Tips To Reduce Sampling Time

Sample is the most important for each and every order. Delay in sampling effects in production shipment. Secondly, when sampling processes get delayed productivity of sampling department gets reduced. Merchants need to be involved in sampling for longer time for the same style. There may be hundreds of reasons for delay in sampling but still sampling time can be reduced by following tips mentioned below.

1. Be proactive- finish your backlogs, create capacity for fresh sampling, research for sourcing of sampling material. Even you can make directory for all available material in the sampling store for fabrics, trims, threads, laces, beads etc that can be used for initial sampling. If you know your buyer better you can be prepared for new season prior to getting sampling request.  
2. Make Time and Action calendar - Do planning for your sampling styles in details. Clearly note when to start a task and when to finish it. Mention name of the responsible person for the task.  Follow task according to the plan. Chase the person until the task gets finished. If something is getting delayed create alarm and seek help from others. Work with the goal to meet timeline for each task. No delay and no procrastination in task completion even you have enough time to submit your sample.
3. Work with checklist - List down a complete sequence of jobs to be needed for sampling. Start finishing task one by one. It will more effective if you prepare two check lists, one for daily To Do list and second one for style wise check list. Start work with daily to do List and update style wise checklist. Following this method with you can keep track of all your styles.
4. Critical path management - Identify jobs those are not dependent with each other and start parallel processing (sourcing, pre-assembling). This will reduce your sampling time and you can work on multiple samples at a time.
5. Inventory check – Prior to handing over work to sampling tailors, check everything is ready as per required quality and quantity. This will help you to reduce forward and backward communication. Secondly, sampling tailors will complete your samples at one go.  
6. Quality at First place- Approve quality and specification by yourself before proceeding for next step. It will eliminate rework level. If you use alternative quality for time constraint, inform it to your buyer prior to using it in sample.
7. Be prepared with alternative – whenever developing samples like lap dips, print strike off, embroidery work or bead work make multiple options. By alternative, in case buyer rejects your first sample you can quickly send alternative one. By this way you can reduce lot of time required for re-development.
8. Don’t believe in Guesswork - Don’t do any task if you have confusion. Communicate with your seniors or contact immediately to buyer for clarification.
9. Update your knowledge – technical knowledge about fabrics, current trends, and new development on your product line will give you additional advantage in quick start sampling.
10. Last but not the least, don’t miss any dead line. Chase your supplier, chase sourcing and sampling department constantly.

Thanks everyone