One day, a client ordered less painting than usual.
He then asked if he could know when the next month opened up. I said sure, and I did.
He then placed another similar sized order. Again, he asked to be told when the following month’s schedule opened up.
He then did the same. Again, and again, and again.
After a few months, he was getting a regular, monthly supply. I called this ‘pipelining.’ Other clients started doing it, too. Instead of paying the premium for priority, they set aside a monthly budget and for the most part kept to it. This gets them both better rates and better access.
Pipelining for “Immediate” Access
It doesn’t matter what is booked. Only that capacity to do some painting, has been booked.
You may book some Marvel United. However, when the time comes, if you ask us to paint your shrinkwrap-fresh Death Korps instead, we will. As long as the capacity needed is about the same, it is not a problem.
In this way, pipeline clients have been getting “trending” minis painted, without having to add them to the back of the queue.
How to Pipeline
Email us and ask us to add you to the list. When the next month opens for bookings, you will be notified first.
If you wish, place an order. Try to pick a volume you wouldn’t mind having to shell out, once or even twice a month. This is not a subscription; there is no pressure to order. The pipe can be as full or dry as you want to make it.
And that’s it!
To Support Pipelining, We Discontinued Priority
Everyone likes better access, but not everyone was happy to pay more for the same quality of painting. Setting aside capacity for Priority was aggravating the wait time for most clients, not improving it.
We also noticed pipelining clients don’t pay for priority - because they don’t need to.
So, we’ve discontinued priority (if you already have a priority order please don’t worry, you are fine. We are just not taking new priority orders). That capacity has gone back into the general pool. This is good for everyone — especially pipeliners.
