A fine and busy day today. It is Friday 2:30PM so tuning to weekend hours…
Phone Rings. Tring Tring… Tring Tring…
PrintPapa: (Pickup the phone.) Thanks for calling PrintPapa, This is Shawn, How may I help you?
Customer: I need some business cards asap for convention and I am totally out of cards. I am on your website right now and I see you offer Same Day Service. My flight leaves from San Jose Airport at 4PM. Is it possible.
PrintPapa: (I wanted to help her, so…) Maam, Same Day Service cutoff is by 10AM. Also since you flight leaves at 4 PM, you should in the airport by now. Isn’t the airport checkin like 1hr before the flight leaves.
Customer: I know that (little irritated like I was being a mother to her..), can you get me 1000 cards in 30 minutes. You guys are right next to the airport and i can pick it up on my way to the airport.
PrintPapa: Do you have the artwork in proper print ready format, like PDF?
Customer: What is PDF or print ready format?? I have a jpeg, and I can email that right now.
PrintPapa: Please email to contact@printpapa.com rightaway? I will hold.
Customer: Ok I just emailed it.
After 15 seconds ( thanks to email being fast)
PrintPapa: I got it, opening the file? Oh No!!!!
Customer: What!!
PrintPapa: Your file is a low resolution Jpeg.
Customer: Can you do it??
PrintPapa: We will have to trace the jpeg and recreate it in illustrator and make the file print ready. Luckily it was a simple one with a 2 color logo and black text.
Customer: Ok!! Can you do it in 30 minutes???
PrintPapa: I will try my best, but cannot promise.
Customer: Ok!! Go Ahead. How much??
PrintPapa: Go to PrintPapa.com. Then mouse over to Product->Business Cards. (I also emailed her the link http://printpapa.com/eshop/pc/Full-Color-Business-Cards-3p587.htm). ( I then guide her to place the order online. 1000 cards costed $217.97). See settings below.
She goes through the steps to place the order….After 2 minutes…
Customer: I will be there in 30. Thanks a lot. If you can do this I will be your biggest fan.
PrintPapa: Please do not thank me till we get the cards to you in your hand. I have to go now. See you by 3:15PM. Bye.
Time is now 2:40PM…READY … STEADY … GO>>>>>>>
We have never missed a deadline which was time critical, and i did not want to loose on this one.
2:43PM: Order Processed. Job ticket written up. Introduced the job in our MIS system (home built job tracking system) and tagged it as RUSH job so everybody gets alerted. Printed the job ticketI then hand delivered the ticket to David’s office (A++ Graphics designer).
2:45PM: Gave the job ticket and told him the problem and gave him 5 minutes to produce the print ready pdf and move the job to digital press. Went to Rachel (our digital press operator), informed her to prep up the digital press for this job coming in 5 minutes. She was running a job on our state of the art Digital press. So she stopped the job, removed the paper from the tray, loaded the press with 110lb Uncoated 12×18 sheets.
2:52PM: David get the file ready and comes to my office with a black and white proof. I proof read and compare with the jpeg just to make sure everything is correct. Ready to go to Press.
2:54PM: Rachel get the file, imposes the file using our fully automated workflow solution. Sends the file to the press.
2: 56PM: She verifies the first sheet out of the press. Checks the color, bleeds and safe area. Enter the quantity on our Creo Rip. Pushes the button to print
3: 04PM: Job is printed and is moved to bindery.
3:10PM: Gaby our bindery operator gets the job cut using the programmable cutter and is then moved to QC/Packaging
3:13 PM: Steve inspects the Business cards for proper cutting and other things and is then packaged in the box. Ready to go
3: 16PM: Customer shows up in a yellow cab. She came to meet me I gave her the box, show her a card. She is so happy that she hugs me, and off to the cab.
I hope she was able to catch the flight.
That is the most intersting post I have seen so far. BEAT THAT VISTA PRINT….