Checking the Details Before the Customer Does
A buyer running custom products who needed a supplier that would communicate quickly and take responsibility for the detail rather than shipping to the letter of the order and no further.
The Challenge
On custom work the specification never covers everything. The gap between what was written down and what the buyer actually meant is where launches go wrong, and it can only be closed by someone asking the question before production rather than after.
Customer Pain Points
- Slow replies across time zones stall decisions for days at a time
- Details not written into the specification get ignored by the factory
- The buyer discovers small defects only when their own customers do
- Meeting the specification is not the same as meeting the expectation
What We Did
Responsive communication on WhatsApp and email during the working day in China, questions raised before cutting rather than after, and a thorough check on the details of the finished product rather than a sample check alone.
How the Work Was Run
Stage 1
Open questions raised and settled before the sample is made
Stage 2
Sewn sample sent for approval with the points in question flagged
Stage 3
Detail check across the finished goods, not only on a pulled sample
Stage 4
Packing to the buyer's format with artwork and labels applied here
Supply Chain
One sales contact carries the project from enquiry to shipment, so the detail agreed in a message thread reaches the sewing floor.
Quality Control
Thorough checking of all the details of the product before shipment, with buyer or third party inspection accepted.
The Result
The client's own published comment: we are very responsive at communicating and willing to go the extra mile so the end solution meets or exceeds their expectations, with a thorough quality check on all the details of the product.
It has been a pleasure working with Joi on my products as she is very responsive at communicating and is willing to go the extra mile to make sure the end solution meets or exceeds our expectations. They do a thorough quality check on all the details of the product to ensure I'm getting a quality end product.Abdullah
Customer Benefit
The buyer receives goods that match the intention behind the order, not just the wording of it, which is what keeps a custom launch on schedule.
Products Involved
About This Story
Is this a real client?
Yes. The quotation on this page was published by the client on our own website. The client name and order details are not published because they are commercially confidential.
Can you do the same for a first order?
The arrangement described here does not depend on a long relationship. A sewn sample, an approved swatch and inspection before shipment are available on a first order.
What is not shown on this page?
Quantities, prices, lead times and the client name. We do not publish another buyer commercial terms.
Bring Us the Problem You Have Now
Most of these relationships started with one product that another supplier had made badly. Send a photo of it and tell us what went wrong.