Realizing that not every artist on GCU is also experienced at communications and public relations, I wanted to post some tips for handling custom card requests (including troublesome ones) as well as some examples of message you can send. I hope people will find this helpful.
BE PREPARED
If you’re going to accept custom card requests, I suggest you make your life easier by saving templates of your cards. For each card design you create, save one copy in layers, and create a second copy (.jpg) to upload to GCU. This way, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel each time a customer requests a minor change like background color or text. If you have lots of cards, invest in an big external hard drive, and don’t forget to back up your files.
MAKE IT CLEAR
When you’re logged in, go to Manage Store - Global Preferences. You’ll find Custom Requests. Here you can include a message which customers will receive when they fill out the custom request form. Your message should be something like:
“Thank you for your interest in my custom cards. I will get back to you within 24 hours (except during weekends & holidays, when it may take a little longer). PLEASE NOTE: I will be getting in touch with you via my personal email (email address) so be sure to check your spam folder if you haven't heard back from me within 24 hours. Kindest regards, (name)”
Why do this? Because customers may expect to receive an email from GCU itself, and your response may end up in their spam folder or be ignored because not everyone realizes GCU is actually composed of thousands of different artists. Giving the customer a message to expect a personal reply should get you a better response.
CONFIRM THE DETAILS
When a customer uses the contact form to request a custom design from you, they will most often include an explanation of what they want. Before you do any work, send a confirmation email to the customer. The confirmation email should read something like this:
“Thank you for your interest in my cards at GCU. I received your request for a custom greeting card (PID #000000) with the following changes: (list details). If this is correct, please get in touch with me as soon as possible so I can begin processing your request. I look forward to working with you. Kindest Regards, (name).”
Do no work until you receive confirmation from the customer.
If you’re making a personalized photo card, this is also the time to check any photo the customer has sent to you via the form, and make sure it’s usable. If not, you can let the customer know your requirements now.
STAY IN CONTROL
Once you’ve completed the assignment, don’t forget to save a copy in layers (in case of changes) and upload the finished card to your Private Gallery. You can use the Fast Track option, but I prefer to Waive Review as the card is instantly available. Of course, there are hazards doing it this way. You have to choose what’s right for you.
Send the customer a message letting them know where they can find their card. Here’s an example of the kind of message you should send:
“Your custom greeting card is ready. Here’s where you can view the card as well as place your order: (link). Thank you again for choosing my design for your (type of card; example: Christmas) card needs. Should you have any other requests in the future, please get in touch. Kindest Regards, (name)”
You’ll notice that nowhere in this message do you tell the customer anything like “if you have any further changes” or “if you want me to change anything else.” Why? Because when you make those kind of statements, it’s a sure bet many customers will be primed to request further changes to the design, when they likely would have been satisfied had you not brought it up. Do yourself a favour - don’t ask for extra work. If there’s really something wrong, it’s up to the customer to tell you. It goes without saying that you’re going to do your best to produce error-free cards, right? Good.
If you’ve made an original design, and the customer requests many changes, how far you take it is up to you. If you’ve done your best to meet the customer’s needs, and you feel you can’t keep making time-consuming changes without compensation, you’ll send a message like this:
“I received your request to make the following changes to the custom card design we’ve been discussing: (list changes). Since this is an original design, I wanted to let you know that at this point, these additional changes will be charged at my usual rate of ($) per hour. Should you want me to continue, I estimate (X) many hours of work to complete your new request. The fee can be paid via (PayPal, etc) to (account). As soon as I’ve received your confirmation and your payment, I’ll begin work right away.”
Occasionally you’ll have a customer who won’t be satisfied by anything you do. It happens. If that’s the case, you have to decide how far you’re going to let it go. Should the situation become too stressful, I advise you to end the relationship with a message like this:
“I’m writing to let you know that, with regret, I’ve decided to discontinue your custom card request. At this time, it’s my belief that our views are incompatible, and I’m unable to continue working on your card. However, as there are many other artists at GCU who are available to take on custom requests, I’m sure you’ll be able to find someone more in tune with your needs. Good luck and take care. (name)”
So now you should be able to effectively communicate with customers, and lessen the stress of custom card requests.
Of course, you can always tweak the sample messages to suit your needs.
You may want to bookmark this post for future reference.
Corrie
http://www.corrieweb.nl
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