From Start to Finish

Many factors come into play during a mailing piece's development: specifications, pricing and timeliness, to name just a few. But unfortunately, one of the most important elements — quality — often isn't given a thought until the project is completed.

That's backward thinking. Quality has to be part of the planning process from the outset. Here's some guidelines that'll ensure your piece turns out as you envisioned it.

Make sure the printer's quote reflects exactly what you want. A detailed quote is the best guarantee you'll get the mailing piece of your dreams. Be sure every variable is considered — not only stock and quantity, but folds, varnishes and other touches that will make the piece stand out. And get everything in writing.

Select the right supplier. Any printer can send you samples of its best work, but how can you be sure this reflects its day-to-day output? Rather than requesting samples, ask questions that'll shed light on quality aspects, such as:

• Billing

  How accurate are the printer's invoices? Do invoice amounts vary from the quote? If so, why?

• Customer service

  Who can help when you have a question or concern, and what hours are these people available?

• Delivery

  Will the printer offer statistics on its delivery services (on-time vs. delayed shipments)? Are there issues with timeliness?

• Quality

  What are the most common complaints the printer receives about quality and how does it address them?

• Pricing

  Who are the printer's competitors and how does its prices compare with these rivals?

Get everyone focused on quality. While you're in the design phase, make sure the designer and printer are communicating. For instance, the designer may be planning solid black pages with a bleed on a particular stock that can't handle the design. Learning about that incompatibility on press can be costly. Working together, the printer can send examples of similar projects it's run and include paper samples, thus guaranteeing the right stock will be used for your mailing.

Have a well-communicated plan for all phases of the project, including post-press and distribution. Even when the printed page looks perfect, sometimes the trimming, folding and distribution can cause quality headaches. Some direct mail packages are extremely complex, and problems can occur when written instructions are sent to three different suppliers without mock-ups or collaboration. Make it a priority to get everyone to work together and take the time to write a job order which includes expected outcomes and samples to match. This minimizes the potential for miscommunication.

Generate and share mock-ups with all parties. Sometimes the terminology used on a quote can be interpreted differently by different people. “Vertical perf on low-folio side opposite the fold” can mean one thing to one person and another to someone else. That's why you should request a proof that you have to sign off on. More importantly, review the proof carefully and show it to all key parties on your end before giving it the OK.

Arrange a press check based on the project's size. For large jobs it may be worthwhile to have someone on site at the printer to ensure that the proof's quality matches what's coming off the presses. It's important that this person knows what to look for or that someone at the facility can provide direction.

Work with those you trust. No matter how cautious everyone is, mistakes can happen. Be sure you're dealing with people you can rely on to evaluate such errors and make quick, cost-effective decisions to address them.

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DENNIS FAY (dfay@iwprint.com) is vice president of operations for printing services firm InnerWorkings Inc., Chicago.

Action Items

You like your print vendor. He's a heck of a nice guy. But…there are problems that consistently and negatively affectyour mail pieces' quality and cost. What can you do to get a better end product?

• Conduct a comprehensive audit of past jobs, recurring quality issues and price fluctuations.

• Standardize a list of specifications to be consulted for each job. It'll help you think through all possible production requirements, including dimensions, folds, inks and finishing, so that assignments can be given to the supplier that's best suited to produce your work. Get assurances that there will be no price hikes as new specifications are introduced.

• Review the project specs with the designer and talk to your supplier(s) to discuss the project concept before starting the design. Think about redefining package parameters to create a more efficient configuration without compromising the concept's impact and integrity.

• Identify communication checkpoints with the supplier, the designer and all others involved to ensure everyone's on the same page throughout the production process. — DF