woman on the edge of reality

I’ve been listening to the news and watching what’s going on in the wider world with interest which is more than I normally do.  Normally I don’t listen to the news because as I’ve got older, I’ve found myself becoming one of those people who shout at the TV or tell the presenter they’re stupid and don’t know what they’re talking about; perhaps I do it because I know that I’m safe from being overheard and having my own opinions challenged, but then that’s a whole other story ….! (more…)

I had a salutory lesson today in making sure I checked the cost of things before asking for them to be done.

Like many others I have been sold a line that to do my printing myself on my trusty inkjet printer is not only time consuming, but also extremely costly. I found out today, just how untrue that was.

I visited a printer in Dorchester – Sprint Signmakers & Printers – to ask them to print 10 copies of a 32 page booklet which also contained some colour pages as well. Previously I had printed these booklets, that are used for a workshop I run, myself on my canon inkjet printer which would use roughly 2/3 each of a black and colour cartridge at a value of around £19.00 each.

I figured that it would cost me around £35 ish pounds to do the printing myself and therefore, because your local high street printer were cheaper, it might come in at around £30 – a saving of around £5 plus I was supporting another small business in Dorset.

I couldn’t believe it when I arrived at the printers to be met with a bill for £99.70 – yep, that’t right £99.70.

I was astonished to hear from the lips of the woman that served me that she ‘did wonder if I realised how much it would cost when I asked for it to be printed’ ….. what was the use of thinking it?

In my business I go to extraordinary lengths to ensure that my customers get great value for money service and I also make sure that they know what the costs are up front – ESPECIALLY when the costs are so disproportionate to the product purchased.

I’d just like to reiterate that businesses name – they are Sprint Signmakers & Printers and I WILL NEVER USE THEM AGAIN and I will not do what I have done in the past and that is refer my clients to them either – I will suggest they find someone else or do their printing on their own mini printers in the office.