tS Embroidery Production Writing or saying "blue" for thread color is not the correct way to describe it. Even "royal blue" can be incorrect if you use more than one brand of thread. Make sure the customer signs off on the design before you start the order. Do a sewout of the design and place it on a form that lists the thread colors and customer information. If you are sending information via email, you should have a disclaimer stating colors may be different than the actual thread colors. Taking the time to send the sewout and have the customer look at it in person can save you the problem of replacing an entire order because of one small thing. If you are embroidering names, make sure the customer types them so the spelling is the way they write it and not what you interpret over the phone. Handwriting - and even block printing - can be hard to decipher. If you do have to take this kind of information over the phone, then email a copy of what you wrote and have the customer approve it. This may sound like a lot, but doing all of this upfront can save you the trouble of replacing an entire order that could cost hundreds - or even thousands - of dollars. Obtaining the customer's signature confirming an order is ready to go, and knowing that you have done everything to make sure the order has been taken 56 Impressions | October/November 2015 properly, can allow you to start it with confidence. Remember, you can never have too much information. Connie R. Smith has been in the embroidery industry for more than 30 years and has been an industry speaker and consultant. She also is an award-winning digitizer. For more information or to comment on this article, email Connie at lickatstitch@yahoo.com. Suggested Reading Like this article? Read these and other embroidery articles at impressionsmag.com: * "Small-Space Embroidery Solutions" * "Embroidery Parties Can Net New Customers" * "Determining Your Shop's Location" impressionsmag.comhttp://www.impressionsmag.com http://www.impressionsmag.com