Reprint for free?

[Stacey K]

Darn it. This makes me mad. Got a personal FB message last week from a customer/fb friend saying he wanted some signs - at 8pm. Sent me a picture with an article link. I glanced at the photo. "Danger Powerlines Overhead" with a little pic of power lines and lightening bolts and said he wanted Kite instead. I said, please text or call me tomorrow, I'm not working right now and am not able to make notes. So he TEXTS me, not FB the next day and sends me another photo of the same wording but different layout. I sent him 2 proofs, one color and one full color he said he wanted a "kite lines not power maybe like a delta kite?" I assumed he meant a picture of a delta kite instead of the clipart of power lines? Sent the proof back with a kite and he said "option 2 (thumbs up emoji) go ahead and print 10 - 2 sided. Then he texts me 6 hours later and asks if I'm changing the power lines to kite lines and removing the lightening bolts. I called him and said I sent you the proof and you approved it and you told me to print 10 of them so I sent them to the printer. Then he got mad because I sent them to the printer too soon because he doesn't need them until 8/21. And mad because I didn't call him and ask more questions. --- but I thought I DID understand and he approved the proof.

Should I reprint it or offer to print a vinyl patch for over the top? Here is a picture of it...it's rather clear that it says power, not kite - and how the hell can you miss the bolts? Wouldn't the normal person assume the signs are for the kites and to be careful of power lines? I guess it's for the spectators so they don't trip on the kite lines - that's if you read the article - is reading articles part of my job now too?

Should I just reprint or offer to make a patch? Dammit, I'm mad about it. I don't think he looked at the proof very well then went back to it 6 hours when he had time.

 

[Adam Vreeke]

Here is a line that changed my life when things go wrong with customers. Instead of "why don't I reprint these for you for free" say "What can I do to make you happy?". Some people just want a 10% discount, some people want an at cost for them, others want it reprinted for free. This allows the customer to make the offer first and you will find you lose less money doing it this way; especially if you were just going to reprint for free anyway.

That being said this dude sounds like a real poo poo head. Did he say something or are you just venting after the fact? If he was mad, I would come at him with this is why we proof and you approved it line, then ask him what would make him happy, if he says reprint for free I would refuse and say he approved so technically all responsibility is on him, but I will give them to you at my cost. This makes you look like a nice person without being a pushover.

On the other side of things, if he is one of your biggest clients, then maybe bite the bullet and eat the cost. What is the price of 10 double sided yard signs compared to your biggest client. If he is a one off, I would ask him not to let the door hit him where the good lord split him.

 

[Humble PM]

I'll go with on the other hand, have a catastrophic print head failure, and leave him hanging. Too many messages, too quickly for him to be a rational customer.

 

[GAC05]

Seems unreasonable, I'd send him back the thumbs up emoji using a different digit.

 

[Gino]

This sounds like a no-brainer, but I just went though something similar. Customer gave me the art files and I printed them out. They didn't like the colors. I was supposed to change them. I also refreshed their memories, that I didn't do anything wrong, that it was their provided files. I did it over, instead of having a war. This time, they said I had a scratch or a bubble in it, so I fixed it it. That was not to her liking, either. She said, I altered the artwork. I did it again and this time I got paid. my job was worth close to 7k, so I was willing to bend a little, but I really wasn't in the wrong. Ya can't win 'em all.

I did what I hadda do to get paid and now I am through with her. Never again will I do anything for them....... haa, they'll probably never ask again, either.

 

[rossmosh]

This is why I refuse to do work via text, Facebook, IG, or anything like that.

Proofs are sent via email. Every proof gets a disclaimer message.

 

[Pauly]

that's a difficult one.

Depending on how he acts, I would first tell them that you approved the proof (with a screen shot) so we went ahead with it.
It's he fault for changing his mind after approving it.

Notes for the future:
Always use email
Payment before print (that's how we work)

 

[Notarealsignguy]

Bigger question here, did you finally get a printer?
All I can say is be careful of adults that still fly kites.

 

[Johnny Best]

We all deal with this kind of customer. Reprint and make him happy so he does not bad mouth you to everyone. I am dealing with a person like that at the moment but I do not put out work that fast and am lazy and two days later he will email me with another thought. So do not rush doing his work from now on, he even told you after the fact he did not need it right away.
They probably have a medical term for someone like this. Ficklemania?

