Leaving during a crisis
Sales at the store have been climbing over the last few months. I guess it’s a combination of word-of-mouth finally kicking in, the press releases, and the emails I sent out to announce the summer collection. That’s the good news. Unfortunately, my quest for good quality tailors has still not been very successful and things have reached a point where not being able to replenish stocks is getting in the way of sales.
I’ve tried every method possible: contacting everyone I know in the garment industry, placing ads in all the major Tamil papers (expensive and futile), and I’ve even gone around tailoring shops in a few neighbourhoods asking them if they know someone. I’m going on a 10 day trip at the end of this month, and I’m worried that production is going to come to a stand still when I’m gone! Also, having only a few tailors means that I always give priority to alterations and customer orders, but that has slowed down the pattern development process. My pattern maker has not been able to show me what he has developed for the monsoon collection because he hasn’t been able to allocate a tailor to stitch a sample. I know, not a good time for me to take off for a couple of weeks…
On a slightly different note, I’m wondering how other stores and clothing brands handle alterations. I keep telling my sales staff that our goal at Brass Tacks is to help customers find what looks good on them. So of course it’s only fair that we offer to do an alteration if something doesn’t fit very well. After all, I have a size chart because everyone has to work from some standardized measurements, but I don’t expect the chart to apply to every woman.
Simple stuff like a reduction in length, releasing a waist dart, or making a fresh piece with a wider shoulder or a smaller armhole is not time consuming. However some alterations are tedious, especially if it requires many stitches to be removed. Sometimes it can take an entire day to rip out stitches on a silk dress (it takes longer for delicate fabric) with a side seam zip, and then re-stitch it (all this just for an extra 1/8th of an inch ease on each side). Maybe I wouldn’t be thinking about this so much if I didn’t have a shortage of tailors. I’d like to provide great customer service, and having a happy customer walk away with something that fits her well is worth the time spent on the alteration.
I’ve tried every method possible: contacting everyone I know in the garment industry, placing ads in all the major Tamil papers (expensive and futile), and I’ve even gone around tailoring shops in a few neighbourhoods asking them if they know someone. I’m going on a 10 day trip at the end of this month, and I’m worried that production is going to come to a stand still when I’m gone! Also, having only a few tailors means that I always give priority to alterations and customer orders, but that has slowed down the pattern development process. My pattern maker has not been able to show me what he has developed for the monsoon collection because he hasn’t been able to allocate a tailor to stitch a sample. I know, not a good time for me to take off for a couple of weeks…
On a slightly different note, I’m wondering how other stores and clothing brands handle alterations. I keep telling my sales staff that our goal at Brass Tacks is to help customers find what looks good on them. So of course it’s only fair that we offer to do an alteration if something doesn’t fit very well. After all, I have a size chart because everyone has to work from some standardized measurements, but I don’t expect the chart to apply to every woman.
Simple stuff like a reduction in length, releasing a waist dart, or making a fresh piece with a wider shoulder or a smaller armhole is not time consuming. However some alterations are tedious, especially if it requires many stitches to be removed. Sometimes it can take an entire day to rip out stitches on a silk dress (it takes longer for delicate fabric) with a side seam zip, and then re-stitch it (all this just for an extra 1/8th of an inch ease on each side). Maybe I wouldn’t be thinking about this so much if I didn’t have a shortage of tailors. I’d like to provide great customer service, and having a happy customer walk away with something that fits her well is worth the time spent on the alteration.
Labels: alterations, customer service, tailors
posted by Anaka at
7:47 PM
2 Comments:
Hey, Crisis or no crisis, I loved the clothes I picked up at your store and have been wearing them endlessly over the last month (one would wonder if I didn;t have other clothes!!!).
Even if I say so myself, I felt really good in them and it did wonders to my ego!! americans being who they are are not given to expressing themselves on personal stuff so I'd like to think that stopped them from commenting on the clothes!!!!
crisis alright! i have been trying to find a good reasonable tailor who is sensitive to good design and pays attention to the painted area! i know exactly what you are going through. Drop by at my blog to see some of the hand painted bags i have... and yes if you know of a good bag tailor in chennai let me know!
In chennai for 5 days. a stop at brass tacks is on my list :)
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