Question Same Day or Next Day Framing

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alaskanframer

alaskanframer

CGF II, Certified Grumble Framer Level 2
Joined
Feb 4, 2008
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367
I was wondering how many of the framers on this forum offer
Same day custom framing or next day custom framing?
I of course mean for your standard mat cuts frame and glazing nothing to out of the ordinary.
 
I do whenever possible, the customer wants it quickly and I have the materials on hand. Speed up the cash flow.
 
I often do while-u-wait framing ... for example Saturday evening this gal has a broken frame - can I repair it? No, but I'll replace it. Ah but I have another one at home that matches. Well go get it and I'll reframe it too. That's what she did. By the time she got back with the second piece the first one was done. She read a newspaper while I finished the second. One very happy camper ... her too!

Had another one the day before - 48x20 or so. Needed repairing. She'd driven a long way. Could she wait? Sure no problem. Fixed it. She left happy.

Obviously a lot depends on time of day and what else is on the bench at the same time. Can't always do while-u-wait. But do same-day and next-day all the time. And next day is not limited to bog-standard stuff. Often do same day or next day jerseys for example.
 
I lost the opportunity to get a new commercial client late last year, because I did not offer this service. [At that time I was only doing chops].

The potential client called me at 4:30 PM and said he needed 6 or so frames for signed people photos for a breakfast meeting by 7:30 am the next morning, and a plain black frame would be fine.

He said his regular framer could not do this, so he had heard about me from others I frame for, and asked if I could deliver. I couldn't do it, so I did not get the opportunity to have a new client. [I did provide him with the name of someone who could.]

I bought a double miter saw after the WCAF show in February, and a box of matte black moulding, and now stock some other moulding in lengths so I will never say no again. I also maintain minimum inventory levels of probably 20 or so mats.

For me, and some commercial clients, this service is very important.
 
Yep! Even got a sidewalk sign......


SameDayPosterweb.jpg
 
I don't advertise it, as it sometimes depends on circumstances as well. But it has happened before that someone needs something in an hour and I will do it. And sometimes it's just plain impossible if a customer has very specific wishes and I don't have it in stock.
 
We usually have at least one person who can make a frame quickly for a customer; we just did a rush today, in fact.

During while you wait, customers either browse or they ask where they can get a good cuppa joe. We recommend either the coffee shop down the street, or the new Co-Op down the way. Support local businesses!

One of my favourite stories to tell is the Sunday before Christmas, and a couple visiting from Texas wanted to purchase a Solitude. We had two framed: a large one with just conservation non-glare in a wooden and a small one with a triple mat and museum glass, silver frame. We also had them in stock. They wanted the big one, but framed like the little one. We said we'd have to them by the time we closed.

Complete job: custom frame, triple mat, mount and fit: 45 minutes. That included a v-nail blowout crisis, quickly fixed.

Ad addendum: We DO advertise this service, and before the customer leaves, we make sure we have the supplies to do the job. Usually they are pretty flexible if we don't, but more times than not, we do. It was rush jobs that made us expand our matboard from special order to in stock.
 
You should not offer a while you wait service for two main reasons.

1. The customer may think it's easy.

2. The glue on the mitres should be left to go off - preferably overnight.

This was the gist of the opinion of some framers on the UK framers forum - I didn't totally agree.

I'll do while-you-wait whenever I can - the customer can 'wait' by doing some other shopping nearby, or, better still, whilst browsing the shop, with a cup of something.

Next day can be done even if the mat, moulding or both are not in stock, depending on the time (up to 4pm for guaranteed next day from my most efficient supplier) and if the customer is willing to pay the shipping cost - but I could waive that if, say, they wanted musem glass.

Offering such a fast turnaround is a huge strength - and I just hate to see anyone leave disappointed.
 
We had a customer and her two kids come in at 3:45pm on Christmas Eve (we close at 4pm) wanting three medium-sized prints matted and framed. I was not at the store, but my employees took the order, framed them up and had the mom vacuum the sales floor and the kids straighten the print bins, photo frames and pre-framed art stacks while the framing was being completed.

