What’s the customer’s role when buying a vehicle wrap is an excellent question because what a customer does and doesn’t do can significantly impact the vehicle wrap process. Whether it’s one vehicle for your business or your entire fleet of vehicles, wrapping a vehicle isn’t like clicking a button on Amazon to purchase. The customer’s role when buying a vehicle wrap is an essential part of the vehicle wrap process. Here are five steps the customer can take to help a vehicle graphic provider deliver the best possible product. It’s the customer’s role when buying a vehicle wrap.
What’s the Customer’s Role When Buying a Vehicle Wrap?
1. Supply Information About the Vehicle
The customer’s role when buying a vehicle wrap begins with supplying information. Not only does the vehicle graphic provider need information, but they need accurate information about the vehicle. The provider needs to know the make, model, color, trim options, and add-on equipment of the cars or trucks to be wrapped.
For example, to say you have a 2021 Ford Transit isn’t enough information. The Transit is available in four variations, with dozens of packages, and a variety of options such as extended and high roof models. Cars, trucks, delivery vans, and trailers come in so many combinations. When you give incomplete or inaccurate information, you take a chance that the design won’t fit the vehicle.
2. Make the Vehicle Available
Okay, I know this is obvious but not having a vehicle available for installation happens more often than you’d think. This is especially true when working with a fleet of vehicles. When vehicles are in multiple locations or need to be taken to the installation location, delays are common. We’ve seen so many instances when a customer missed their scheduled installation time because they were busy with a customer, the vehicle broke down, or they just forgot. It happens, but making the vehicle available for installation is one of the customer’s role when buying a vehicle wrap.
3. Have Your Artwork Ready
If you have an existing logo or artwork you want to incorporate on your vehicle graphics, locate the files and have it ready to send to your graphics provider. Having your artwork ready is also about having it in the correct format. So, what artwork formats are acceptable?
- Vector Artwork: Created with a vector-based program, such as Adobe Illustrator. Acceptable file types include .ai, .eps, or a high-resolution PDF.
- Raster Artwork: If your art was created in a pixel-based program, such as Adobe Photoshop, be sure you can provided a high resolution file. Acceptable file types include .psd, .psb, .tiff, .jpeg, and high-resolution PDF’s.
If you’d like to learn more, go to TKO Graphix Art Submission Guidelines.
If you don’t have artwork or are unsure if your artwork meets the guidelines, TKO’s team of graphic designers can help you. Providing artwork can be part of the customer’s role when buying a vehicle wrap or we can create it for you.
4. Really Look at the Art Layout
When a customer approves an art layout they haven’t fully reviewed, it can lead to big problems. A graphics provider, such as TKO Graphix, may find errors in color, style, or content, but it’s best that the customer reviews the information thoroughly to ensure all information is correct including the following:
- Is the correct vehicle with the correct vehicle options being shown on the art layout? (i.e. – high roof vs. low roof, swing doors vs. sliding doors)
- Look at all sides of the vehicle on the layout. Is this how you want it to look from all perspectives?
- Check the colors and fonts. Do the colors and fonts match your brand?
- Is your phone number, website, and other information accurate and spelled correctly?
Don’t take a quick look at the layout and just sign off. Take your time and review it thoroughly. It also might help to have others on your team proof it. If you’d like to know more, read this, How to Proof Your Vehicle Graphics Layout, so it Doesn’t Cost You Time and Money.
When a vehicle graphics provider sends a layout to a customer for approval, the sales and design team are asking, “Does this meet your expectations?” You should be absolutely certain that it’s what you want before you approve it.
When a layout is signed and approved, the design goes into production. Changes after a layout has gone into production can be costly and time-consuming.
“Graphic design is a collaborative effort between designer and client.” —Sign Craft Magazine.
5. Reduce Your Response Time
When the graphics provider asks for information, approval, or your opinion on a design, the vehicle wrap project is in limbo until the provider receives the information. If they tell you they can have your wrap completed and back to you in three weeks, but are waiting two weeks for information from you, it moves the job to five weeks before completion. To keep your vehicle graphics project moving quickly, reduce your response time in getting back to your graphics provider.
What’s the Customer’s Role When Buying a Vehicle Wrap?
What’s the customer’s role when buying a vehicle wrap and how important is it? It’s integral, essential, and a no-win situation when the customer doesn’t do their part. Be ready with the specifications of each vehicle being wrapped, have your artwork, review the art layout throughly, and make your vehicle available for installation. When you, the customer, take care of your role in the vehicle wrap process, it not only makes the job quicker and possibly prevents costly mistakes.
How Can We Help You?
If you’d like fleet graphics designed to capture attention, printed on state-of-the-art equipment, and installed by expert certified installers, we’re here to help.
If you’d like further information or advice, on the customer’s role in a vehicle wrap be sure to Contact Us.
Would you like a free estimate for your fleet or vehicle graphics? If so, you can Request A Quote.
TKO Graphix is a national fleet and vehicle graphics company helping customers since 1985. We provide full-service large format graphics with digital printing, screen printing, design services, graphics installation, and removal.
As a result of our high standards in quality products and production, we are proud to be certified by 3M™ and able to offer the 3M™ MCS™ Warranty, the gold standard in graphics warranties. This warranty demonstrates our commitment to excellence and gives customers a greater peace of mind.
Whether you have a fleet of a few or thousands of vehicles, we are here to lead you through the process. To get started, contact us today for a free quote.
