Efficient Ways To Take Orders?

[TACKyPaints]

Hello all!!

So I started my company, TACKyPaints, about 3 months ago and have had many orders. I make custom painted tack and I have noticed other companies that sell items like mine will post "booked through 2nd week of January!" Perhaps this is a stupid question, but how do they take orders in that way? Do they just figure out how long it takes them to make specific items? I would really like to figure out a more efficient way to take and book orders so I don't feel like a I'm constantly running around frantic! The past three months I have felt like all I do is eat, sleep, and paint! I never seem to have any time to do anything else!! I am very thankful for the business but I would really like to not feel so exhausted because right now it just seems like there are not enough hours in each day!

Anyone have any experience with this or suggestions? Please?

[particle]

I just make holsters, but I know about how many items I can complete in a month. If that's, for example, 10 items, and I have 40 orders, then I state on my website that I have a backorder of something like 12-16 weeks. Find a number that is comfortable for you, then artificially inflate your backorder if you wish. That'll help dial back new orders, and people that really want your work will not really care about the long lead time. You'll still be at your current workload for a while until you get rid of those old orders, but once those are clear, you'll be able to slow your pace down to maintain a production level you're happy with. I know one particular person on this site that built a custom order form that ties into a database that manages his orders. If you have just a ton of orders, you might consider something like that. I just do everything via forms on a website that the customer fills out. When they submit it, I get an email. We print out the emails and put them in a file in the order they were received. Not very sophisticated, but I don't get a ton of orders - right now I'm only able to fill about 100 orders per year on average because I still have a full time job and family responsibilities.

[McJeep]

Sounds like you're A) still getting a feel for how much you can produce in a given time, and trying too hard to please the customer with quick turnaround.

I'm in the same boat and discovering (painfully) that I need to really get a grip on appreciating the time it takes to put things out. Am finally starting to realize that the customers asking for custom gear are more interested in the quality than time frames that equal off the shelf purchases. Gonna have to not worry so much about those that are rushing - let them but the off the shelf stuff - they'll likely be back when they realize that it's not *exactly* what they wanted. If not, then they weren't that worried about the fit/finish after all and I'll spend my time pleasing the ones that value custom quality ;0)

Life's to short and ya can't please everyone every time ;0) <--- new mantra LOL

[TACKyPaints]

I just make holsters, but I know about how many items I can complete in a month. If that's, for example, 10 items, and I have 40 orders, then I state on my website that I have a backorder of something like 12-16 weeks. Find a number that is comfortable for you, then artificially inflate your backorder if you wish. That'll help dial back new orders, and people that really want your work will not really care about the long lead time. You'll still be at your current workload for a while until you get rid of those old orders, but once those are clear, you'll be able to slow your pace down to maintain a production level you're happy with. I know one particular person on this site that built a custom order form that ties into a database that manages his orders. If you have just a ton of orders, you might consider something like that. I just do everything via forms on a website that the customer fills out. When they submit it, I get an email. We print out the emails and put them in a file in the order they were received. Not very sophisticated, but I don't get a ton of orders - right now I'm only able to fill about 100 orders per year on average because I still have a full time job and family responsibilities.

That's great advice! Right now I am using the same system of simply printing out my invoices and filing them in the order I receive them! I tell my customers that I work on orders in the order I receive them but still seem to get quite a few customers asking how their item is coming along even though they just put their order in yesterday! Generally while I wait for one item to dry I grab the next one and put a coat on it, etc. I do my best to multitask to try and keep up! I think part of my issue is needing to find out how many items I can complete in such and such time frame! Thanks so much for the reply! I knew I would get some very helpful advice on here!

[TACKyPaints]

Sounds like you're A) still getting a feel for how much you can produce in a given time, and trying too hard to please the customer with quick turnaround.

I'm in the same boat and discovering (painfully) that I need to really get a grip on appreciating the time it takes to put things out. Am finally starting to realize that the customers asking for custom gear are more interested in the quality than time frames that equal off the shelf purchases. Gonna have to not worry so much about those that are rushing - let them but the off the shelf stuff - they'll likely be back when they realize that it's not *exactly* what they wanted. If not, then they weren't that worried about the fit/finish after all and I'll spend my time pleasing the ones that value custom quality ;0)

Life's to short and ya can't please everyone every time ;0) <--- new mantra LOL

I am definitely trying to get a feel for what I can produce in a given time. I think it would be easier if I only made one specific product but of course painting a saddle cross takes far less time than painting a complete tack set! And you are right, I am trying too hard to please customers with a quick turnaround! I let all my customers know that I work on orders in the order that I receive them but I still get the customers asking how their order is coming even though they just placed it yesterday! I really enjoy the work that I do but found that with people pressuring me to get it done in their requested time frame, well, it just wasn't fun anymore! I want to produce a *quality* product, not *quantity!* I guess I will just have to let customers know that if they are desiring a quality product that it will take me X amount of time to complete it, bottom line! Thanks so much for your advice! It was very helpful!

