How do I document the custom order process at my gift shop?

A buyer cannot inherit a skill that lives only in your head. Sit down with a recent custom order and follow it from start to finish. Note what the customer was asked, what was written down, who confirmed the design, and how the deposit and final payment were handled. Then do the same for one that went wrong, because those teach the most.

Next, capture the supplier side. List the engravers, printers, artists or wholesalers you use for custom work, with contact names, usual turnaround and any rules of thumb you have learned about what they can and cannot do. Add your own limits too: what you decline, when you say yes and how you handle rush requests.

Last, gather the paperwork into one place. Order forms, proofs, photos of finished pieces and customer notes all belong together, kept in a way a stranger can follow. Remember that these records hold customers’ personal details, so decide with your lawyer what can be shared with a buyer before the sale closes. Templates make the handover easier, and they help you answer buyer questions without improvising or relying on memory alone.

Key takeaways

• Follow one real order from first enquiry to pickup and record each step.
• List suppliers and makers, with usual turnaround times and their limits, so a buyer can promise dates honestly.
• Ask your lawyer how much customer information a buyer may see before closing.