Customer Consultations via Zoom.

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Justintime
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Customer Consultations via Zoom.

Post by Justintime »

Hi All,
Mark has asked if I would like to give a run down on how I have completed some customer consultations over Zoom.
He is right in thinking that laptop webcams are often not as good quality as desktop webcams. One customer foresaw this and arranged the meeting for a time when he could be on the family desktop rather than his laptop, it helped the overall process a lot.
I'll try to keep it short and sweet!
- Customer drops off work in plastic bag, at gate.
- Work bag placed in storage room for 72 hours quarantine.
- A design scheme is worked out, incorporating selection of chevrons, mounts, examples of ideas etc (just like you would spend ages doing in front of the customer, only much quicker because they're not there to disagree)
- Call/message to confirm best time.
- Schedule meeting on Zoom and send "invite to join" to customer.
- Adjust your desktop webcam/screen to give customer the best all round view of the you (as you move about) and the space.
- Connect your mobile phone to Zoom (muted/microphone off otherwise you'll get sound feedback) and name it "Frame Cam"
- Place mobile phone on a Gorilla stand/mini table top tripod, to give a table top view of the designs.
- Meeting commences, usual intro (weather, lockdown stories, keeping it up beat, (happy happy joy joy))
- Race through design choices, sympathising that colours are not rendered perfectly on their screen, give assurance that you will ensure that the very best colour mount is chosen and its going to look absolutely awesome.
- Lift the mobile phone up to give the customer a birds-eye view of the design chosen.(You can see from your desktop screen exactly what they are seeing).
- Price up as you go.
- For security (Zoom still has security issues), call them back to take payment over the phone.
N.B (With their permission) It's possible to record the consultation and save to your PC for future reference (another reason not to take payment details over Zoom).
Hope that helps!
Justin
Justin George GCF(APF)
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Not your average framer
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Re: Customer Consultations via Zoom.

Post by Not your average framer »

Thank you Justin,

I suspect that more than just a few members will find that very helpful. I won't be doing consultations using Zoom, because the govenment say that they are about to lift the lock down and I will be able to do business from my shop, with a perspex screen between me and the customer, with a space under the screen for passing things between us. However there will be plenty, who do not have a shop and for them, this will be a very helpful solution.
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
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Steve N
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Re: Customer Consultations via Zoom.

Post by Steve N »

Or you could just take photos of all the design choices, email the customer the photos, they can view at their leasure, then either email you back or phone with thier choice
Steve CEO GCF (020)
Believed in Time Travel since 2035

Proud to sell Ready Made Frames
http://www.frontierpictureframes.com
http://www.designerpicturemounts.com/
Justintime
Posts: 1868
Joined: Sat 26 Sep, 2015 8:48 am
Location: West Wales
Organisation: George The Framer LLP
Interests: Gardening, design, electronic music, good food and beverages.
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Re: Customer Consultations via Zoom.

Post by Justintime »

@steve N
Yes, it's all possible, that was my original point to Mark, about injecting some optimism back into it all.
I have done quite a few consultations on Whatts App messaging too, as photos and videos can be included in the chats and it is end to end encrypted, so totally secure.
The only downside to this method is the time lag, it often takes 2-3 hours of backwards and forwards every 20 minutes or so, which is distracting when you're trying to get some work completed. But all of these methods can work for us.
My customer base is relatively small, so my primary objective is to continue offering the best customer experience, so that the experience outweighs the higher prices I charge. It's a challenge in these times, considering I don't expect to be having face to face in our home studio for the foreseeable future.
I think it's all possible if we stay positive and flexible and are prepared to work in new ways.
Justin George GCF(APF)
Insta: georgetheframer
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