:thumbsup:
 
We do both same day and next day...keep about 170 different length moldings in stock and over 600 different mats in stock...only place in 3 counties you can get this fast service is at our shop.
 
Sounds like a lot of inventory probably close to $7,000.00 - $10,000.
 
If I'm not too busy, and I have the supplies, yes.

Typically at the end of a sale I ask "our time frame for framing is _______, does that work with your schedule?" 90% of the time, customers say "sure, I've had it laying around for longer than that" and the 10% who ask if they can get it by a certain date usually ask for it in a few days, or a week. Still usually manageable.
 
If the customer needs quick turn-around, then that is what they get....I' don't say no.
Obviously, they need to pick materials in stock. I've got many stories of 'saving the day' for customers in such a rush.
 
I thank you for your input.

We also do this when ever it is possible. Being in Alaska there are some different shipping issues, but we do both chops and stock of lengths. We to just 2 next day jobs you do have to love the cash flow and turn over of stock. :)
 
we dont advertise it, otherwise people would probably take advantage of it and we wouldnt be able to come through on promises, but we do accomidate whenever possible, within the last couple weeks we had a customer who needed 18 pics framed for a wedding the next day...we got it done, and also another who needed about 15 pics for a funeral the next day...we got it done.

As long as it is a decent sale, I give up sleep for money most days of the week and try and make the customer happy
 
My first reaction to this was.....they must be metal frames 'cause there's no glue-drying-time involved!

We glue, pin and dry overnight before proceeding.
 
Do it all of the time. Next Day, Same Day or While You Wait. I get a lot of people that will be leaving town in a day or two so it saves a ton of sales. I'm 100% in stock so it is no big deal.
 
Sherry Lee said:
My first reaction to this was.....they must be metal frames 'cause there's no glue-drying-time involved!

We glue, pin and dry overnight before proceeding.
Click to expand...

The v-nailer with Corner Weld allows me to fit immediately. The glue is dry within minutes.
 
We actively promote same day framing. Of course there are limitations, we carry a fairly hefty amount of stock but only that which maintains a good stockturn/turnover. My measuring indicates the feature works well, most of the orders that it generates (why did you choose us??? etc.) do not require a result on the same day (our kwestion at the time of ordering is "when do you need it").

It may work for you, it may not - different strokes for different folks. If you try it, measure it.
 
We offer much the same as all of you. But my related question is: Does it cause the customers to switch to you as their standard framer? My experience has been that they have a regular framer, and they are looking to be helped in a pinch, but will return (I assume) to the other guy for their every day needs.

I know we have gained a few customers that way, but mostly we help them out only for that need.
 
Ellen,
Same Day / Next Day is not a huge part of our business, but it certainly does help and gets their attention. Of course it is limited to what we have on hand and time of day, etc. I always explain to them that on future projects, that if we have more notice, we will have a greater selection both in product and creativity.

My experience has been (from memory ) that most that come in looking for quick framing just are inexperienced as custom frame customers go. They don't realize the standard lead time. I tend to see those customers again. However we don't really know what any of our customers do in between visits to our store. (Unless of course we happen to run into them when we are visiting the competition )

Of course we all want to win over a new customer, but even if it is only for those rush sales, it is still money in the till!
 
We do it on a daily basis; don't advertise it but I'd swear we do. Many of our bigger customers only give us a couple of days to a week to complete their orders so I keep a very large inventory on hand to handle their needs and this allows us the ability to do just about anything same or next day, depending on the complexity and work load more than materials. I think this has helped us get more new business, we do explain that we can't always get them that fast due to our work load but if possible we do it. I keep 166 profiles-30,000' of moulding and over 200 colors of mats-3,000 sheets. It is very uncommon for us to not get a job done same or next day. Again we stock so much due to our wholesale needs but it sure helps for the small customers.
 
quickies

We love being our client's heroes! If it's possible, we do it. We don't advertise this because we don't stock inventory. It has to come from Oops frames or something else we happen to have, or if it's next day, from a local supplier. Can't afford downtown Seattle rent for warehousing, but my suppliers are close enough to stop on my way to or from the shop. Like I said...LOVE TO BE THE HERO!
 
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