I rarely leave reviews, but this experience deserves to be documented for other designers,…read morenonprofits, and small businesses.
Our primary point of contact was Mike, and throughout this process it became increasingly clear that he either did not understand basic print workflow or failed to communicate essential information. Early on, I specifically asked about sizing and templates. I was told "any size works," which later turned out to be false. Only after design work was completed was I informed there were specific templates that should have been used. Those templates were either not provided or provided incorrectly.
At one point, Mike acknowledged the mistake, admitted the templates were wrong, and even applied a discount because they recognized the error and the time wasted. That should have been the moment things improved. They didn't.
Most recently, I emailed asking a very simple question... whether it was possible to reprint 250 brochures by Friday. This was a feasibility question, not authorization to print. Despite never receiving confirmation or final approval, the brochures were printed anyway. When I followed up shortly after to make two small accuracy adjustments, I was told the job was already done and asked if I wanted to reprint again.
When I calmly explained the misunderstanding and noted that this was volunteer design work for a nonprofit, the response from the company was to suggest that I "use a different printer."
If the owners advised Mike to handle it this way, that's deeply concerning. If they didn't, they should know that a lack of basic communication, incorrect templates, and printing without confirmation is unacceptable.
This wasn't one mistake. It was a pattern. If you value your time, clarity, and professionalism, I strongly recommend looking elsewhere.