Welcome!
The creative process should be fun – one that you’ll want to participate in. To help you navigate your way through the process, we’ve assembled everything you’ll need for a smooth and enjoyable experience.
Please take a moment to fill out and submit the NEW Client Form along with the standard W9 Form PDF and email it to TRIAD. This will help us get your account set up and your first project in the works.
Getting Started
As a new client of TRIAD, you now have the support of an experienced creative team who will act as your advocates, guides, and advisors throughout the entire process. With that experienced team comes years of helpful hints and dos & don’ts that we find useful.
Start with a winning strategy
Any project is most effectively managed by controlling its resources (people, materials, and equipment), time (hours spent on specific tasks), budget (estimated project costs), and scope (project size, goals, and requirements).
When we begin your project, during our initial discovery meeting, we will clearly define the scope of the project and the development process as it pertains to your project.
Note: If a planned project needs to be altered at that time (for example, a tri-fold brochure becomes an eight-page booklet or a website suddenly requires e-commerce capability) we will revise the scope, timeline and a new estimate will be issued.
Change Orders
If your project is altered after the creative process has begun, then a change order will be made and you will be notified of any additional costs that may be incurred due to the change. If requested, a new estimate can also be issued at this time.
Subcontractor Estimates
We normally secure three estimates for work that needs to be subcontracted—or have pre-screened partners who are industry-fair or best-rate. By having our partners competitively bid for the work we subcontract, we normally can offer pricing that rivals what anyone may be able to find on their own.
Most often, we will mark-up these outside costs by an industry standard 20% and, in doing so, will guarantee your satisfaction with the final product. Conversely, if you choose to circumvent our preferred partners, we cannot be responsible for the final outcome of the project—and if we have to troubleshoot—the time will be billed in addition to the normal estimated cost for the project.
Expect Full Accountability
For project management and billing purposes, all jobs are entered into our agency software, Clients & Profits, and can be tracked at any given point in the production process. You will be issued a client code (up to a five digit alpha-numeric code that will identify a project as “yours.” Each job that is opened will employ your client-specific code plus a 3-digit (sequential) number. You can reference your job by that number, which will also be referenced on PDF files and invoicing. When your job is completed, the digital files are archived onto our server or DVD and stored both on-site and at an off-site location.
As TRIAD’s talented creatives and administrators work on your projects, time is logged in 10-minute increments into the C&P software. Each task has its own rate that can be referenced on the provided rate sheet. If a project extends beyond 90 days an invoice may be generated as “in-progress” billing to cover expenses already incurred on your behalf.
Tips & Tricks
Working with us is actually super easy but we do have some suggestions to make the process go even more smoothly.
Get to know your Account Executive
Establish your regular “contact person” at TRIAD - we refer to them as Account Executives. This person will be able to get you what you need and have a better idea of how you like to have your work done. While the occasion may arise when you need to speak with someone other than your principal contact, we ask that, in the interest of streamlining communication, all efforts are made to first speak with this individual.
Let us know if you have a budget
If you have a budget (or range), let your contact know up-front. We know how to keep costs within your budget—and sometimes we can even suggest ways that you can produce your desired project at a savings.
If you don’t have a budget, ask for an estimate. It will eliminate any surprises (for both parties) and help define the scope of the project for you and for us.
Utilize Basecamp
For projects requiring an extended timeline, utilize Basecamp. It’s a web-based product that keeps all project participants connected and involved in the creative process. The program features a calendar with milestones, PDF previews, and other features for an efficient and enjoyable project experience.
Define your project scope
Have the scope of your project defined and your (client) supplied materials ready to turn over prior to the start of the creative process. Numerous starts and stops, extended waits or excessive “small” changes or alterations can quickly take a project beyond its estimate. If you have many approvals that are needed (by a committee), it might be best to have draft approval on materials prior to beginning the project.
Avoid Excess
Avoid excessive in-person meetings, long-distance driving and overnight deliveries. They can add unnecessary costs to a project. With TRIAD’s FTP site and Adobe Acrobat PDF files, projects and files can be easily exchanged and viewed by everyone.
*TRIAD accepts MasterCard, VISA, and American Express payments via PayPal or by phone.