What do you do to proof/prevent mistakes

[3Deep]

I hate when people proof there art on a cellphone, I tell them please view art on a larger screen...

[Shanarchy]

There was nothing I could do to fix this.  I turned the shirts in 24 hours from receipt of art and we even proofed it.  You will never stop mistakes from happening, you just have to try and minimize them as much as possible.

This is definitely true.

Sbrem, you're right about distratcions.


I had a nice conversation with Bimridder. He called to scold me (Thanks Dave!). He gave me a great idea about creating checklists. I'm going to do this for all areas. The quick one minute to peak at the list and make sure I didn't skip an obvious step will be way better than getting to press with a mistake. This definitely won't end all mistakes, but I'm hoping it can eliminate a couple. Thanks again for taking time out of your day Dave!

I'm going to also try to set up a system to have someone double check the artwork. May help pick up a dumb mistake that I can't see from staring at the screen for too long.

The customer sign off/approval of artwork. To me, all it really means is the customer is happy with the design and can't say after they don't like it. I feel it also covers us against misspelling of names. Although I will ask the customer to double check spelling of all names to make sure they are correct. But for basic spelling mistakes, I feel it's on us. Even if the customer approves it. The part of customer approval I feel I need to improve on is color. I know I am walking a tight line on it. I put a color close to what I will be printing with and it an vary from screen to screen to phone! What do you all do for this end? Is there a way you can create a color swatch set in illustrator of the ink colors you use? Do any of the ink companies have info (pms/cmyk/rgb number) available to us to help with this?

[alan802]

What do you guys do if there is a misspelling on a proof that the customers gives the OK?  We have had customers take full accountability a few times but most of the time if we told them it's their fault it doesn't end well.  So now days to not lose a customer we usually try to work something out with them and see if they'll help with a little of the reprint costs but we always take the majority of the responsibility and the costs to reprint.  Does anyone put it ALL on the customer?

[Frog]

What do you guys do if there is a misspelling on a proof that the customers gives the OK?  We have had customers take full accountability a few times but most of the time if we told them it's their fault it doesn't end well.  So now days to not lose a customer we usually try to work something out with them and see if they'll help with a little of the reprint costs but we always take the majority of the responsibility and the costs to reprint.  Does anyone put it ALL on the customer?

The last time this happened to me, I misspelled
"incurable" as "uncurable". T's, and fleece, large enough order for me to have farmed it out. They missed it too.

The custy said that he was only looking at the design and colors, and missed it.

We compromised with a smaller additional run at close to cost. I was grateful, whether he missed it or not, it was my blunder. (btw, I ran these)

[Flash Ink]

We have been in your situation more than once in the years that we have been in business. The best lesson that I have gotten is that we learn from our mistakes and take action to correct them for the next time. I have made a very extensive proof sheet that every customer MUST sign and since the customer never reads the fine print I always explain to them what they are signing and why. On top of that, I tell them to look at the spelling first, then the overall layout of the thing we are printing. Customers get caught up in the layout and dont look at the details like spelling.

Our policy is that if the error is our fault, we will replace it, but if the error is the customers fault its on them. When they sign the proof that policy is told to them. There are some that slip through the cracks and we do pay the price for those. Being a contractor, when art is sent to us I vary rarely make a proof, because the broker usually has done that part for us.

We are in the business of getting customers what they want and we have to remember that they have not all made shirts before and will not understand the whole process. If the expectations are laid out beforehand there are none to be broken.

[tonypep]

Double signature checklist. Art and Production. Sometimes Sales if its new and important. Even if we've done it hundreds of times over and over. Namedrops can be misspelled etc.

[GraphicDisorder]

If we miss it and it was OUR art then we would correct it under most conditions even if a customer missed it.  If its art supplied we make no warranties.  I would eat nothing, may offer a discounted rate to reprint but it would be above costs for sure. 

[Sbrem]

What do you guys do if there is a misspelling on a proof that the customers gives the OK?  We have had customers take full accountability a few times but most of the time if we told them it's their fault it doesn't end well.  So now days to not lose a customer we usually try to work something out with them and see if they'll help with a little of the reprint costs but we always take the majority of the responsibility and the costs to reprint.  Does anyone put it ALL on the customer?

Some get it, some don't. With the ones that don't, I carefully explain that they are the very last line of defense for this kind of issue. But, we will reprint for a very cheap price to try to smooth it over, which I personally find fair. It's not easy, you have to weigh it out, consider the personality and you're relationship with them, and make some kind of final decision. Hopefully, reason wins out...

Steve