Turnaround Time (TAT)
Category: Production Planning, Business Process
Definition: The time duration from project initiation to final delivery of completed images. Critical metric for production planning, client expectations, and business operations in fashion photography and e-commerce.
Why It Matters: Affects product launch timing; impacts competitive advantage; influences customer expectations; affects pricing and service level; critical for seasonal fashion timing; determines operational capacity.
Use Cases: Project planning, client proposals, SLA agreements, production scheduling, vendor selection, capacity planning, rush order pricing.
Example of Real Use Case: An e-commerce brand establishes 48-hour TAT for product photography through streamlined workflow and AI retouching. This competitive advantage enables rapid product launches, capturing trends 2-3 weeks faster than competitors and increasing market share by 18%.
Software/Service: Project management tools, workflow automation, production tracking systems, time tracking software
Common Issues: Unrealistic TAT commitments, inconsistent delivery times, bottlenecks in post-production, quality suffering from speed pressure, not accounting for revisions, unclear TAT definitions.
Do's and Don'ts:
✓ Do set realistic expectations
✓ Do track and measure actual TAT
✓ Do identify and address bottlenecks
✓ Do communicate delays immediately
✗ Don't promise impossible timelines
✗ Don't sacrifice quality for speed
✗ Don't ignore consistent delays patterns
Related Terms: Production Planning, Workflow Management, Project Timeline, Delivery Schedule
Also Known As: Delivery Time, Production Time, Lead Time