Anyone have negative experiences with Graphi-Studio?

[steve_c.5]

I found Graphi a year ago, and started repping their albums to my clients. I like the

design and cover options, and the various sizes available. The calendar product is

a nice bonus too. I like the lay-flat spreads and the availability of matte, photo, and

metallic papers too. And, I like the workmanship and uniqueness of the products.

 

I prefer them to more traditional leather albums (even though you can get those

thru Graphi if your client wants them), and prefer them to the all-square design of

Asuka books.

 

Their US reps have been very nice and helpful, but the Italians in the home office

haven't been as responsive and helpful as I would have liked. They sometimes take

days to respond to e-mails (I know the e-mails don't arrive there by boat).

 

I had an issue where the client received their album and free calendar. The

calendar, however, was dated 2007, but the book was ordered in 2008. I sent them

an e-mail that I wanted a 2008 calendar for my client, because this was an obvious

mistake, plus the client's mother wanted a second calendar for herself, which I

charged her for. I got no e-mail response, but did get a notice that they had been

shipped a week or so later.

 

Eventually, the calendars arrive with 2008 dates, client happy, and all seemed

well. However, they charged me for 2 calendars instead of one. I e-mailed them

about the erroneous charge. After several days, I get an e-mail stating that

their "policy" is that if no date is specified, they go by the date on the wedding

album cover (in other words, I had used a cover image showing a 2007 date). I e-

mailed back, saying basically 'who in their right mind would send a client a

calendar for last year?'. This has yet to be resolved or responded to.

 

Also, their banking system would not successfully charge a Bank of America debit

card, or my Paypal Mastercard. I had to use another Chase credit card for them to

successfully charge me. I went back and forth with them for days over this, and

instead of getting plain language responses, they kept sending me back the same

canned message with no real explanation. Eventually, I got a broken English

explanation and got thru that problem. It's still very frustrating.

 

I hate to give them up, because I love their products, but I don't know what else to

do.

[gina_marie1]

I have only recently switched to GraphiStudio but whenever there has been an issue, I just contact my US Rep and then 'cc' the Italy production rep. I think no matter what company you use, at some point there will be a mixup so I just use the one who's product I like most..in this case Graphi.

 

On a side note, I would advise putting any special requests on both the written order form and the online projected order. That way if there is a mistake on their end, you won't have to pay extra and perhaps even get the order expedited. I don't care for the free calendar, it's always the same template and IMHO..not an attractive design plus the calendar itself is useless..so I pass on it. Why give a sub-par product to a client, even if it's free?

[steve_c.5]

I hear what you're saying, Gina, I just felt the way they handled the calendar issue was poor, and so is their communication. I've tried including the US reps in my communication, but they're little more than go-betweens. The poor communication and slow response is the worst aspect of my experience. And it's the kind of thing that will make someone like me start looking around elsewhere for albums.

[joann]

My US rep was super great until I had a problem then he left me to work with the Italian lab myself which turned out to be so frustrating that I gave up. I had a problem with a silk cover that looked muddy and the ink had bled. You cannot get answers to your questions. They respond, after several days, with a canned reply that doesn't address or answer any specific questions. It wasn't the fact that I had a problem with the book or the fact that I couldn't get satisfaction from the lab that soured me to this company, it was the fact that my rep was like a used car salesman (the stereotype) once you buy the car, they forget who you are.

[steve_c.5]

Yes, Jo, that sounds about like them. The US reps seem to have little investment in the actual company. I really don't know what they do, other than address client inquiries and maybe some marketing, although I don't see a huge amount of marketing efforts in the States.

 

The canned responses that fail to address specific questions is definitely what I got. A lack of clear and adequate communication.

[james_giordano]

The reps in the US are sales reps and not very helpful with mistakes.... and mistakes are a plenty with Graphi. One thing, with any album company is to have them send the final product to you first, this way mistakes don't get to the client. We had Graphi miss the first page of an album once and while everythign was fixed - it took a month. We no longer use them for our albums.

[steve_c.5]

As a follow-up, it's been 5 days since my last e-mail to Graphi about the calendar overcharge, and still have not received a response.

[rachel_peek]

Every year at the conferences, I hear many complaints about various customer service issues with Graphi. Varying

issues, such as communication like you've just described, to production problems and repair issues.

 

My studio looked into using them about 2 years ago, but after hearing all the complaints, decided against it, . We

use Zook instead. Nice quality products, better (US based) customer service, and fast turnaround (for orders and

repairs)!

[juan_gonzalez4]

<p>Is there another company who has the same small books or very similar. To me the quality is very good and I haven't seen something that good from others.<br>

The calendar is cool but you can get those at kinkos or officd depot.<br>

The silk cover is pretty cool and I don't knwo of anybody who has it.<br>

We may have had our last fight and I needs something somewhat similar.<br>

Maybe this will be the oprotunity to try something new.<br>

I am too lasy to reserch something new.<br>

Any ideas about another company with similar books?</p>

[picturesque]

<p>I don't know anything about Graphi's turnaround, but that does not sound right. It could be the photographer's doing.</p>

[juanita_ramirez]

<p>If you give them decent lead-time and you're willing to put up with a couple of hassles--they're great. The cost savings are well-worth any inconvenience. Maybe someday when my time is worth so much that I can't deal with making sure that I am meticulous in my ordering I will have to switch, but for now, I'm not even considering switching. </p>

[ben_michalski1]

<p>As a reseller of Graphi Studio albums...and I wished I had sold more of them but I don't have a $1500.00 wedding album demographic...I am sad to say I will no longer be using them. Not only has their pricing structure developed ( no pun intended :) a list of extra cost and "pads to the bill" that would rival the best Used Car Sales Lot in the USA. But their customer service has gone so far down the tubes that when I call them I NEVER get a live voice anymore and a return call may come back in a week or so. Emails are non existent.<br>

<br />My most recent order contained my usual request for a host of mini albums along with a parent album except this time I was sent these mini mini matchbook albums that are basically worthless. I was also charged a $100.00 pfd change for three stinking images that I was told would be a no charge item since it was only three stinking images.<br />The front cover that was standard as was the first pdf change is now an $80.00 extra charge. And my usual charge for all my past orders in the last few years...about a half dozen albums...like I said...I don't sell much of these...was in the $385 to $450 range has now risen to a whopping $787.00.<br>

<br />I am going to miss them as I use their albums as the main promo of my work in my studio even if I don't sell them...but they have disintegrated to such a "worrisome and task oriented" chore when ordering a graphi album that I can no longer abide.</p>