Studio integration question...

[ramiro]

I don't even know if that is what it is, but for lack of a better phrase.

I am working on getting a studio opened and I am having a bit of trouble wrapping my head as to how to go from the sales presentation (projection) to where the customer pays for his order.

So far I am looking at ProSelect for the projection sales area, and Quickbooks for the finances side of things. However, I have heard/read about Point of Sale (POS) programs or software and such. Do I need a program like this? And if so, which ones are there for Mac?

What I can't wrap my head around is this. Say a customer, based on the sales projection selects what he/she wants, I add the products to their "cart" in ProSelect. Let say they are done with their selections I have I a list of items they are buying, how do I transfer that to the receptionist's computer so they can pay and get a receipt. If I print the invoice from ProSelect, can that be used as a receipt, so long as it's stamped or something. If so, then how do I get the info of that sale into Quickbooks?

I'd like to hear how some of the portrait studios have their sales process set up. Maybe I am over thinking this or something, but I'd appreciate your help.

[HotHolly]

You dont need POS stuff. Its overkill unless you are selling tons of knick nacks where you need to keep track of inventory. Most photogs dont have inventory like that.

Ive found that the old fashioned way of ordering is more conducive to sales - order form and a pen. While watching the projection, they write down what they like. At the end, we tally, and transition to the check out where they get a receipt and pay.

After that I enter everything into our books.

If you are going to run a large photo mill with loads of clients, that set up may not work for you. Software that can track orders may be better if you run a large scale operation. We are an intentionally low volume boutique.

[ramiro]

Thanx for the input Holly. Actually that is what I am going after, a low volume boutique style studio. But what I would like to have is a way to go from the sales projection room, which is a small room in the location we are renting, to the receptionist's desk which is in the main gallery area, in a corner. I would prefer to have something more seamless than capturing stuff on paper, then entering into a computer to charge the customer and print a receipt, then enter the info again into Quickbooks. Even if we are a low vol. studio, I'd rather eliminate opportunities or gaps that things can fall through, plus, why duplicate effort if there is a way to avoid it.

Ideally I'd rather have the selections being done on the computer in the projection room, and when complete, simply walk over to the "check-out" counter and have the customer pay for the order and get a receipt, but I am not sure there is anything out there for studios that would do that. Also, beside the receipts, I want to avoid having things on paper as much as possible, at least not in the day to day operations of the studio.

[bondarnes]

There is one program I know of that will integrate with ProSelect. I have used SuccessWare for almost ten years and it will take your order from ProSelect and create an order invoice in the clients file. The receptionist will probably still need to print a copy for the client. I believe that I read that Studio Cloud is in the process of integrating with ProSelect also.

[ramiro]

Thanx Don. I just looked at SuccessWare and Studio Cloud. SuccessWare is out of reach of my budget to get started. Studio Cloud looks good and affordable but it looks like they have their own proofing solution that integrates to Studio Cloud. What I don't like is that beyond a small blurb about what the proofing thing is, they don't have a lot of details as to the capabilities, even screen shots of how it would look like or what it can do. I could do the 30 day trail, but I'd rather do that once I have the product line up and pricing info completed so I can plug everything as it would be in "real life" so to speak. Thanx for the suggestions Don.

[CaptainTom]

I wish I had such problems.
I just tell them "that'll be XXXXX dollars" and hope they don't ask for a receipt.

[ramiro]

Originally Posted by CaptainTom

I wish I had such problems.
I just tell them "that'll be XXXXX dollars" and hope they don't ask for a receipt.

LOL!

[Cajungaltx]

I thought Proselect could do this?

Yup - it can:

Let’s say you crop a few images, convert some images to black and white and some to sepia (BTW you can control the look of the b/w, sepia and the vignetting too!) and you have a few different portrait packages (sizes and price points) that you’ve sold to your client. Instead of going back to your desktop or workstation to pull all your images and start working on the order from scratch, ProSelect has already printed up the invoice for you with or with out prices, placed a thumbnail of the portrait on each line item you’ve sold and has already put your cropped and converted images in a folder to be sent to the lab or output on your in house printer.

One program - does it all. Buy it, tell Ron Nichols I referred you! ;-)

[porschelvr]

ProSelect will do an invoice but you still have to put that invoice into your accounting software if you want to have a P&L for your business.

I print out a receipt via ProSelect to give to customer because the thumbnails are great for them, I also keep an office copy for ordering purposes. I later have to enter that invoice into QB and then staple to two together for the customer file.

[Cajungaltx]

Arthur - his post requested getting client from proofing to paying efficiently... I agree - you definitely have to enter the invoice into an accounting program of some sort if you don't have it all integrated - but this would take care of his needs.