How do I find out how a packaging company handles customer artwork approvals?

Begin with the paper trail. Pick a few recent jobs yourself rather than letting the seller choose, and ask for the proof, the sign-off and the final print. Check that the approved version is the one that ran. Ask where these files are kept and whether anyone other than the owner can find them.

Next, look at errors. Ask how many reprints the plant has absorbed, who paid for them, and whether any customer dispute is still open. A shop that eats the cost of mistakes may be hiding thin margins. A shop that charges customers back may have friction you should hear about directly from the customers. Finally, find out who does the work. If one prepress person handles every approval, that knowledge walks out the door with them. Ask whether the process is written down, whether customers approve by email or through a portal, and whether a new owner would inherit the archive and the access to it. Ask the customers, too, if the seller will allow a call. A customer can tell you whether proofs arrive on time, whether changes are tracked, and whether anyone has ever received a finished order that differed from what they approved.

Key takeaways

• Choose the sample jobs yourself and trace each from proof to finished print.
• Ask for the story behind any reprint, including who covered the cost.
• Check whether one person holds all the approval knowledge and files.