Re: How do you keep track of customer info & orders?
- From: sewfoolish@xxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 6 Nov 2008 17:31:08 -0800 (PST)
On Nov 3, 10:20 pm, Michelle Giordano <michellegio_...@xxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
If you recall I have been wanting to "maybe" go into business for
myself, so I decided to put up an ad on Kijiji offering my sewing
services.
I cannot tell you how successful it has been in just a few short days,
I would say one out of each 10 inquiries ends up as a job to do
(insurance & licensing etc is being taken care of!). This is really
great since I wanted a way to support my fabric habit and hopefully
start saving for a family vacation. But now I am running into a small
difficulty that I never thought of.
I don't have quickbooks or anything like that at home and can't afford
it yet, so I am trying to think of a way to organize everything (I am
thinking "old school" for now....but I have only ever used a computer
to organize customers and invoices, etc at any job!). Does anyone
have any tips on what to use to organize it all? I am thinking of
addresses, phone numbers, jobs, the amount I am charging for a job,
etc. I was thinking perhaps I could create an excel spreadsheet, or
even just a "word" document and store them all in a special folder on
my desktop.
What has worked for you?
TIA!
Michelle Giordano
Hello Michelle,
I agree completely with what Kate D wrote, however I will add one
thing to her list. If you are accepting fabric from a customer
measure it WHILE THE CUSTOMER IS PRESENT and then have them sign.
Also document anything else they give you. I just had a near miss with
a customer who gave me fabric and then just before the job started
changed her mind. I was worried she would claim I did not return all
the fabric since I didn't measure it in front of her. Everything
worked out OK, but I made a note not to take any more chances.
I too charge full & current retail price for any supplies I use from
my sewing room. It's easier for me to take a mileage tax deduction at
tax time then to add that to my prices, but if I buy online and pay
shipping I add that cost onto the items I recieved and that becomes my
selling price. So far I have not added anything for profit on the
items and that's because I generally buy supplies locally and on sale.
Selling back to the customer at retail price is enough of a profit for
me.
Paper files work just fine too. I have developed a habit of taping my
store receipts onto a sheet of 3-hole notebook paper. I keep it in
date order and in a 3 ring notebook. If my accountant needs to see a
receipt for anything I can put my hands on it in seconds. All utility
bills are filed the same way, taped or stapled to notebook paper and
in date order. At the end of the tax year I can put my notebooks on a
shelf and forget about it. Customer files always remain in a small
file cabinet that is under one of my sewing tables.
One other thing, "word of mouth" is everything in this business so
write down what you charge and reference that list for each and every
similar job. The last thing you want is for one customer to compare
notes with another customer and find out they were charged more
without understanding why. For example, I charge one fee to do a pant
hem. It's my base fee and it assumes the customer has told me to "take
it up an __" or has the hemline marked. It assumes I will be cutting
off the excess fabric, clean finishing the edge on my serger, and then
machine stitching the hem. If I have to use hem tape instead of the
serger, the cost is noted on the invoice. If the customer needs me to
pin up the hem, then a fitting fee is charged. If I have to do the
hem by hand, it's charged. I always keep a copy of the invoice too.
If customer "A" were to call asking why she was charged more then
customer "B" I can pull out the invoices and state why without
delay.
On the subject of labor charges, be sure to keep your fees on par with
everyone else in your area. Even if you are working from home and
don't have a lot of overhead expenses, still charge the average
rates. If your charges are too low you will never know if customers
are coming to you because you are good or if it's because you are
cheap. The economy is tough right now. You don't want to undercut
someone else's business by charging too low. When you win a customer
it should be because you provide the best service & work skills in the
area. Good luck!
Liz
.
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