Doug Curren

The Blame Game

Thursday, 12 October 2006 00:00 |

The following is a “fire control” email between myself and and a identity designer whose customer was unhappy with his printing on an uncoated paper versus a coated or gloss paper and I thought the subject was worthy to share. When the customer received his PDF business card proofs, he thought he would receive exactly what he saw in the PDF. A nice shiny new “jump off the paper” logo. First thing my designer should have done was to educate the client BEFORE going to press, the differences between coated and uncoated stocks and how ink appears on both. Using the Pantone Matching System each color sample appears both on coated and uncoated. As an example the “U” in PMS 431U means “uncoated.” For “coated” stocks it appears 431C, the “C” meaning “coated.” This is how it went.

The Blame Game.

What I can tell you is the printer had no responsibility in this process. You decided what paper and ink to use, not your client, me or the printer. When I gave the printer the file and he printed exactly what was in it using the ink and paper indicated. He doesn’t know what your clients expectations are for a finished product. So if I make ink and paper an issue, the printer will laugh me right out the door.

FYI - The word “blame” is a very strong, negative word and you used it several times in your emails to your client. Avoid these words both in conversation and email as it creates a very negative environment. Instead, ask a question like “how can I make it right” and then shut up and listen. Let him tell you exactly whats on his mind then repeat it back to him like this ” now let me be perfectly clear on this” and agree on the solution and a positive environment is created. Its that easy. And don’t use email. Use the phone to let him hear your voice sincerely saying you will “make it right.”

Now what could have done was to make a digital print of the image and show him a Pantone book with coated and uncoated papers. Its pretty clear to me how much the color changed printing on the uncoated stock. Its very bland and washed out looking. By showing your customer a color digital proof it eliminates the responsibility from you and educates your client at the same time because it identifies the truest color reproduction with 90% - 95% accuracy BEFORE it gets on the press.

So basically he is asking you to draw blood from a rock dude! You just cant create a “gloss” effect with uncoated paper and if you want to talk more about what his concerns are feel free to give me a call. If you do reprint, ALWAYS GET THE BAD ONES BACK! I think its a bad idea for customers to retain products deemed inferior because in their minds eye it’s a constant negative reminder of what previously took place.

The story has a happy ending. His clients expectations were met on the second printing and he remains loyal because the designer and I worked together to deliver what we said we would.

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