remind them of their yearning for the "rest of the story". Did they see themselves dancing with those chaps, or that belt; were they having the item made for a wedding or awards ceremony? Was it a gift ? If the occasion is past, they need a new reason and a new date to desire your treasure. It is all about the romance.
I think the postcard idea is good. I used to work for a photographer that did senior portraits. I was always amazed at the people who paid for a sitting, looked at their proofs and then placed an order then never came and picked up their order. They pay for the sitting, they have to put at least half down on their order and we had orders sitting there for years. They end up getting stuffed into some out of the way place taking up room. The photographer got paid for his time, but any profit was lost in the order sitting on the shelf. And these people are all from the photographers same locale. Why do customers do such things? Who knows. Richard, if you do your part, don't worry about it. Send them the self addressed postcard and maybe make a phone call and you have done your part.
A visual reminder might be helpful. A photo postcard of your work, or of your booth might jog their memory. When you take the order, have them self address the postcard. That way the act of actually addressing the postcard might jog their memory when they receive it later from you. (And is good marketing) An email with a photo showing a copy of their invoice - order with their signature might also be effective. If they have a smart phone, have them photograph the invoice and email it to themselves. That would combine a visual element with an action element. If you can find a way to add a humorous element, that will also increase their memory power. Good luck.
Hi Richard, I haven't had this happen, but a couple of thoughts...people are really mobile these days maybe the phone number (if it was a home number) is no longer valid. But if you got to voice mail it's still theirs. Same thing with emails - they change like water flows out of the tap! I guess I would give one last call and say basically - "you have already paid for (item) and I am waiting for your (needed info) This will be my last request so the ball is in your court. You can contact me at.... I would have a file for such custom orders, note the dates of contact and not give it another thought. At least you've been paid. I wouldn't worry about people asking for the money back. If they do, that's another decision.