PreFlight Check

[merchmonster]

Do you do it?
If yes, do you preflight the art before or after you take the client's money?

We currently preflight after accepting the project but I am considering moving the preflight check to after the client indicates interest in the project and before they pay. I feel like we run into delayed project issues / scramble because we find out late that client art is bad.

[Frog]

I have learned with experience that a lot of client art is bad, and ask to see it before a quote is even given.
Of course, even when the art is really good, nothing wrong with having one's ducks in a row as early as possible.
Knowledge is power.

[merchmonster]

Thanks for the input Frog!

I know some shops that quote this way, and was thinking that was what we needed to change to make our process smoother.

[ericheartsu]

We typically let the client know before hand, if we can. Usually our art team is looking at their art to see color specs anyway.

[CBCB]

Customer service knows the basic ins/outs of what good art looks like. They can tell if it's vector, or raster and what size. Any questions get shot up the ladder if a file seems unsuitable.

We need to have artwork + details sealed up before any money exchanges hands. This avoids the scrambling from a surprise-bad-file.

A little bonus I find is it helps weed out clients. If their art / files are bad but they won't pay a nickel for our help on it, or expect it for free - well, maybe we'll focus on another client's email first.


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[Prince Art]

We try to obtain & review art as early in the process as possible, preferably before first quote. (If we can't get it for that, we clarify in the quote that art-related charges have not been included, and will be added to final price if necessary.) Regardless, we do not invoice until art is in hand & has been reviewed.

[3Deep]

Same here we quote the job minus the art until we see it and check it out, we just about know now that we are going to do some kind of work to get it printable, even from so called artist.  I tell them just because you can draw or have a design on screen does not make it print ready, it has to be sepped that's when (what is sepped they ask) is how I know when to charge an art fee LOL.