Promotional Merchandise - Processing a Rush Order

Get the exact in-hands date and delivery address in writing before accepting. If the date cannot be achieved, say so immediately.

Call or contact supplier directly to confirm live blank goods availability. Do not rely on website stock for rush work.

Confirm the decoration method is viable at the compressed lead time. Embroidery new setups need 3-5 days for sew-out; DTF or digital print can eliminate setup time.

Price every rush cost: production premium 10-30%, expedited freight at confirmed carrier rate, priority setup fees. No estimated freight.

Send written order confirmation with proof approval deadline - exact time and date - and the consequence of missing it stated explicitly.

PO must be in supplier system before end of business day deposit is received. Rush orders stall when POs go out late.

Send proof to customer immediately on receipt. Two-hour follow-up trigger. Phone if no response. Written approval only - no verbal sign-off. No production without approval.

Issue final invoice same day as confirmed delivery or collection. Reconcile all supplier costs against POs before closing the job record.

Rush orders get accepted verbally without confirming the in-hands date in writing, so when production falls short there is no documented record of what was promised.

The proof approval gate gets bypassed under deadline pressure, and a reprint on a rush order cannot be delivered in time - making the failure total and unrecoverable.

Expedited freight is estimated rather than confirmed before quoting, so the margin difference is absorbed when the actual carrier rate comes in higher.