 

[ikarasu]

Do you have a legit proof page they sign off on.... Or was it just a photo and a "Like this?" text?

If you dont have a Proof page that states once its approved theres no changes, I would make one and take this as a lesson as to why.


Below is what our proof looks like. It lists all the colors (including pantones), Material, Sizes, corners, holes, tells them once they sign off on it this is final... Plus a few other things. The Re-proof fee is there for the pain in the ass customers ordering one sign and asking for a dozen changes... otherwise we've never enforced/asked for it. Then your covered and never face situations like this... or rather you shouldnt, and are covered if you do.

If you have a proper proof... I would let him know you'll work with him on re-producing at cost (Always jack it up, not true cost cost), but the fault lies on him so it's the best you can do.

 

[visual800]

I refer to these types as the rabid customer. They are running 90mph in circles. May be harsh but these types are mentally exhausting and time consuming. I would have already gotten rid of him. He doesnt know what he wants and more than likely is dealing with other sign folks while dealing with you

 

[Stacey K]

I decided to reprint it at my expense and get over it. He is a family friend of my parents, although they don't really talk much anymore because his wife doesn't like our political point of view. And yes, he only uses me for small signage and things that other shops probably won't do. visual800 yes, he is exactly this type of rabid customer. In his own line of work he is a home inspector and the more I asked around about him a while back after MY botched inspection - the more horror stories I heard. I really wish he would stop calling me. Last time he brought in a $2,000 kite and wanted me to use my heat press to apply letters to it. I refused and we settled for black sharpie and a stencil LOL This will be the last job I do for him.

Notarealsignguy my printer money from last year went to new curb and gutters at the shop in the amount of $7000 that the city forced my entire street to do. Will be looking again once my taxes are finished up and everything is squared away.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

We, as business owners get to choose who our bosses are. If someone gave me a thumbs up after a proof and told me to print 10, that means print 10 of the proof. It doesn't matter if it was text, email, fax or FB message or in person. This crap about it needing to be in email is from old people stuck in the 2000s. I remember when we needed to have a signature which meant FAX it in... then we flexed and started to accept email replies that said "approved". I bet back then some people would of said not to accept proofs over email.

The guy isn't taking responsibility and that not OK in my book. There are plenty of people out there and I wouldn't loose sleep over loosing this one. But this is a personal decision... does he do a ton of business with you and is absorbing the reprint cost worth it? It sounds like he was already pissing you off with 8pm texts even before the snafu.

 

[MJ-507]

Darn it. This makes me mad. Got a personal FB message last week from a customer/fb friend saying he wanted some signs - at 8pm. Sent me a picture with an article link. I glanced at the photo. "Danger Powerlines Overhead" with a little pic of power lines and lightening bolts and said he wanted Kite instead. I said, please text or call me tomorrow, I'm not working right now and am not able to make notes. So he TEXTS me, not FB the next day and sends me another photo of the same wording but different layout. I sent him 2 proofs, one color and one full color he said he wanted a "kite lines not power maybe like a delta kite?" I assumed he meant a picture of a delta kite instead of the clipart of power lines? Sent the proof back with a kite and he said "option 2 (thumbs up emoji) go ahead and print 10 - 2 sided. Then he texts me 6 hours later and asks if I'm changing the power lines to kite lines and removing the lightening bolts. I called him and said I sent you the proof and you approved it and you told me to print 10 of them so I sent them to the printer. Then he got mad because I sent them to the printer too soon because he doesn't need them until 8/21. And mad because I didn't call him and ask more questions. --- but I thought I DID understand and he approved the proof.

Should I reprint it or offer to print a vinyl patch for over the top? Here is a picture of it...it's rather clear that it says power, not kite - and how the hell can you miss the bolts? Wouldn't the normal person assume the signs are for the kites and to be careful of power lines? I guess it's for the spectators so they don't trip on the kite lines - that's if you read the article - is reading articles part of my job now too?

Should I just reprint or offer to make a patch? Dammit, I'm mad about it. I don't think he looked at the proof very well then went back to it 6 hours when he had time.

I wouldn't provide either of those options - unless he was paying for them. You sent him a proof and he approved it. If the finished product is not what he wanted, then he should never have given you his approval to print the layout as it was presented to him. Of course, if he wants to pay to have you reprint the job, then I would give him pricing for both options and let him choose which one he wants to pay for. You are under no obligation to provide him with anything for free because he made a mistake in approving your layout if it wasn't what he wanted. I can't think of any industry that gives away free goods when the customer screws up.

