For those of you who have been following us on social media, you may have noticed that we closed commissions in November of 2019 in an effort to reduce the tremendous backlog.
During this time, we have been analyzing ways to restructure some of our outdated or clunky systems and processes in an effort to reduce friction and create a fun and enjoyable experience for our customers in their project journies. Additionally, as the cost of materials, time involvement and skill used in the newest projects has been steadily increasing, we have been reevaluating our compensation and deadline models.
As we approach our reopening, we are excited to announce some of the upcoming changes to our process flow, pricing and the projects accepted in 2020.
So, what's changing?
Improved Requirements Collection Flow
Going forward, we will be working closely with our customers to acquire as much detail as possible in the early stages of communication, in an effort to reduce or eliminate the confusion that can sometimes arise out of custom crafted projects. We will be housing this information in a digital location where all parties can return later for review.
Improved Clarity on Deadlines and Timeline Expectations
Going forward, we will work to only accept projects which can be finished in 90 days or less and will be providing customers with soft and hard deadlines to look forward to throughout the process. This will reduce your wait, and also keep the idea fresh in everyone's mind by the time we are able to dig into the project.
Project Acceptance
As we've now completed several hundred commission projects, we are now much more experienced and knowledgeable in understanding what we do best, and whether that is a fit for your project. We will do our best to work with you closely and find a solution that we feel will have the greatest impact for your project. If we aren't able to think through a way to accomplish your requests, or if it is not a good fit, we may not be able to accept all projects at this time.
Pricing Increase
Up to this point, our customers have been investing in a particular skill set level that was available in our early days, allowing us to experiment and grow, and provide low prices. As we've worked through many more complex projects, the work is now at a more senior level, and the artistic expression is much more fully baked. The end product has improved substantially over time, as has our product offering.
Additionally, as the cost of materials, space and living wage are steadily increasing year after year, we are in a position where we need to increase prices slightly to allow for the proper time investment, material quality and dedication for each project we work on.
We are so excited to see what 2020 has in store, and can't wait to bring you along with us!
If you have any questions or comments, please reach out to william@rockwellmasks.com