Responding To Emails
For the most part you will only receive a few different types of requests via emails. Some of the emails you receive may be responded to with templates. Read through the templates area to make sure you know what templates are available to you when responding to emails. We heavily use the Archive feature in our email client Spark, this can be used by pressing Command + Shift + A.
As a general rule, all caps should not be used in an email.
How to use Templates
Many of these email responses will include a response using templates. In order to use a template, reply to the email or create a new email, then click the template button in the bottom left. Search for the template mentioned and click on it. Some templates will have placeholders that you'll have to fill in from various sources, those sources will be explained in each placeholder.
Newsletters
We do not want any sort of product updates/newsletters/or notifications sent to email. Find the unsubscribe button at the bottom and click it.
Spam
Just archive, do not respond
Package Coming
If this is for Amazon, it can just be archived, for other items, copy and paste the tracking number into the trello card that most likely already exists for this task and put the card into the Waiting for Delivery list. If no card exists, it can be archived.
New Job
From CRM
Should respond with the Rental Received - CRM template. Then follow these steps for Creating a Job
Direct Email
Should respond with the Rental Received - Direct template. Then follow these steps for Creating a Job
Changes Requested
Respond with the Changes Received template, then make the changes in rentalworks and use the Send Order macro to send it. Be sure to write in the notes that you have made the changes that were requested.
Subrental Requests
Subrentals are usually much smaller orders and as a result you can just check our stock and respond immediately if its available or not. Refer to the Quiksearch article on how to see if items are available. Then click Command Shift R and run the Create New Subrental Macro to create a subrental order.
Availability Checks
Use Quicksearch to see if the item is available.
Request for Commission Details
Use this article to respond with details about their commission amount. You will respond to them with a PO.
Invoices and Bills
First be sure that this is not a scam. The most common scam is to send invoices either in excel files or PDF's, the most common is macaffe. The quickest way to check this is to look at their email directly and see the domain name its sent from.
Then make sure this bill is not a receipt or does not mention the fact that our account will be automatically charged, this will mostly happen with larger companies such as ADP or UPS. These all have auto pay setup and no action is required. For subrentals, commission, and camera payments to Christian Klein, you can use the below article.
Importing Bills/Expenses to Quickbooks
For other bills, usually vendors providing a service, doing repairs, our taxes, etc, you can post the bill in the purchasing slack channel and we will decide how to deal with it there. Either pay it with a credit card or maybe enter it into quickbooks depending on the circumstances.
Once this is complete the email can be archived.
Reference Check
These will usually come from Chater Camera or from Athos Insurance. Some questions they might ask are
- How long have you been doing business with them?
This answer can be found in Rentalworks, go to the Customer and search for them. Use the Invoice tab to see all past invoices. You may need to change the status to All.
If they have not completed a job with us just say, "No Job has been completed with us yet"
- What products/services do you provide them?
We provide them with lighting and grip rentals.
- What payment terms do you have them set up with?
All of our clients are Due on Receipt.
- Do they pay early? on time? late?
All of our clients pay with a credit card when the job returns.
- When was their last purchase/rental & what was the amount?
This answer can be found in Rentalworks, go to the Customer and search for them. Use the Invoice tab to see all past invoices. You may need to change the status to All.
If they have not completed a job with us just say, "No Job has been completed with us yet"
Updates to Jobs
Sometimes you will recieve pieces of information that are updates to a job that is ongoing. This could be a variety of things which are outlined below.
If you ever do not know what job it is for, you can solve this in a few different ways. Look in the email for clues.
If you have the Company Name/Client Name: Go to the Orders Page in Rentalworks, look in the Customer Column for that company name, that will help you figure out what job is associated with it. Once you figure out the Job Name you can follow the instructions below for Directly Sent items.
With their Email only: Look in Spark for prior emails from them. This will usually pull up an email with their job name. Once you figure out the Job Name you can follow the instructions below for Directly Sent items.
If this all fails, it is very reasonable to email them back and ask them what Job Name this is for.
Directly Sent Rental Documents
Navigate to the uploads page in CineRentalManager, select the document you are uploading, make sure it is correct and upload it. Use this article to make sure each item is what we need: Approving Rental Documents
CineRentalManager Uploads
Once a document is approved or denied, this email can be archived.
Quickbooks Payment Updates
These can be archived.
Invoice is Being Processed
These are mostly from DTC about how they have put our invoice into their system for payment, but may come from other vendors too. They can just be archived.
Job is Ready for Invoicing
When the shop tech completes a job in the Activity App you will receive an email from "Bolt Bot" saying "The job RED SHIP MV- RUN OF SHOW has been completed by Brooke Beeson..."
It will give you the expendables used on the job, the missing equipment, and the damaged equipment. It will also let you know if there was any gear left behind by the crew.
To complete the invoice refer to this article on Creating Final Invoice (Expendables/Fuel/Mileage/L&D). You do not have to run the macro for jobs that are equipment only.
Once an invoice is created and sent, you can archive this email.
