4 reasons why bad job-onboarding is losing your printing company customers

If you're a printing company, then you know that the customer experience is key. You must ensure that every step of the process is smooth and easy for your clients. One area where many printing companies fall short is with job-onboarding. This can be a make-or-break experience for customers, and it's important to get it right.

In this article, we'll discuss why bad job-onboarding experiences can lose you customers and give some tips to help improve your process.

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1. A growing number of designers don't understand printing mechanics

Due to the abundance of online design tools, many clients are now designing their own artwork, or hiring graphic designers who aren't familiar with printing attributes. This results in a large proportion of files that are unsuitable for print because they don't pass preflight requirements.

If you don't have a system in place to help guide customers through the process of creating artwork that's suited for print, then you may be losing business. This is because customers will either get frustrated and take their business elsewhere, or they'll end up with a final product that doesn't meet their expectations.

When requesting artwork, It's helpful to give your customer a rundown of what you need from them, including specific requirements and resources explaining why each one matters.

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2. Your artwork upload process is too complicated

Another common issue is that many printing companies require customers to upload their files using complex online portals. This can be a confusing and daunting task for customers, especially if they're not familiar with the process. If you make it difficult for customers to submit their artwork, you're probably spending a lot of time (and money) on customer service. Not to mention, you're likely losing business to companies with a more user-friendly system.

Many printing companies use email and file-transfer tools to receive customer artwork, which is simple for the customer, but may create an additional admin burden for your company. Managing files may be difficult if you don't have a system in place, and jobs could get delayed if your customers' artwork is buried in an endless inbox of incoming emails.

To streamline this process for your customers and staff, consider using a simple job-onboarding tool designed specifically for printing companies.

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3. The finished product looks different than it appeared on screen

Many customers may not understand that artwork often prints differently than it looks onscreen. This could lead to disappointment when they receive the finished product, which may reflect poorly on your company if they weren't aware of this ahead of time.

Before you print your customer's project, it is essential to send a proof that outlines any fixups made, such as colour conversions, and provides a checklist of items they should check before they approve it.

Making your customers aware of any potential differences in the final product will help to manage their expectations, avoid surprises, and ensure that they are happy with the final result.

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4. Customers don't understand your preflight errors

When files don't meet your requirements, you will likely send your customer an email highlighting what's wrong. However, the errors listed are often confusing and don't provide enough information on how to fix the issue. As a result, customers may think you are being difficult or pedantic, and they may take their business elsewhere.

To avoid this, it is important to be clear and concise when communicating preflight errors. Include screenshots or links to tutorials that show the customer how to fix the issue. This will help them understand what's wrong and how to fix it without feeling like you're giving them a hard time.

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Conclusion

In short, you can keep your customers happy by offering a user-friendly job-onboarding experience, sending proofs before printing, being clear and concise when communicating preflight errors and being transparent about potential differences in the final product. By following these simple tips, you can avoid losing business to your competitors.