Here's mine:
1. We currently use e-mail exclusively. We create a proof with vector templates that our in-house artist made years ago. I’ll attach an example.
2. There are lots of challenges… does anyone else have these issues too?
-Version control; managing the artwork file so that even after something has been approved, we make sure we’re outputting film positives for the correct artwork
-Game of telephone; e-mails are a horrible way to manage a project. At some level of e-mails it starts getting disorganized and things get missed (lets say while proofing over 15 orders at a time). Plus, when contract printing, we can have as many as four separate parties passing through:
Artist > Customer service rep > Promotional item manufacturer > Promotional distributor > buyer (and back).
You can only image the e-mails generated if a customer wants something changed.
-Timely Approvals: Getting customers to follow the necessary path/workflow in order to have a smooth production schedule. Due dates can come and even sometimes pass while waiting for customers to approve.
-Proof clarity: Most customers automatically approve without really checking. Although they may have “signed off” on printing a mistake, the main goal of proofing shouldn’t be to cover one’s rear incase of a mistake. It’s to verify we’re giving the customer what they want.
There are lots more… there are just a few off the top of my head.
3. I have a few great ideas, and I’m dedicated to shoring up some of our proofing holes. I’m posting to get other member’s ideas to their proofing problems, and see what methods are being used.
Thanks in advance for participating!
1. We currently use e-mail exclusively. We create a proof with vector templates that our in-house artist made years ago. I’ll attach an example.
2. There are lots of challenges… does anyone else have these issues too?
-Version control; managing the artwork file so that even after something has been approved, we make sure we’re outputting film positives for the correct artwork
-Game of telephone; e-mails are a horrible way to manage a project. At some level of e-mails it starts getting disorganized and things get missed (lets say while proofing over 15 orders at a time). Plus, when contract printing, we can have as many as four separate parties passing through:
Artist > Customer service rep > Promotional item manufacturer > Promotional distributor > buyer (and back).
You can only image the e-mails generated if a customer wants something changed.
-Timely Approvals: Getting customers to follow the necessary path/workflow in order to have a smooth production schedule. Due dates can come and even sometimes pass while waiting for customers to approve.
-Proof clarity: Most customers automatically approve without really checking. Although they may have “signed off” on printing a mistake, the main goal of proofing shouldn’t be to cover one’s rear incase of a mistake. It’s to verify we’re giving the customer what they want.
There are lots more… there are just a few off the top of my head.
3. I have a few great ideas, and I’m dedicated to shoring up some of our proofing holes. I’m posting to get other member’s ideas to their proofing problems, and see what methods are being used.
Thanks in advance for participating!
