I have been dealing with that location for over ten years. I have had numerous orders for business…read morecards for all my employees in all four of my office locations -- Pittsburgh and three other cities, and a couple years ago I started using them to print monitor calendar strips which I have given to my clients for the past 15 years. I used to order the monitor calendar strips online but switched to this Minuteman Press about four years ago because they were printing my business cards and I wanted to keep my business local. The monitor calendar strip order is the focal point of this complaint.
I understand that ownership of that franchise recently changed hands several months ago. This is the first I have dealt with the new owner(s).
In early December 2015 I emailed them to place another order for monitor calendar strips, just as I had done in previous years. The only thing I provide them is the quantity, my company logo and phone number to be printed in the center portion of the calendar strip. Each of my company locations has its own info for that center portion.
I eventually received the pdf proofs for my approval. The center section with my company info for all four offices were all perfect. I ordered 2,050 of them, the same as I ordered last year. Last week a client called and advised me that the days for the month of March are kinda screwed up. I'd love to post the actual proof for everyone to see. The days (the numerals) are totally messed up numerous places for the month of March. It is missing (skipped) several days in two places, and even several days are duplicated- not once by four times. It was so jumbled up, it was kinda funny.
I immediately emailed Lisa (I think she's the/a new owner of that franchise) to ask her about it. She emailed me back two days later saying she'd give me a discount on a re-print. I then called her to get clarification because I actually expected her to simply apologize and reprint them at no charge. She admitted that she missed the error but then said that since I okayed the proofs that I am equally responsible. I was stunned with that response.
She insisted on the fact that I okayed the proofs, so it's not all her fault. I responded: Yes, I okayed the printed center portion with my company info on the calendars, but I certainly did not proof the actual calendar days. The format and layout of the months, including color and size, is 100% identical in every respect to the previous years I ordered this item. It's basically a template. I said: You mean I was expected to proofread an actual calendar -- every single day of every single week of every single month? You want me to make sure all the days of each month are properly numbered? She insisted that, yes, that was my responsibility. I said: Who EVER proofs a calendar day by day to make sure all the days are there and in the correct order? I proofed and okayed my company info to make sure it's accurate, and I am certainly responsible for that. I even offered to come to her location and she can ask the first ten people who came through her door if THEY would proofread the days of every month of a calendar as part of a proofing process, and that if she got even one person to agree with her that I'd agree to pay double. She wouldn't take that offer, said that's her policy, and wouldn't budge on a complimentary re-print. Her opinion and policy simply defies logic that I am responsible to proofread an entire calendar - day by day.
If I make a mistake in MY business, I own up to it - even if it means a loss. I value my clients, their future business and, more importantly, my reputation. If I ever told my clients "well, that's our policy," I would expect to lose that client - and for good reason. Well, she just lost my future business.
This review may or may not reach the franchisee, and I frankly don't care. I was so taken aback by her position that I felt obligated to let people know what and who they're dealing with and if they stand behind their product and don't care about losing a long-time customer.
I have retained all my email correspondence, which quite easily and clearly substantiates my entire dealings with them. And I have no problem discussing them with anyone who contacts me because facts, especially written ones, are incontrovertible. Good luck!