PO from Other Vendors
Sometimes another rental vendor will send us a Purchase Order for their subrental.
Go to the orders screen and find the corresponding order for this purchase order. Double click on it.
- Uncheck the Pending PO box on the right side of the order screen.
- Copy the PO number from the PO that was sent
- Paste it where it says PO number, replacing the word PENDING
Once done you can archive their PO to us in our email box.
PO for Bolt Film Solutions Product
See wiki page to create order. Bolt Film Solutions
Rarebreeds Purchase Order
See wiki page on how to handle Rarebreeds PO's. Rarebreed Purchase Orders
Large Changes to an Order or Surprise Changes to Any Pricing
While you should draft an email, a phone call should be made to the producer to explain the charges prior to sending the email. Send the email after the phone call.
Didn't Receive Quote
Add their email into their job in CineRentalManager give them a link to the CineRentalManager Job Link page and let them know if they would like to add anyone else to receive the quote they can add their emails either to the Additional Production Contacts or the Additional Crew Contacts sections.
Adding additional CC's to an Email
Sometimes people will get the quote and then add additional people onto the quote who need to see it. Click on the Quote link to take you to their CineRentalManager Job page, then add these people into their Job Info under Additional Production Contacts or Additional Crew Contacts depending on if they are producers or if they are crew members like the Gaffer, Key Grip, DP, etc.
Promotional Materials
Look for any unsubscribe links, this might be mailing lists or newsletters from vendors. We do not subscribe to any of these on purpose.
Voice Messages
We will get voice mails in our email inbox through Google Voice. You can listen to these and they should receive a phone call back promptly, even if its to say we're looking into it. If there is something further to do after calling them, make a trello card and keep it updated with your progress. Once a trello card is made, the email can be archived.
W9 Request
Use the W9 email Template
Vendor Payment Requests
These could be from Gusto or Bill.com requesting to be paid. Set up our account with minumum info requrired and save the password and username to lastpass
Emails For Ryan or Matt
Forward the message to both Ryan's personal email and Matts email. ryan@ryanthomasdp.com mpstouppe@gmail.com
Unknown Emails
If you do not know how to handle an email, let them know immediately that you are looking into this and give them a time frame for when they can expect a response. Make a Trello card about the email and you can archive the email to keep your inbox cleaner.
Class Action Settlements
Always submit claims for class action settlements whenever we get notices. It usually takes 5 minutes to submit and can get the money directly in your bank account. They will usually have like a more intensive show your documented loss thing, but just choose the give us whatever you want option. If it requires a lot of info then it might not be worth it…I recently got a few hundred bucks for one settlement though and it took me a few minutes to fill out.
Templates
We have a number of email templates we use in Spark, they may assist you in a number of situations. Here are all of the templates we have and what you can use them for.
- Rental Received
This is for when we receive a list that is not through CineRentalManager. This helps us teach our clients about the request a quote button and gives us time to write up a quote while letting them know we have received their request.
- Late Return
This reminds the client to return their gear and of the standard return time.
- Insurance - Revise
A list of all of the things that might need to be revised on an insurance certificate. You can delete the items that are already present. This also provides them with a COI sample.
- Insurance - Unresolvable
This is when an order has been unable to get you a certificate before 5pm the day of their order. This outlines their next steps so that they can still get some gear.
- Insurance - Requirements
This outlines our insurance requirements if anyone ever asks outside of starting an order as well as includes a sample certificate.
- Bolt Equipment Grant
A link to the bolt equipment grant for people asking about it.
- Combo Change
The email we send to clients who have our gear out when we change our combos.
- Job Application
For people who reach out wanting to apply for a job, this gives them the link to our application.
- Check In Email
This is an email to check in with people who we are not sure if they are going to go forward with their rental
- Bolt Film Solutions - Late Shipment
Letting a customer know that we are out of stock and giving them a new ETA for their product.
- Return - Day Play Equipment
For when someone has to return day play equipment after hours, this will let them know exactly what needs to be returned and where to return it.
- Rental Documents - Late
When people are late with their rental documents this reminds them of the consequences.
- CineRentalManager - First Meeting
People who want to start using CineRentalManager, this will get them setup.
- New Hire - Part Timer
This sets up a part-time employee to fill out all of their start paperwork.
- New Hire - Full Timer
This sets up a full-time employee to fill out all of their start paperwork.
- Forgotten Items
For personal items that they forgot in the vehicle.
- Lost Items - Problematic
For clients who are being problematic about the items that they have lost.
- Insurance - Recommend
For people who would like a recommendation for their insurance.
- Hiring - Regulars
To hire someone for tomorrow.
- Damage - Not Liable
Includes a portion of the rental agreement that says they are liable.
- Hiring - Gaffer 1/2/3
This is when someone needs a gaffer, we can use this to text all of our normal contacts.
- W9 Request from Vendor
New Request from Vendor
- CineRentalManager Demo
Setting them up for the demo.
- Hiring - Swing/Drivers
For when clients would like a recommendation for Swings/Drivers