When a representative must prepare a quote, several steps are necessary to achieve this. To do this, it is necessary to understand the needs of the client, to be able to advise him on products and services that will adequately meet his expectations, and also to validate that his budget corresponds to what he wishes to obtain. Also, production deadlines must be realistic, while corresponding to the client’s schedule or the date of an event in which he must participate or that he is organizing.
Simple, but not so much!
All this seems to group together very simple and quick steps to carry out. Think again ! You often have to explain a lot of concepts that are not familiar to everyone, sometimes travel to take measurements and photos, hold one or more meetings with the client, etc. In some cases, it may be necessary to communicate or meet with external partners who will help carry out the project. In short, a project in large format printing on fabric is not always easy to plan. And who says quotation, says communication, planning, writing and estimated cost description, with a total at the end of the document.
In order to avoid surprises, think about any extra costs
Are there any additional costs to be expected? For example: will we need computer graphics services for the preparation of electronic files for printing? Will any renovations need to be done before the ordered light box can be installed? Does the customer want to entrust the installation to the M&M team? Is rental machinery necessary? Are special expertise or skills cards required? Does the display require one or more permits? For example, for an outdoor commercial installation, you must obtain a municipal permit, otherwise you risk receiving a hefty fine. In order to be sure and avoid unpleasant surprises, you can get an answer to this question from the M&M Graphic advisor who can approach the municipality to obtain the relevant information.
The choice of materials
Just as an interior designer chooses their paint colors carefully, an architect or decorator will want to validate all the details of their product before ordering.
What fabric will work best? To answer this question, you need to know what product will be required. Is it a wall frame? Is it a light box? Is it a printed veil that will serve as a background decoration to create an atmosphere? Plus, a look at M&M Graphic’s sample sets is in order. This will allow the customer to see, touch, test the different fabrics and thus facilitate his choice of material.
Which extrusion will be most suitable for making the wall frame or light box? Do we want a product that is thin and discreet, or on the contrary, a huge frame, with a robust and imposing appearance? Either way, the result can be great. The customer always has the choice of products intended to meet the objectives of graphic design.
Write the quotation
Once the project is well defined, the details noted, the photos taken, the precise or approximate measurements already taken, the name of the project determined, the agreed production schedule, the delivery and installation dates confirmed, then comes time to move on to drafting the project.
The representative. or project manager is the expert in the field. She will guide the client from the beginning to the end of his display project to ensure that it is a success. We should not hesitate to trust him. As is often heard in the field: help us help you! The more we know about the project, the better we will be able to provide all the resources necessary for its realization.