For any business, especially in creative industries, having a clear, efficient ordering process is essential to delivering a seamless client experience. From the initial preparation to the final sale, every step should be intentional, transparent, and focused on meeting your client’s needs while aligning with your business goals.
Here is a guide that will let you go through an Ordering Audit and Review—a structured process that focuses on key questions to ask at each stage of your client’s journey. By refining everything from preparation to closing the sale, you’ll not only enhance your workflow but also boost client satisfaction and your bottom line
Preparation
- Prepared room and checked equipment. Y/N
- Has prior knowledge of customers and their families and read all past client notes. Y/N
- Has prepared themself to be in the best possible state in the meeting focused and positive Y/N
Rapport building
- Demonstrates open and friendly body language smiling and nodding. Y/N
- Uses open questions to build rapport throughout the design appointment. Y/N
- Shows interest in all members of the family using their first names. Y/N
- Shares common experiences with customers (find something /anything you can talk about) Y/N
- Identifies what the customer is looking for throughout the Design appointment. Y/N
- Looks at the customers and demonstrates active listening. Y/N
- Uses your voice positively in the correct Pitch, pace and tone. Y/N
Control
- Advises and guides customers through the process by explaining what will happen next. Y/N
- Focuses attention and activity around what the customer is looking for. Y/N
- Breaks the design room into manageable segments. Y/N
- Helps customers to make decisions by selling appropriate benefits and features of the products. Y/N
- Uses silence to allow customer time and to encourage the customer to buy. Y/N
Handling considerations and questions
- Reacts positively to old customer questions uses smiles, body language and tone. Y/N
- Acknowledges questions and issues positively and welcomes the customers questions. Y/N
- Ask the customer questions to identify real concerns behind some questions. Y/N
- Handles questions positively by clearly explaining or selling the benefits. Y/N
- Reinforces the choices the clients have made and benefits by removing any remaining doubts. Y/N
Handling price
- Uses words, tone and body language to convey enthusiasm for the product and its value. Y/N
- Listens to any customer questions regarding price positively. Y/N
- Ask questions to discover what’s the customers concerns regarding price. Y/N
- Offers options for flexible payments to handle price questions. Y/N
- Officer customer and the next option down in the price range if budget is an issue. Y/N
- Stresses the value of the portrait experience. Y/N
- Finds an opportunity to upsell and link a product to another. Y/N
Closing the sale
- Assumes the customer will want to buy the finished products. Y/N
- Using the 14 closing styles you close the sale. Y/N
- Take opportunities to grow the sale. Y/N
- Confidently introduces all payment methods and contracts. Y/N
- Orders all products via the ordering software. Y/N
- Print two copies of the order and both are signed and given to each party. Y/N
- Payment for the products is completed. Y/N
Summary
- What went well in the ordering session?
- What areas do you need improvement on?
- What further training do you need?
