Limited space for counter work

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Rozmataz

Rozmataz

SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
Joined
Jun 13, 2002
Posts
2,773
Loc
Fingerlakes Region of NYS
Oh boy - I have been up and running for 5 months now - starting my 6th today - yay!!!

BUT... I am getting busier and find that when I have more than one "customer" in the store - I am already out of space (not counting when my friend was in with 2 pieces to frame with her 3 grandsons!!! eee!! 9,6&3!- and I actually kept them fairly busy by giving them corner samples to play with and they had a ball arranging them all over my floor - pretty cool designs came out, too!)

My design counter is 7' long with a walk between area for my cash/computer counter 3' wide so my wall of frames is behind my design counter and cash counter.

Question is... 1) how to handle more than one customer at a time - since some take a while and others are pretty quick decision makers!! 2)How to utilize my space better... take mat corner samples off counter and put underneath?

Oh, "learned ones" - please advise!!
 
Roz, I have 2 3'x8' design counters that are back-to-back. Normally that gives me enough space for two design projects at the same time or one really huge one. Each counter has 14 numbered print drawers underneath so that art can be removed from the counter quickly and out of harm's way.

I don't worry about getting the frame corners hung back up immediately. Inevitably, the ones laying around on the counter get noticed by the next customer. on a good day, I might have 10 orders from 10 customers - all with the same moulding.

When you figure out how to juggle two design customers at the same time, let me know.
 
When you figure out how to juggle two design customers at the same time, let me know.
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Ron, your reply makes me laugh... I have never been good at juggling anything!! Help! I have seen the guy at the frame shop I used to go to ( a long time ago.... before becoming a shop owner myself) juggling alot - but he has alot more space than I do - as do you!! ;)
 
Hi Roz,
My counter is 4'x7'. I will not even try to deal with two customers at once. Sometimes it takes all my energy with one, depending of course on the type of customer. If another customer comes in while I'm working with the first one, I simply acknowledge that they came in and say to them that I will be with them as soon as I am through with my existing customer. I am a one person operation, and I would be afraid that if I tried to juggle two customers at once, that one or both of them would feel as though they were not getting my full attention, and I think that would be worse. Besides, I don't have the room at my counter to work with more that one at a time.

-The Other Mike.
 
Sometimes, Roz, I'll get the customer who's waiting involved in the project I'm already working on. Sometimes, I'll just introduce them and, if I'm lucky, they'll visit together while I do my thing. Sometimes they'll actually offer opinions or suggestions. That's not as dumb as it might sound. Some of these folks have been doing this almost as long as I have and a fresh perspective can be useful.

If nothing else, it blurs the lines between "them" and "me" and makes everyone happier to be here.
 
I've got a 3x8 right now, and a seperate counter for the computer. I am expanding to a 4x12. I will have a seperate computer station, rolling cart. My sales aren't where I need them to be but I have had a few times with more than one to work with. I have to plan for the future when I have them stacked up waiting for help. My space is very limited too.

I have managed to configure my counter diagonal so it will be open from all sides so I should be able to help a couple at a time. I have come from a very bad place where the customers are lined up about 10 deep and looking very angry and impatient, you learn how to juggle quickly. I can usually engage two people at the same time and before you know it it becomes a collaborative effort. Which isn't always a good thing.
 
I don't know if this will help, but in my store we greet each customer with a smile and a "I'll be with you as quickly as I can". If it is a pickup, or a quick question, I ask the customer I am helping if they would mind if I get the other customer's order out for them. Most customers really have no problem with this.
We do have a nice sign that says "Choosing custom framing takes time, so please allow yourself at least 20 minutes per picture to enjoy the process!"
We also "manage" the customer by saying "let's start with this picture first" when presented with a pile, do the first one, price it, and then ask, "would you like to look at this one next?" Most customers know what their dollar limit is, it helps them focus, and it avoids the lengthy estimate process of choosing for each picture before giving them the grand total. We also have a quick pricer at each table that has the cost for lamination, metal frame with regular glass, rag mat, mount only, etc. broken down by sizes. When the customer comes in with "I want to frame this as cheaply as possible - how much will it cost?", we measure, turn to the quick pricer, and say "the least expensive way to go will be x, then there is x, but there are many other alternatives to choose from that would compliment you picture nicely". That gets the bottom feeders taken care of in less than 10 minutes, the ones who are interested in more are prescreened and don't suffer as much from sticker shock.
Hope this helps!
 
Hey Roz! Small spaces - drive you nuts or what!! I have a cash out counter that has about 3' of space by 30" available if more than one framing customer comes in at once - I excuse myself from my first customer in the design area, I clear this counter off and get them started with questions about colors, rooms, design, etc., go back to the first, and move them along with the design process and basically go back and forth between the two; typically, they start to chat with each other, bop to the blues music and generally start to enjoy themselves. The key that I have found, is to stay relaxed and not get nervous, and make a joke about who ever would have thought - more than one customer at a time!! It typically makes them smile, explain how new you are and they typically have more patience. Have fun with them; I've made a lot of friends/acqaintenances over the design table in the last 4 months at my newest location and it isn't always one design customer at a time.

