Offer Customers the Opportunity for the Creator to Double-Check their Personalisation

[NigelSutherland]

It occurs to me that there may often be customers who are not totally confident in their ability in customising products that we, as designers, have created.

Perhaps Zazzle could offer a service whereby customers can have their customised products double-checked by us.

The benefits from this I see as being at least threefold:

1) The customer is more confident that their product will be perfect.

2) It would help engender a positive and maybe ongoing relationship between the customer and the designer.

3) There would be fewer returns to Zazzle of rejected deliveries.

Maybe offer the service at a small fee if need be.

Thoughts?

[Cat]

Hmmm...  I think that's the whole reason they introduced the chat system. Anyhow, there are already 2 systems in place to do this, and I help customers with this sort of thing virtually every day, but I do agree that it's not quite as transparent and easy as it could be, and the open-ended aspect of it makes it a bit messy. It would be lovely if there was a system for allowing designers to charge a fee for this service - maybe based on how long it took to assist them? That could get messy too, but some method of compensation would certainly make it more rewarding for designers to help customers with design work.

Anyhow, here are the two existing methods:

Method 1: Use the Group Edit feature. The way this works, the customer must enter the design tool on the product in question and then click on the "share" button. They then must enter an email address for the person they wish to share their design session with. The system then sends an email with a link to enter the design session.

At that point both people can see and work on the design together. There's a chat panel that opens so you can chat while you design, and you basically toss control back and forth, but you're both working on the same design at the same time. I think there's also some sort of capability to video chat while you do this, but I've never done that.

This system works great, but it has several disadvantages. Firstly, you have to schedule a time when both you & the customer are available, and you have to send the customer an email address. Secondly (and this was my problem with it) it ends up being a rather open ended situation, so you as the designer have to set strict limits as to what you will and won't do. The one time I tried this I ended up spending 4 hours doing custom design work for which I was paid a grand total of 25 cents. So yeah... not real interested in going down that route again!

Method 2: Share links. This is the system I generally use to assist customers. When a customer contacts me through chat with difficulties customizing their product, I explain that I can't see their work unless they send me a special link. I then direct them to the "share dialog" (click on the arrow in the top corner of the preview image which opens a dialog with options to share your design on various social media or to copy a link.)

If they send me that link I can access their work, make changes for them, and send them a new share link. It basically creates a new saved design which they can either order directly or they can edit further before they order.

This system has several advantages. You can easily send them several different options to choose from, you don't have to schedule time to work together, and it's much less open ended. 

Anyhow, I agree that it's a bit complicated and messy and there is much room for improvement, but that's the system I use.

[Jadendreamer13]

I’m not in the wedding invitation niche, so this has never been an issue for me. But if I were to enter that niche, I would opt for a hands-off approach. I don’t want a lot of interaction or distraction from customers; that’s Zazzle’s job. I want to keep my focus on design work. That’s my happy place.

[Fiona]

I will pass on the feedback,

Thanks 🙂