Fonts - whose responsibility?

[Frog]

Recent threads looking for fonts, and the ensuing responses planted a seed in my mind about what our responsibilities are in this regard.

We all do it; try to find the font that the client asks for. But what is truly our obligation here?
Assuming that no additional charge was discussed, how much time does one feel obligated to spend before offering an alternative that is either in our present font arsenal, or one or more that we came across in our searches?

[Sbrem]

I'll spend only so much time looking up fonts (I ask here of course) but I've grown weary of doing that, especially when it's not really appreciated. I put it back on the customer, with the gentle approach that we can redraw it much faster than searching for it, or I'll send them to dafont to pick something else out...

Steve

[Frog]

A query here, since I (and so many of you as well) spend time off and on all day anyway, is certainly not a big deal. But though it does often make us look like heroes, it also helps spread the misconception that we do have or can get 'em all. (and usually for free to boot!)

I have found a growing trend of folks who do find the fonts online, but many times tell me that they couldn't download them. (To be fair, some of those sites really do put up a bunch of other "Download" buttons for other things to fool with the users).

[Dottonedan]

I'm guessing that it all depends on the customer. Some art and separation customers will pay me extra to re-draw letters to look like an additional paragraph or word.


Some printers require the art be submitted and don't do art art all, so the responsibility lay with the customer.


Good customers get more leeway. Others that you know will be a small order and only once per year many get little room for research.

[JBLUE]

If it is a really good customer I will look briefly. Really briefly. Anything else cost money. Time='s money whether I am redrawing a car or a letter. If they cannot remember the name of their font that they use they better find it or they pay the Piper.