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Dependability of supply.
When you are in charge of a large project, such as a presentation or exhibition, you will need to be able to rely on your framer to supply the required goods on time & budget. In order to achieve this, you need to be aware of a 3 main things. Is the framer dependable enough to deliver exactly what final product you have agreed upon? Are they likely to be able to make the frames in your given time frame? And The usually the largest sticking point, are the materials required all in stock at the framing wholesale manufacturer that will be needed in your job?
When asking whether a framer will be able to achieve the end product you are looking for, the main thing to look for is the quality of their work. Ask to see an example of something that has been previously framed that is going to be similar to what you will be having done. Most framers have a few jobs hanging round the shop that are waiting to be picked up, that you can have a close inspection of. Take note of the corners of the frame, the corners of the mat (If it has one), how the work is sitting under the glass and the general overall appearance of the frame as a whole. Don’t pay too much attention to the colour choices or proportions used, as they will most probably have been chosen by the framers client, not the framer himself.
In terms of working within your time frame, you need to be understanding that your limits may be too tight for anybody to complete within. If you have a job coming up, liaise with your framer as you would any other supplier and give them fair warning. Even if you aren’t going to have the pictures ready to be framed until very close to your delivery date, your framer should be better able to comply, if they have a chance to clear their schedule, bolster their staff levels or order in sufficient stock.
If you have given plenty of time for the job to be done, the onus then falls to the framer. You should check to see if they have done jobs similar to yours in the time you need. Ask what their usual and minimum turn around times are, and if they foresee any problems with getting your job done within those limits. If your job is especially large, you should consider asking the framer for testimonials or references to be sure they are able to do what they say they can.
By far the problem you will run into more than the previous 2 is frames being out of stock at your framers supplier, the frame being in limited stock or the frame changing slightly from batch to batch. This can be very tricky to navigate as the solutions are usually out of the framer’s control and sometimes beyond their supplier’s.
One solution is to choose several different, yet similar frame profiles that are acceptable to use in your department. This means you have to be flexible, though it is better to have a contingency plan in place if something goes wrong, than to be caught without one. If you are having things framed for instance in a simple black moulding, many manufacturers produce very similar ranges that can be interchanged without too much fuss. However if you are getting a specific gold moulding, you may find that it is very difficult to find a substitute. Even if you do, you may find the price increases dramatically depending on exactly what you are getting, and from whom.
Another solution is to facilitate your framer buying enough moulding to make your frames for a set period of time. This negates things like the frame morphing over batches and becoming temporarily out of stock. You should be able to negotiate with your framer to buy enough stock that would see you right for many jobs. It would involve you outlaying sums of money long before you need to realistically use it, though it can buy you a buffer otherwise difficult to achieve.
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Payment.
Most government organisations have complex payment systems. Be sure that your framer is aware of your situation & can facilitate your requests for an account.
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