MOBILE FRAMING

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S

sheritex

CGF, Certified Grumble Framer
Joined
Jul 23, 2003
Posts
138
Location
tyler, texas
Has anyone ever had any experience with mobile framing????? Taking mat and frame samples to a customers house/place of business..then doing the actual job at your shop. I have done some on a very limited basis...just thinking.
 
Sherry, that's a very big part of my business. I'd say a good part of our better customers have never been to our studio, only we don't take samples so much any more.

What we do now is bring in the piece, create several designs in a variety of "directions" and prices, take digital photos and either e-mail or print out choices and they choose from that.

We used to cart around a sample case of mat and corner samples, but the digital age has helped both us and our customers.

Betty
 
Bluestone has one. I can't think of the name of his site right off hand. His RV looks SWEEEEEET! I want to do this.
 
Did it starting in 1981. Loved it... but then life changed as it does, and I am in a storefront. Also good.
 
I've been considering this as part of my start-up. Can you share how you carted samples around? What questions did you ask before going for a sales call?

Thanks,

Vince
 
Vincent, I think Decor Magazine did an article on this a few years back. You might wanna contact them. Seems they showed the van and how the inside was set up w/the samples on the walls.
 
I've decided not to exercise the option on my current lease, but the place I want to move to won't be done for probably two years. So, I am looking for cheap temp space that won't be great from a retail standpoint but will let me continue operating. I am planning on providing mobile service, particularly for my commercial and time-starved residential customers.
 
I'm doing it for clients that want little or no involvment in the design process. Most, but not all, of these are commercial.

It's helpful to see the home or office and discuss the project in a comfortable setting, but I'm not going to schluck hundreds of samples around with me.
 
Hey Ron,

Schluck is short for "$#!* out of luck".

I think you meant schlepp.
 
I'm not familar with the word Schluck. Captain Yiddish where are you?! Is schluck similar to shlep(SP)?

Is it like shlepping with a truck?!
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If I wanted to carry 5,000 moulding samples, 2,000 mat samples and a POS sustem on client calls, I'd be self-schlucked.
 
All right... I've googled schluck. It's either obscenely pornographic,( and related to some pages I'm a little scared to click on!) or it has to do with beer.

Which is it Ron? Self-beered?

Just what kind of service are you running out of the van?!
 
Welllll Kathy,

if you must schlucking know, then we operate in a niche market, and if a mobile service framing van can do dual duty then I say more power to Ron!

Kathy I've missed posting with you! I hope this holiday season has really picked up for you! It's been busy here!
 
Now then, before I get an e-mail from a moderator telling me to grow up! I'll just let you'll know I'm done punning around with that word!

Oh and Kathy, I'm by nature a curious person when it comes to words and their usage. If it was a word I'd not heard of I wanted to know what it meant and derived from. Since it is a German surname, and related to beer and/or drinking I'm thinking it could be a translation/derivation of Miller.

But it is fun in a sophomoric kind of way to say!

Regarding Vans and mobile framing. in my old life there was a van service in NJ that did custom wheelchair fittings. They had a fax/cell phone set-up, seating simulators and a mobile woodworking plastics set-up. It was really incredible.

Ron with the right laptop you could easily have your POS with you. And with the visualization software you could have access to your 5000 molding samples. It is doable. And could be profitable for the right clientele.

For me to get back onto teh road again I would want the latest DeLorme software and GPS. I get lost to often! And DeLorme is the best (and from Maine!)
 
"If I wanted to carry 5,000 moulding samples, 2,000 mat samples and a POS sustem on client calls, I'd be self-schlucked."

Why would you only pack around 1/3 of your samples?
 
It's a pretty small van. Honda Odessey.

The EPA calls it a station wagon. But what do THEY know?
 
If I did it they'd say in my Van Gogh... Degas what you need... Bring much Monet!


Dave Makielski
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I also apologize for punning around. I don't know what the schluck has gotten in to me.
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Originally posted by Bob Doyle:
Kathy I've missed posting with you! I hope this holiday season has really picked up for you! It's been busy here!
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I've missed posting with you too Bob. Don't tell anybody this but you are my favorite Grumbler. Business has picked up quite a bit too, thanks for asking!
 
Thanks to all of you for answers....ya'll validated my thoughts on this subject...even the 5000 mouldings and 3000 mats....but my experience in this has been limited to people i work with (all photographers) and they seem to love it when i get an idea of what they want and bring in some samples for them to see......as to the person that asked about start ups...now none of you guys laugh at me....i limit the ideas of mouldings to 8-10.....i firmly believe that less is more and lets face it.....too many choices just confuse folks (it does me) and they do love the one on one service...course they like my prices too....i am lucky...i have no overhead to speak of...my dad owns the shop i use and he assembles all my frames...keeps him off the streets...the shop is just not a good walk in retail outlet (the town population is 500 on a good day)....but we do fairly well...would do better with a little advertising.....but i have great equipment to work with....anyway...many thanks....i read all of the tips you guys have and it has helped me a lot...I love this sharing of ideas.
 
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