For me it doesn't depend on the client. If they do $500 worth of printing per year, they can go to Kinko's. And I hope they do because I can make quite a bit more money in the reclaimed time, and they'll probably like the "immediate" service better. If they do $50,000 worth of printing per year, we've discussed print-ready artwork.
That being said, it depends on how broken the artwork is. If I can fix it in 5 mins or less (which I generally can), it's fine. If one image is low-res and they can supply a high-res version of it, I can swap it out. Solid color background on a business card with no bleed? No big deal. Probably. Photoshop can be your friend
Time is much more valuable than money, and I can't afford to give mine away for free - time or money. I had a lady tell me a while back that her jobs couldn't be printed on an AB Dick because those can't produce high enough quality for her taste. I'm sure she'd do a decent volume of printing, but I don't have time for stupid people. Somebody support me on this one - maybe she's on this forum hahaha! Had a guy that needed to come "inspect" the color on digital prints to make sure it was right (which, of course, it never will be). I told him a color match is $35 if he provides the color, otherwise $90/hr. Guess what? He pays $90/hr. For his short runs, sometimes the "color match" fee exceeds the cost of the printing! None of the customers I don't want to lose mind paying a little more; they like me because of the exceptional service.
Bottom line? Same concept as you have with bad clients - charge yourself out of business. They'll stop wasting your time one way or another: either they go somewhere else or the get print-ready artwork. Either way, you win because your time is more valuable than their money. Customers can be replaced; hours can't.
"Either way, you win because your time is more valuable than their money. Customers can be replaced; hours can't."
Go ahead and flame me for this, but this is one of the most depressing statements I have ever heard. Many replies on this thread have been customer bashing. People wonder why printing is getting "thin"? Customer service is gone and that makes me sad. The desire to help even the most stupid of people has long past. I have worked in printing (prepress) for 12 years and 3 print places. Maybe its time I move to a different field if there seems to be so many self-centered bitter printers out there.
"Either way, you win because your time is more valuable than their money. Customers can be replaced; hours can't."
Go ahead and flame me for this, but this is one of the most depressing statements I have ever heard. Many replies on this thread have been customer bashing. People wonder why printing is getting "thin"? Customer service is gone and that makes me sad. The desire to help even the most stupid of people has long past. I have worked in printing (prepress) for 12 years and 3 print places. Maybe its time I move to a different field if there seems to be so many self-centered bitter printers out there.
Yes, yes, yes. I've told many people to watch this scene. Whatever happened to classy looking, understated business cards? Now they want them all to look like a page from a coloring book, and so busy you can't read them. White space? Fageddaboudit.
From a "Stone Age Man"
But, how many members can remember doing "Hand Transfers" onto prepared Stones?
Regards, Alois
And a cheap color home inkjet printer fed by a bootlegged copy of Photoshop. Now business cards are a snap!
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