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I had a nightmare before xmas as I had promised to do a few frames and had only just set up my machines etc in Ireland. Somehow in transit from England I managed to loose the bottom nut on my morso where the blade assembly attaches to the pedal mechanism! This was on Wednesday 19/12. As you may well know its a big nut and couldnt find a source in Ireland so had to order from a very helpful place called Framers Equipment in UK who dispatched on 19th by Airsure. I got it Sunday 23 at lunchtime, just enough time to finish off the frames I had promised.
Anyway just wanted a few tips on how to present a finished frame to a client?
e.g. I have in my time done one of the two following options:
1) made up bubble wrap bags and just placed the frame in their for them to take out and have a look and then put back in bag and take away.
2) put cardboard corner protecters on the frame and handywrap these to keep them on and just present the frame like that for them to take away.
We keep a roll of bubblewrap at the counter - if the frame is pretty bullet-proof, like ash etc, we won't wrap it at all. Let the customer inspect it, then wrap at the counter.
Otherwise we will wrap it in bubblewrap but only use one or two pieces of tape - then, on collection - remove bubblewrap - allow customer to inspect and then wrap properly.
I don't think it's a good idea to allow customers to take wrapped stuff away uninspected in front of you - be that totally wrapped or corner protected - let them see it's OK - hear them say it's OK - make sure yourself it's OK - it's your final check.
We get some that bring damaged stuff back, swearing blind 'it was like that when we got it home' - well, we know it was not 'like that' when it left here - absolutely no way!
However - how you'd handle that situation is another thing.
Wise words Robo. That's how I work. I always let the customer approve the frame unwrapped. Sometimes I hang them on the gallery wall if I have a gap or set them up on an easel to increase the 'wow' factor. I also like to 'supervise' car loading if there is a lot of frames or a particulary big frame. (face to face or back to back.... )
Like Robo and Prospero I like to make sure my customer is happy - and that I have done my final - final check. I also offer to carry large frames to the customers car - Ive witnessed customers destroy frames by careless handling - in my opinion they will always blame me in some way - I want them to get the frame back home in pristine condition.
Depending on size I use different methods - basic is polythene carrier bags - sizes up too 4' x 4'. with delicate frames they are wrapped in bubblewrap or handywrap before bag.
I am looking at the whole carrier bag thing as i am sure we should be aware of the consequence of a material that doesnt break down. I occasionally get customers who bring blankets in - they dont want lots of polythene. Experiment in the westcountry somewhere to stop using carriers a gallery stocked up on old blankets from a charity shop - would this be a good green alternative?
For most of the run-of-the-mill frames we simply wrap them in brown Kraft paper generally without corner protectors. We’ve had very few customers return with damaged frames this way. Given the cost of their purchase, they tend to be very careful.
With larger, unwieldy poster frames, we will use the cardboard corner protectors. We encourage those larger frames to be carried and transported by the wire (cord) so that the moulding rails don’t bow and risk the glass creeping out. Since they will be carried by the wire, we can’t effectively cover the frame with any wrapping material. People also tend to be pretty careful with a large, glazed frame since they don’t want to do any damage to either the frame or their car.
Only if we know that the frame will be shipped do we wrap in left over foam or bubble wrap. Bubble wrap is too bulky for us to store in reasonable quantities – we just don’t have the room in the shop.
“Recycled” blankets might be worth looking into, although I would be concerned that they haven’t been properly cleaned by a charity outfit. The last thing one would want is to send a “cootie” laden blanket home with a good customer let alone some bed bugs or lice making home in our shop.
Don't take life so serious, son, it ain't nohow permanent! – Porky Pine
Cardboard corners, with handy wrap.
Handy for inspecting frames before taken home.
Also good for job lots - stacked face 2 face, and they never slide with the handy wrap.
Bubble wrap is supplied later if requested.
I also like to take the frames out to the customers cars and help them load correctly, they just cant be trusted to do it on their own !!
I too use shrink wrap (Handy Wrap) - we transport tulip frames up to London wrapped in 2's or 5's. This is the best thing to stop them sliding around and reduces the amount of wasted packaging. Over the last 7 years we have sent c.800 frames (4"x4" up to 48"x36") a month and had less than 5 bits of glass break!
When I did more bespoke work I used wrap on all the edges for support but I think the most important thing is to show the customer how to pick up a large frame - two hands on opposite sides and NEVER NEVER NEVER one handed from the top edge!!!! and, as said above back to back / front to front - there are many Art Galleries that don't do this (not the framinf ones!).
We use white card corners from Simins or Lion and then shrinkwrap using Lions Magic Wand system. It looks very professional and if a customer wants to inspect the corners it is easy to unwrap and re wrap. We then pack into large plastic bags printed with out logo.
We have had the occasional frame back damaged, which the customer always claim it was like it when they collected it. We never argue, just apologise and put it right. The material cost is usually relatively small and it is not worth the bad will to argue.
We use a clear poly tube product that is purchased in 100M rolls that are a metre wide - this product is cut to size for each item and each item is sealed using an electric wand
When customer collects their work it is clearly visable for their inspection, and after payment, we assist with taking their work to their car
RobinC wrote:We have had the occasional frame back damaged, which the customer always claim it was like it when they collected it. We never argue, just apologise and put it right. The material cost is usually relatively small and it is not worth the bad will to argue.
My attitude too! Customers are also always told that if they have an accident, I will always help even if some time later. The cost of the occasional minor fix is so little anyway, but the goodwill and feel good factor is well worth it.
Customers who won't collect their work can have their work removed from the frame and returned. Life is too short to get stressed about these things! This may sound daft, but as a Christian, I find it very easy to accept these things with good humour and without bad feelings.
I also like to 'supervise' car loading if there is a lot of frames or a particulary big frame. (face to face or back to back.... 
)