I ordered 100 5x5 trifolds from WHCC (50 regular stock, 50 linen), and they arrived today. Two of the panels have this light pink border around them, which was not in my original files. I contacted WHCC and someone named Luke Erickson responded by saying the pink was in my files and there's nothing he can do about it. I told him it certainly was not in my files, and I would like them to reprint at their cost. He chimes back saying he has "no idea" how the pink got in the files I sent, but it was not their fault and they won't reprint. And honestly, his tone was a bit condescending. Also, the cut job on the linen cards was not nearly as good as on the regular stock. So now I'm basically out $100 because I can't give these out to clients. Yeah, $100 is not a ton of money but it's the principle. Do I have any recourse other than changing labs?

Has anyone else experienced this poor customer service with WHCC or Luke in particular?

Thanks,
Tom

A LOOONNG time ago, I had some cards printed there and they had issues.They fixed them immediatley for me without any problems. I have used them for a very long time, and love WHCC

I actually have had really excellent C/S both times I had to call WHCC. I am sorry about your experience. Perhaps you just got a bad rep?

Call back. Ask for someone to look at the files. If it's not in your files they should fix them. Maybe Luke had a bad day.

Wow that's strange. I've had the exact opposite experience with them, more than once. Very good service.

In fact just a few weeks ago I ordered a press printed book and somehow InD had used it's low res preview images rather than the high res images in the output files. They looked great on the screen but printed all pixelated. They called me and the conversation went like this:

Her: your files are messed up, it's printing all pixelated.
me: no their not, they look fine.
her: No, they're not fine, they're pixelated, I'm sure you don't want the book this way, please double check your files and resubmit them.
me: OK, fine, I will.

I was actually a little less than pleasant thinking they had messed up my files. Turns out it was me, and they caught it.

Not saying that's the case here! Just that the service has always been as good or better than I expected. I also spend $1-3k a month there lately but I doubt I'm getting any special treatment...

Call back.

+1 - or, will soon be looking for another job. WHCC generally has a stellar reputation - I've had good experiences with them. If you haven't yet, I second the motion to call back and see if someone else can help you. Even if the problem was in your file, I think they'd treat you better than Luke did.

I have received some of the best customer service from WHCC. I order A TON of cards from WHCC. However, when I first started ordering from them, I had to learn the hard way and did receive some pretty crappy cards in the mail. Only because it was my fault. They did remake a few of my cards, but not all of them.

Ask the WHCC group for the templates. These work great and were a godsend for me. Remember to make your original file .25 larger than the actual card. 5x7 would be 5.25 x 7.25. When you place that image in the template, you will have compensated for th edges.

I design all of my cards in illustrator and import them into the templates via photoshop.

Let me know if you need more help!

I've always had beyond excellent customer service from them. Once they even refunded me 50% of something that indeed was my mistake. Luke was definitely having a bad day, I imagine he isn't sending any lollipops out today. Call back and ask to talk to someone higher up, they'll take care of you.

This happened to me... 3 times. It was such a nightmare... They called it artifacting.

ha. i was just about to say that with their reputation, surely this can be figured out - then i see this post. 3 times? ewwwww....

in such a huge industry as this though, your going to have problems with companies all over the place at some time or another.

give them the benefit of the doubt and get it figured out and talk to another rep. maybe luke's girlfriend just broke up wtih him over a latte.

I wouldn't put anybody's name on a public forum like this in such a context...
("They" are here, after all!)

I use whcc and have ordered a TON of stuff over the last 3 or 4 years with them and never had a problem. I think you should call back and talk to someone else about it. I have only had like two or three little issues and they corrected right away.

+++1 never an issue.

If you designed the templates yourself instead of using their templates, that could be the issue.

if you used their templates then blow up the area where you had an issue and see if there is something showing there that should not be.

These have been the nicest people to work with that I have ever encountered. Such a refreshing attitude than the lab "I dare not speak their name..."

TOTALLY agree.... along with most of the other posts here. WHCC is an absolute pleasure to work with, and the ONLY order I've ever had a problem with (completely unrelated to this type of problem - i got a texture that I didn't want - but they still corrected it at their cost!!!) was quickly resolved with no hesitation.

You really need to give these guys a break. If they're saying there's a problem on your end, I really suggest that you look into it as deep as you can... you may have overlooked something. That being said, I don't agree with them being unwilling to re-print it, at least for a discount... Just call again and get another rep and I'm sure they'll be more than happy to help you out.

I've always had the BEST customer service from WHCC as well. I once ordered a proofbook and I forgot to upload my cover file AND I placed the order before the ftp was finished. They called me within a few minutes to say they didn't receive the file and they gently and ever so nicely let me know that they prefer that I let my ftp finish before submitting the order. But they were so nice about it...I apologized and they were like no,no not a problem, it would just be a little easier in the future. I love WHCC.