 

[Pauly]

We, as business owners get to choose who our bosses are. If someone gave me a thumbs up after a proof and told me to print 10, that means print 10 of the proof. It doesn't matter if it was text, email, fax or FB message or in person. This crap about it needing to be in email is from old people stuck in the 2000s. I remember when we needed to have a signature which meant FAX it in... then we flexed and started to accept email replies that said "approved". I bet back then some people would of said not to accept proofs over email.

The guy isn't taking responsibility and that not OK in my book. There are plenty of people out there and I wouldn't loose sleep over loosing this one. But this is a personal decision... does he do a ton of business with you and is absorbing the reprint cost worth it? It sounds like he was already pissing you off with 8pm texts even before the snafu.

Using Email to approve or decline artwork is the professional way. It's not stuck in the 2000's...
When we have a large job that has a proof with it, we require email confirmation for approval. Why? Because it's in writing,
We don't care if you're doing a $50 job or a $200,000 job, Everyone is treated the same. You'll be emailed a PDF proof with a disclaimer, you will accept the proof or requesting a revision.

And when a client causes issues like OP has described, we can easily go back and say "You approved the proof by email, email has proof attached"
They cannot hid behind a emoji or a thumbs up react.
But we have a Pay then Print policy.

Using social media for an approval process is not professional, neither is text messages.
When someone enquires via text or social media, i forward my email address and ask them to email me with exactly what they're after and go from there.

 

[Stacey K]

It's very, very rare that I have any problems like this. I use text and FB for a ton of proofs with smaller jobs. My mom said he was likely still high and drunk from the weekend and probably still laying in bed when he got the proof. Hence this is the last job I do for him. He only uses me for these piddly little jobs and I get zero referrals from him so he can pound sand after this.

 

[Johnny Best]

So listen, it's late and I'm in bed, I do not want the kite on the wires, what are you wearing right now?

 

[neoguri]

"Looks good" *thumbs up* "love it" and any variation of this means nothing to me, I would restate the question, "please reply with 'approved' if you want to proceed other wise your project will be on hold until I have clear approval." We do not produce anything- or even order materials without approval. It's just a waste of time and money in my experience.

Just set rules and expectations correctly.

 

[Elwood "Woody" Smith]

People do not get what PROOF means anymore and do not respect your time, energy and trade. He can get the 1st APPROVED signs already getting printed or he can pay to have them reprinted. Simple. Move on.

This is never easy, but unless they are a huge customer spending 50k+ a year. They can eat it. My time is too valuable to deal with such tomfoolery!

 

[DPD]

Darn it. This makes me mad. Got a personal FB message last week from a customer/fb friend saying he wanted some signs - at 8pm. Sent me a picture with an article link. I glanced at the photo. "Danger Powerlines Overhead" with a little pic of power lines and lightening bolts and said he wanted Kite instead. I said, please text or call me tomorrow, I'm not working right now and am not able to make notes. So he TEXTS me, not FB the next day and sends me another photo of the same wording but different layout. I sent him 2 proofs, one color and one full color he said he wanted a "kite lines not power maybe like a delta kite?" I assumed he meant a picture of a delta kite instead of the clipart of power lines? Sent the proof back with a kite and he said "option 2 (thumbs up emoji) go ahead and print 10 - 2 sided. Then he texts me 6 hours later and asks if I'm changing the power lines to kite lines and removing the lightening bolts. I called him and said I sent you the proof and you approved it and you told me to print 10 of them so I sent them to the printer. Then he got mad because I sent them to the printer too soon because he doesn't need them until 8/21. And mad because I didn't call him and ask more questions. --- but I thought I DID understand and he approved the proof.

Should I reprint it or offer to print a vinyl patch for over the top? Here is a picture of it...it's rather clear that it says power, not kite - and how the hell can you miss the bolts? Wouldn't the normal person assume the signs are for the kites and to be careful of power lines? I guess it's for the spectators so they don't trip on the kite lines - that's if you read the article - is reading articles part of my job now too?

Should I just reprint or offer to make a patch? Dammit, I'm mad about it. I don't think he looked at the proof very well then went back to it 6 hours when he had time.

If your customer signed off on it then it belongs to him and on his dime. Otherwise, what's the point of the signoff? Besides, it sounds like this customer was quite demanding.