[McJeep]

No problem I forgot to mention that I've found customers are much more happy when ya tell them something's done early rather than that it's gonna take longer - I always tell em two weeks when I think it'll be one week, if the circumstances allow - that also gives ya a bit of leeway for those ones that DO need to be slipped in between already scheduled jobs ... if there's a really good reason for the job to get put to the front of the line ;0)

A little bit manipulative for sure, but helps me retain my sanity LOL

Good luck!

[cavsgt]

I am definitely trying to get a feel for what I can produce in a given time. I think it would be easier if I only made one specific product but of course painting a saddle cross takes far less time than painting a complete tack set! And you are right, I am trying too hard to please customers with a quick turnaround! I let all my customers know that I work on orders in the order that I receive them but I still get the customers asking how their order is coming even though they just placed it yesterday! I really enjoy the work that I do but found that with people pressuring me to get it done in their requested time frame, well, it just wasn't fun anymore! I want to produce a *quality* product, not *quantity!* I guess I will just have to let customers know that if they are desiring a quality product that it will take me X amount of time to complete it, bottom line! Thanks so much for your advice! It was very helpful!

I have worked in some area of the horse business for most of my life and finally figured out that most of the calls are not judgemental. Your customers have spent all day in the mundane world without their main intrest. Most will be looking for nothing more than a conversation about their favorite subject. That said it will be up to you to figure out how to handle them as it is possible to spend all day visiting and not get anything done. I* would love to share my secret but have not ever found a solution. You will also have to learn to deal with the dissatisfied customer as no matter how hard you try some are never pleased.

A whole lot of talk without an answer right. Sorry

[TACKyPaints]

I have worked in some area of the horse business for most of my life and finally figured out that most of the calls are not judgemental. Your customers have spent all day in the mundane world without their main intrest. Most will be looking for nothing more than a conversation about their favorite subject. That said it will be up to you to figure out how to handle them as it is possible to spend all day visiting and not get anything done. I* would love to share my secret but have not ever found a solution. You will also have to learn to deal with the dissatisfied customer as no matter how hard you try some are never pleased.

A whole lot of talk without an answer right. Sorry

Not at all! You are right about them looking for conversation! I have received an email asking about their order, and I hold my breath, expecting them to be upset, etc. But they weren't, they were just looking for somebody to chat with because "how's my order coming?" has often times turned into me learning their life story! haha! So far I haven't had any dissatisfied customers but I'm sure I will learn my lesson in regards to that at some point. Nobody is perfect and I'm sure at some point I will make a mistake, just human nature! If you ever find that solution, be sure to let me know!

[cavsgt]

I doubt that I will find a solution as the shop was first started in 1962 part time and became full time in 1981 when a distribution company for wholesale horse products went business went belly up. Most of what I do now is just with two long time wholesale customers and a few friends.

Leatherwork can be very rewarding and at the same time very frustating. The biggest problem is when dealing with horsemen remember that we are a cheap bunch. This is caused by the cost of having a 1000 lb. friend and is compounded if we have a family as that always required more big friends.

[TACKyPaints]

I doubt that I will find a solution as the shop was first started in 1962 part time and became full time in 1981 when a distribution company for wholesale horse products went business went belly up. Most of what I do now is just with two long time wholesale customers and a few friends.

Leatherwork can be very rewarding and at the same time very frustating. The biggest problem is when dealing with horsemen remember that we are a cheap bunch. This is caused by the cost of having a 1000 lb. friend and is compounded if we have a family as that always required more big friends.

haha! You are very right about that! Seems like we always want the best for our big friends but at the same time don't want to break the bank!

Wow! I hope my company lasts as long as yours has! I am a college graduate and can't find a job in or out of my field to save my life! So I decided to combine my horse hobby & painting together and see if I could make some money at it! I would love if I could turn it into my full time job because I enjoy doing this much more than the degree I have! LOL