I had a situation today where a customer wanted to add an item to her order. Normally, we're okay with making something similar based on photos. I took her order and let my manager know about the additional custom piece, but then I realized that the design is from a well-known brand. I'm not sure if I should tell my manager about this or if it's even okay to proceed. He's not in the office right now, and I don't want to interrupt his family time, but if I wait too long, the order might already be in production. What should I do?
3 Answers
If you feel like you can’t tell your boss the truth about this, it might be a sign that something’s off in your workplace. But honestly, he probably had a clue as soon as he saw the design. Copying designs isn’t new in our field. Just make sure not to sell it as their brand if you go through with it.
Since your company allows creating similar pieces from photos, I don’t see a huge problem. Just keep in mind that if your workplace punishes honesty, you may want to reconsider your job. Talking to your boss about it seems like the safest approach.
I’d suggest checking in with someone from production to see if there’s a precedent for doing something similar. If they don’t know, it’s best to get your manager’s guidance when he’s available.