Nobody else has problems....

[jason]

with my files.

Ok, who here does the following:

1) Fix whatever crap the customer sends, no matter how long it takes, without ever charging for the work or consulting with the client about what they can do in the future??

2) Fix what you can within reason and at the same time "try" to educate someone that is a designer and has never had "any problems" with their work??

3) Just send it back with a list of problems and a link to a prepress book on Amazon.com??

I try my best to fix what I can and work with the customers but they just do not want to deal with it. I am talking about large companies that send in total CRAP.

The majority of people that send in work just rush it together and pass the mess on to the next guy.

If you charge them for the changes or alarm them of any problems they run down the street to the guy that will spend hours fixing their crap without charging for it.

Setting up a digital file is not brain surgery - hell thats why I can do it.

It's enough to make the Pope cuss.

[SlaveToTheMan]

Originally Posted by jason

1) Fix whatever crap the customer sends, no matter how long it takes, without ever charging for the work or consulting with the client about what they can do in the future??

I'll do that if the client is a one-timer, never to darken my door again. It's easier, less stressful & just necessary some times.

2) Fix what you can within reason and at the same time "try" to educate someone that is a designer and has never had "any problems" with their work??

This is for the more "regular" clients, and the ones who are likely doing a job they weren't trained for (secretaries, office managers, etc) since they are generally happy for the help.

3) Just send it back with a list of problems and a link to a prepress book on Amazon.com??

The last resort, saved for beligerant designers who refuse to listen, and the ones I've tried to explain things to on a number of instances. Also, the most gratifying step. :twisted:

I actually walked a newbie (secretary) through how to convert something she put together in Word into a Pagemaker doc instead. I found out a few days later they went to another shop "because they were a few dollars cheaper." Fine, I forgot to tell her a few key things, so that cheaper shop will now spend a few hours fixing the mess & hopefully charge them out the wazoo in the process.

[nlynx76]

Originally Posted by jason

1) Fix whatever crap the customer sends, no matter how long it takes, without ever charging for the work or consulting with the client about what they can do in the future??

Been there - yes, when the Big Man In Charge tells us to. Big Man Pay Us We No Like To Piss Big Man Off.

Originally Posted by jason

2) Fix what you can within reason and at the same time "try" to educate someone that is a designer and has never had "any problems" with their work??.

When possible, yes. However, most people do not like to have their 'mistakes' pointed out to them and by offering 'assistance' in the wrong way it is easy to put a dent in someone's Ego and lose business. After all, we're supposed to be the experts Why can't they use the supplied files?

Originally Posted by jason

3) Just send it back with a list of problems and a link to a prepress book on Amazon.com??.

Nah, that's just rude. A simple "We cannot use these files due to[list reasons]" should suffice. You might lose the job anyway, but a lot of business is word of mouth and reccomendations, such as Happy Clients telling other companies what a great place we are to work with. It can work the other way around as well. I think negative experiences with a company are spread more often that the good experiences.

Originally Posted by jason

If you charge them for the changes or alarm them of any problems they run down the street to the guy that will spend hours fixing their crap without charging for it.

LOL - that's why you hire and train Really Good Salespeople.

[DCurry]

Originally Posted by nlynx76

...Really Good Salespeople.

Isn't that an oxymoron?

[PrepressRabbit]

...Really Good Salespeople.
Where I can I find some? It seems like our sales reptiles are afriad to talk to the client. Oooh, I wouldn't want to pass on any bad news.[/quote]

[nlynx76]

NO! you can't have them! They're MINEMINEMINE They's my Birthday Presents yes they are they're so Precious oh yes my precious get away from thems we must take care of our Precious, now shouldn't we? Yes, yes, I think we should...


hehehe....

[biglar]

We pretty much fix everything. If we complain no one cares. Every once in a while we'll get a customer that really cares about the files they send us and ask questions and try to improve the quality of files sent to us. So I don't cuss as much when I have to correct their files.

[Lammy]

Originally Posted by biglar

We pretty much fix everything. If we complain no one cares. Every once in a while we'll get a customer that really cares about the files they send us and ask questions and try to improve the quality of files sent to us. So I don't cuss as much when I have to correct their files.

Yup that's about how it is. We used to tell the sales rep what was wrong thinking they would let the designer know so maybe it wouldn't happen again. Even went as far as to type it out and send an email. We found out they never said a thing. Not One Word. All the sales reps cared was the job was getting done and they were getting the same commission because we didn't charge any more to make the fixes.

[RosieHS]

After we encounter a problematic file(s) we send a detailed PreFlight Report to our CSRs who then send it to the Sales Person. This report lists all the problems found with the customers' files before we even work the job. Our Prep Dept. will flag these problems as a CA (Customer Alteration) if a "fix" will take longer than 25 minutes. These CAs will be charged to the client or to the Sales Person. Sales usually pays from their commision either because they do not want to charge their client and/or if the client refuses to pay. Our Boss Man is very business savy and he enforces this.

Boss Man also sets the law in every department. For instance, we (prep/prepress folk) are forbidden to directly contact and/or have anything to do with our sales folk. Sales are forbidden to enter our work area without a CSR escort. You won't believe how much more productive this is!!!

Yes, every now and then we will "doctor" files on our company's dime. Usually that involves an approval from the Boss Man. He can be very intimidating at times but, overall he is a great guy to work for.

[RosieHS]

Oh, I forgot to mention that because of this "system" our Sales will many times "teach" a client how to "doctor" their own files. The customer is usually very appreciative and they learn to work well with us in the long run.