“If at any time you feel overwhelmed and would like to speak with me, please schedule a no-cost 15-minute phone consultation via this business coaching page
Accepting Orders, Contracts & Shipping
Get It in Writing!
Accepting orders can take place a few ways, the one thing to keep in mind is that you need everything in writing whether through email, text or private messaging. Before you can even accept an order, you must know what the expectations of the customer are and they need to know what you offer, and you both need to agree on those terms.
Typically, my orders come from Facebook via a private message. It goes something like this,
Customer: Hi! How big are your bears and how long will it take?
Me: Hello! Thank you so much for reaching out to me about my memory bear services. Each memory bear is 18” tall and I require a minimum of 3 weeks turnaround time from the time I receive your clothing.
Customer: Oh, that’s a nice size bear. How many pieces of clothing do I need to send you for one bear?
Me: Well, that depends. Are you sending infant, toddler, children or adult clothing?
Customer: I will send ….
From there I tell the customer how many pieces of clothing I will need to create one memory bear. I also send them the link to my website that contains the mandatory order form and my policies.
Contract
Yes, I do require a contract for every order. This is the legal document that will keep my customer and myself in-line with the terms of our agreement. My contract states the terms of sale, policy, procedure, shipping, additional services, pricing, and clauses.
Shipping
Shipping is very straightforward. I have a FAQ page on my website and on the contract which states that one bear receives free basic shipping, large orders of memory bears do cost an additional shipping and handling fee.
If the customer wants insurance, they are required to pay the additional fee and I am not held responsible for any lost or damaged mail. Do not get stuck paying for the shipping and handling! The cost can add up quickly due to the box size, tape, mailing labels, postage, driving to the Post Office, and any extra shipping materials you use.
Once the box has shipped, I use my smartphone and take a picture of the receipt showing the date, time, and tracking number then I send it via text, email or private message to the customer. This gives them a sense of security knowing that their memory bear is on its way. It’s up to the customer to pay for insurance and also keep a watch out for their memory bears to arrive at the address they gave you.
##