I agree with what others have said, that maybe the rep you spoke to was having a bad day. It happens sometimes. I would call back and speak to someone else before letting that rep decide your outlook on the company as a whole....yet. If you get another person that says the same thing....than double check your files at 100%.

WHCC is hands down the absolute best printer I have ever worked with PERIOD.

They work with all levels of photographers and see 1000's more digital files in a day than I will in a lifetime. They know their shit.

Their monitors are calibrated to their printers. They have a system that works for 99.999% of the people. if you are in that 0.0001, I would strongly suggest that you re-examine your workflow.

When you FTP or ROES your files to them, they have the exact file. There is no way around it. No file transfer program will add a pink border to part of the card. It just doesn't happen.

Since two of the SIX panels have a pink border, I'm guessing you have an issue with your size. If you want to send me the PSD's I'll gladly take a look at them for you - if you do, be sure they are the same ones you sent to WHCC - I'll be looking at the create/modified dates to be sure you didn't fix them to make yourself look better.

I'm super surprised you are having an issue with WHCC. These guys are experts in all meanings of the word. If they said my hair was purple, I'd believe them before I checked in a mirror.

Good luck to ya.

E

Just another +1,000,000 on having a great expierience with them.

My "old lab" ...ahem.... actually made me send prints back before they would reprint them or make changes. And I had to pay for shipping. The whole thing was a huge hassel! It was like I was being accused of stealing whenever I had an issue. My thought was, "do you seriosuly think I would go to this trouble if there really wasn't an issue? Just to get a lousy $5 print for free?!?!" I'd much rather had this worked out right in the first place!!!"

WHCC has been more than generous with their time and energy as far as I'm concerned and I hope that you get ahold of someone quickly who can make your expierence match their reputation.

I suggest calling back and talking to someone else. I use to work there and I've never heard of that person, so I'm guessing if you talk to someone else they'll fix it right away.

I'll just edit to add- that the artifacting was a nightmare-- but after the first time they would call me to tell me something wasn't right and different things I could try to make it better.

If you are having a problem make sure to work with the same person- who knows the situation.

Sorry that you are having issues.... my rep Luke is extremely helpful. He basically walked me through my ftp and my million attempts before I got it right.

I've only had a couple issues before & they were AWESOME to work with & next day aired my stuff to me!!!

I LOVE WHCC!!!!!!!!

Up until 2 minutes ago, I would have agreed with everyone else here.

But I just had the worst experience with WHCC, and their response was "well, we've told you before about the templates, so we can't do anything". Fine, I messed up the template and now my book didn't line up. But, even earlier today, they called about an order that wasn't lining up properly (a very inexpensive order mind you). Yet, I love how they allowed a $200 order to go through that wasn't lined up and now can't do anything.

Lovely. I'm heading over to Miller's to see what they can do.

Ksenia

Did you talk to Luke?? I am sorry that happened. I am sure that like most companies that employ human beings there are always the unpleasant few who hate their jobs, their lives, and everybody else and don't really want to help. But it still seems overall they have done a good job.

Ksenia, it sounds to me like you have had a great experience with whcc, and now, after expecting them to fix your mistake, you are willing to start all over again with another company. I don't know about you, but I have a learning curve with any new company I work with. No time these days to start over if I don't have to. I think you might want to take a deep breath and download those templates.

I print tons of cards at WHCC and the only time I've ever had any issues was when I didn't use the dang templates or didn't think carefully about every step before I sent the order in. Whenever a problem was their fault, they have always fixed it, every time, with a happy attitude too.

When I grow up, I want to be just like whcc. (I put lollipops in my client boxes now!)

I was fine about my mistake, but a) I didn't appreciate the attitude I got from the girl and b) they couldn't explain why an inexpensive mistake caught earlier today and I received a phone call and why an expensive mistake was allowed to go through to completion and should not have passed through quality assurance.

I'm happy to own up to my mistake, and I didn't expect them to fix it, but I wanted an answer, and in its place, I received an attitude.

In the past, I received very good service from WHCC, but I wanted to an answer to my question, and not attitude about how I screwed up.

Ksenia

Wow, I'm really sorry to hear about the problems people are having with them. I switched to WHCC about a year ago after having numerous issues with my previous lab. Every single print I've ever ordered from them has been perfect. I've received stellar CS every time I've called with questions. I hope the bad CS isn't a new trend.

Sorry to hear about the bad experiences with WHCC. Just to throw in my two cents, I have placed a few small orders and they have been great. I uploaded some images that were close to being black and white but with a slight blue tone - WHCC called to make sure the blue tone was intentional. I think they have great customer service (at least the people I have dealt with).