James Burke
Being a grandpa is more fun than working
This may not be a popular opinion, but you are solely responsible for your relationship with your customers. You put it at risk by employing third party vendors. We take that risk every day, just like many other shops. It's just the risk you take by selling products you can't do in-house. I've seen 4over Local Delivery drop off other jobs at our store. I've seen Signs365 send my job to another state. Even seen them send my order to another print shop to produce. I've had B2sign send a product that had the second side upside down while the others were fine. I had a customer get a blank banner once from someone she used once. I've had a local print shop print the low res proof with watermarks. That stuff is going to happen. Your supplier is going to send you the wrong material. Your printer is going to crash. Your employee is going to have a wreck on the way to the job. Your customer is going to keep asking "why can't YOU get it right?"
Yep...at the end of the day it all comes to rest on our shoulders. Client's remember excuses...every last one of them...for years, it seems. The less ammunition you give them, the better.