How a boutique should actually run: the nine-step process
Every boutique already has a process. It is usually in the owner's head, which is why the boutique runs well when she is there and wobbles when she isn't. Writing the process down is the first step to handing parts of it to someone else.
Below is the process we see working in boutiques that deliver on time. For each step there are three questions: what gets recorded, who owns it, and what the customer hears.
What are the nine steps of running a boutique?
1. Inquiry
Record: name, phone, what she is looking for, the occasion and its date, and where the inquiry came from. Owner: whoever answers the phone or Instagram. Customer hears: a reply the same day and an invitation to visit. Set a follow-up date for every inquiry that doesn't convert on the spot.
2. Order booking
Record: the garment, design references, order value, advance received, trial date and delivery date. Owner: the person at the counter. Customer hears: an order confirmation with the amount paid and both dates. Work the delivery date back from the occasion, leaving a buffer for alterations.
3. Measurements
Record: a full measurement sheet per garment, who took it and any fit preferences. Owner: the master or senior tailor. Save it against the customer, so the next order starts from it.
4. Fabric and material
Record: fabric, lining and trims allocated to the order, from stock or to be bought. Owner: the production in-charge. If something has to be bought, it goes on a purchase list the same day.
5. Karigar work
Record: what was issued, to whom, the work to be done, the rate and the due-back date. Owner: the production in-charge. Check due-back dates every morning. A piece that is two days late at the karigar is a delivery that is two days late.
6. Dyeing
Record: pieces sent, the shade reference and the due-back date. Owner: the production in-charge. Match the shade against the swatch the moment it returns, before stitching continues. The order of dyeing and handwork varies by garment and fabric, so set it per order.
7. Trial
Record: the trial date and time, fit notes and any changes asked for. Owner: the counter. Customer hears: a reminder the day before.
8. Alterations
Record: each change, who it is given to and when it will be ready. Owner: the master. Treat an alteration as a small job with its own due date, so it doesn't sit behind new orders.
9. Packing, delivery and payment
Record: final check passed, bill raised, balance received and the delivery date. Owner: the counter. Customer hears: a ready-for-pickup message with the balance due, and a thank-you after delivery.
What should a boutique owner check daily, weekly and monthly?
| When | What to check | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Every morning | Follow-ups due today, pieces due back from karigars and dyers, trials today | 10 min |
| Every Monday | Orders due for delivery this week and next, and anything behind schedule | 20 min |
| Every week | Fabric and trims running low, pending vendor payments | 15 min |
| Month end | Sales, advances and balances, vendor payments, handover to the accountant | 1 hour |
The times are a guide for a single boutique. They assume the information is already in one place. If it has to be collected first, each check takes far longer, which is why it usually gets skipped.
When does a boutique need software?
You can run this process on paper. Many boutiques do, with a register per step. It breaks down when volume grows, because paper can't remind you and can't be in two places.
Fashion OS is this process built into software. Each step is a stage on the order, each record is a field you fill once, each customer message is sent from the stage it belongs to, and the morning check is one screen. Sales flow to Tally, Busy or Zoho Books, so month end is a handover, not a reconstruction.
Whether or not you use a system, start by writing your own nine steps down and naming an owner for each. That alone takes work off the owner's shoulders.