What you learn.

When I was in high school I decided to take typing, mainly because the class was predominantly girls and I was a teenage boy. I enjoyed the class and earned a passing grade. Since that time I have attended numerous seminars, obtained two college degrees and learned a lot of ways to do things. But it still amazes me how much I use that old typing class.

I went into the army in 1970 I met with the "counselor" I asked him what my scores indicated my army career was going to be. His response "Oh, you can just about do anything you want." Prior to that I was working in radio as an announcer (loved the job, hated the pay) and asked if they had something like that. He searched and found "radio telephone operator" which we decided was what I needed. After I finished basic training I was surprised to learn that a "RTO" was the guy wandering through the jungle with the radio on his back (this was at the apex of Vietnam). I quickly volunteered to take on the Radio Teletype Operator training, at least there you were in a truck and had metal sides between you and hostiles, and you weren't at "the front line". I worked hard and excelled at the school, kicking my typing speed to an all-time school record.

I was assigned to a tank battalion and spent a most of the time at the motor pool and working on the communication trucks before I was offered the company clerk job because of my typing speed. This was great, I worked in an office and got to hear what was going on before the rest of the "grunts". Typing definitely got me through my two year hitch in the army. When I left the army my first job was operating teletype for the local Ford dealer - they were "state-of-the-art" in parts inventory and I spent a large part of the day entering parts numbers.

I went back to college (god bless the g.i. bill) and finished my undergraduate degree. Out of college I went to work for a major oil company that encouraged involvement with local professional organizations. I volunteered for editor of the newsletter, based on my typing, some journalism, and a publication I helped edit as an undergraduate. I had a ball and discovered Apple Computers! Spend a few years looking for oil and editing guidebooks before the bottom dropped out of the oil industry. I went back to school and finished my master's and tried my hand at teaching. Again loved teaching but hated the politics (pay was so - so). I was looking for a job/career and wondered into a local copy shop. The fact that I had bought a mac to complete my thesis, had typing skills and was willing to work cheap landed me in desktop publishing. We started out with a couple of Macintosh Classic and a couple to part-time students and have grown to 4 Mac Pros, a couple of Mac Books and a couple of Mac Book Pros and a staff hovering around a dozen offering full service design. It's been fun to learn and it also gives me a chance to teach as I train new students every year in the art of desktop publishing.

It's interesting that a typing class I took back in high school has stayed with me through my entire life and has contributed to a full life with lots of fun. You never know when you learn something how you're going to use it. Sometimes it's just great to learn and see where it takes you.

Full Bleeds in printing

Words that strike fear in my heart: "Please cut to a full bleed". My first thought is, "Please let it be an InDesign fully-packaged file" because then I can make sure the bleed will cut correctly by a little editing. Generally it's not, if I'm having a good day it's a pdf and if it's been a tough day it's two M$ Word files (or every once in a while an Excel file).

I don't really want to get into the desktop publishing thoughts right now, that's been addressed before. Today we're talking about bleeds and how to design for them. I understand the desire to have the ink run to the edge of the paper, whether it's a photo or a solid color or just lines, it adds an attractiveness to the brochure. For today's discussion let's assume a double-sided, full-color, tri-folded brochure. The following still applies to postcards, one-page flyers or any bleed that you want, but double-sided, tri-fold adds another level of front to back registration that will look bad when trimmed incorrectly.

If you're making one copy for a proof prior to printing, or for a class project it's not too difficult to hand cut to an edge or a point. When you're printing several copies the entire stack is cut with a large blade that is hydraulically powered. Normally we can cut 300 sheets of paper at a time, if we're working on gloss paper, we will cut 100 - 125 at a time, if you're doing 1000 flyers that's a lot of cutting. The paper will shift ever so slightly as we cut, the ones on the top are sliding forward so you get a slight shifting toward the bottom of the stack. If the bleed is designed correctly this is not a problem, but if it's an edge, such as a photo abutting white, you will see a small white line on some of the prints. A bleeds goes pass the edge of the final paper so as the shift occurs the top and the bottom print will look exactly the same even if there's a slight difference in size.

If you have space a full .25 inch pass the edge is best, we can get by with .125 inch but it can be tricky. Also if you have text, don't run it to the edge, unless you mean for it to be cut, leave a little room for the blade to fit and the margins to look good.

I know this sounds like a complaint, but actually it's a case of wanting the final product to look right. Most time without prior planning it doesn't because of that small bleed. The time to talk to your printer about your design and how the final is going to look is on the front end, not after the entire thing has been designed and left no room for error.

How to handle a upset customer.

I began working with the public when I got out of the army in the early 70s. I was in auto parts sales which helped put me through college (along with the GI bill - god bless uncle sam). When I entered the corporate world I swore I would never go back to retail. During the downturn of the oil industry in the late 80s I decided I wanted a change and knew it would involve computers, the path led back to retail and I jumped in with both feet.

I have attended several seminars, read many books, and sifted through numerous newsletters on customer service, and most were helpful. I have arrived at a list of ways to handle a disgruntled customer, I don't claim it's original but rather a compilation plus personal experience. I recently was slighted by a local company over a minor infraction and I've been thinking about it and thought of how I would want to be treated.

The first rule is ASK - most customers will not complain to you. They simply pay their bill and go complain to anyone who will listen. "I'll never go back there". Each customer should be asked - "How was your experience?" It can be as they're paying out or via a survey (hoping they will return the card) or at anytime during the experience you come in contact with them (my favorite). It can be as simple as "Is everything going okay?"

The second part is LISTEN. What is the customer saying, not only verbally but non-verbally? If they take the time to complain, then it made an impression on them and if you listen they will appreciate the gesture of concern. Remember that listening requires you keep your mouth closed and your attention completely focused on them.

APOLOGIZE, even if the customer is wrong. Be sincere, if you are apologizing for a misunderstanding, say, "We misunderstood what you needed and we're sorry for that". If you are wrong be sure to state, "We were wrong and we will correct it."

Then ASK again, "What will it take to correct this?" Sometimes, it may mean a discount (or free job), it may mean redoing the job, or just maybe, nothing needs to be one. When I complained I explained nothing needed to be done, it was a complaint to make the manager aware that a problem existed and should be addressed for future business. After my complaint the owner said to take the job at no charge; that's not what I wanted, I really wanted an apology and the promise it wouldn't happen again. The owner's attitude was stand offish and unapologetic and he gave me the job which in all likelihood will cost him my future business. Giving the job away isn't always the best answer. I also believe it teaches people to complain about any little thing in hopes of a free or heavily discounted job.

Listen to your customers and they will make you a better business. Award good customers with better service. Punish bad customers by doing the best job possible and not giving them a reason to complain.