Have fun


Elaine
 
I started out in a tiny space, and remember having to constantly shift stuff around just to have a spot to work! Of course, without actually seeing your layout I may be making totally un-doable suggestions, but maybe it would be possible to put a small stand on the end wall, between the sample wall and the "cash" counter, and put the register on that,freeing up counter space. Get a second set of samples, and when a second customer comes in, excuse yourself briefly from the first, and get the second started looking at mat samples. If this is not practical, try to have lots of little gift items for the other shopper to look at while they are waiting, giving you a chance at extra sales. If you don't have room for gifts, how about cool framing samples on the walls? If none of this will work, then do what "the Other Mike" said.

Good Luck! Working by yourself can be great, but very tiring at times.

Leslie
 
We are limited on space at our shop and I have tried to make another space for "mat selection!" Frame and total package selection are just about impossible from somewhere other than my main front counter. It seems like once I get involved with one customer, I can't seem to just break away and give the same attention to another.

Mabe it's something I need to learn how to do!

 
A few suggestions:

1. Move your counters farther from your sample walll so you can use a rolling cart for mat samples.

2. My tables were in a "U" shape on a diagonal to a corner. The computers were at the "bottom" of the U, with counter space on the sides of the computers, and the "legs" of the U were larger design counters. In hind sight, I would make these counters slanted and at least 4 x 8 feet.

3. I used 2 small 2 drawer file cabinets with a board covered in the same material as the counter on top of them as a holder for my 2 double stacked 4' sample racks (I used the rack for fillets too). That way you have extra storage space for art catalogs, raw sample chips etc. Space the counters about 3' apart and you have a display area.

4. A friend has hinged counter tops. You can lift the front of the counters just like a table with hinged sides. It makes a huge space. Art just keeps getting bigger doesn't it?

5. If you have to have space between the counters, you could still angle them. Sometimes it gives a more inviting, less intimidating feel. You can also direct traffic with angled tables.

Good luck, problems like yours are good problems.
 
Wasn't there and old sage who once said that the more space you have, the less room you have. A large closet manages to fill up faster than a small closet.
 
Our space is rather small also. We had to move the computer off the counter and creatively mount it elsewhere. (in a hallway next to the counter) I installed 2 6" inch shelves, bought an LCD flat screen monitor, and have the flat monitor on the wall with the keyboard below it. (both on shelves)
store_0030b.jpg


The counter itself is 4 x 9 with cut off corners and storage below. With the mat samples at both ends, it might be a little tight working with two people at the same time, but doable.
store_0028b.jpg


Keeping the counters free of clutter and samples is a constant battle. One thing I saw recently on the web that I liked is a two tier mat rack. It uses half the space by putting one row above the other. If space becomes an issue around the holidays with two employees at the design counter, we will probably pick one of these up. I believe I found the ad either on Framer Select or PPFAs web site. If interested, i'll dig up the info.
 
I came froma shop that had a 14 foot work space divided into two tables. Great to work on, because both sections could easily accomodate two people with larger works. Often I would work alone on Sundays, and quite frequently I would have to work with two customers at the same time. This is easy enough to do, provided you have the customers' cooperation. I would be working with the first customer when the second customer came in. I would acknowledge the new customer, letting her know that I might be a few minutes, but feel free to take a look at the mats and the frame samples, and I would be over to help as soon as I was able. Often times, the first customer would want to think about her final choices, and tell me to help the other customer until she was ready. This worked out great, and I never had anyone leave in a huff because they did not have my undivided attention.

Of course, now that I am on my own (with Mike, of course), I have a much smaller counter with some size constraints. Like Mike mentioned above we have a 4 x 9 counter, and I have placed my mat racks on either side, one with my acid-free "regular" mats, and the other one hold my specialties like suedes and linens. Each rack essentially eats up about 1 foot of space, so my workable space is about 7 feet. So far this has not yet become a handicap. Actually, the spaces where the mat caddies hang out is where the corners were cut off, so this is not really a "workable" space anyway. In the months since March when we opened, I have had about two times when I had more than on customer in the store at the same time. I still offer the opportunity to look through the mat samples and my moulding choices. What's great about this is it gives the customer an opportunity to see what I have available, and get ideas BEFORE I am even ready to help them. This is great for the customer, because they already have in mind a place to start, and great for me, because I can easily guide them through the ideas they already have, and get them into the design they want. For those customers that don't wish to go through the samples right away or until I ma free, we offer a comfortable sofa where they may look through our collection of print catalogs. Who knows, maybe another sale!!

The point is, you do the best with what you have. Sure we'd all love to have our dream space of 2000+ square feet, with huge counters and millions of moulding and mat smaples. However it's just not practical for everyone, at least not right away (I do have a dream after all
) If you find it's necessary to remove the mat samples from your counter, just make sure that they are as accessible as possible. The last thing you want to do is fumble around under the counter looking for the right color matting, while you have multiple customers waiting for you.

Let us know what you decide to do.
 
With so many supportive and interesting comments to this dilema... I can't thank you all enough - I guess that's why I am loving TG :D

I am reassessing my store layout and constraints... and will share once I institute any relevant changes... but still, keep those great comments, tales and advice coming!! I really appreciate it!

Roz
 
We also have a quick pricer at each table that has the cost for lamination, metal frame with regular glass, rag mat, mount only, etc. broken down by sizes.
Click to expand...
Terry - this sounds like something I could really use - especially for when I grow and have employees!! I think I will create one ASAP!! Thanks... along with the other good verbage
 
We have recently added an economy package at our stores. About 12 mouldings all with costs under 30 cents a foot. We have saved a lot of tim at the counter and on the phone by saying that we have a custom Package that starts at _____.
 
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