Working at the Office vs Working from Home

Our usual publication workflow:

Request estimate from vendor(s)
Send estimate to AE
Review schedule and add to our production manager sheet
Upload collected files to vendor after reviewing to make sure specs match job ticket
Send final quote to AE (this is usually the most recent estimate, but sometimes we need to request an adjusted estimate to reflect the specs of the final files if they differ from the job ticket specs). Mark date sent to AE on production manager sheet
Proofs are delivered to office. Update chron to track job bag/proof handoffs
In-person review with designer (color) while copy edit reviews content
Vendor picks up proofs marked up with notes, usually same day/next day. We go over the requested changes with them in person to make sure our notes are clear
Repeat above three steps for round 2 hard copy proofs, if necessary
Approve job with corrections, print production proceeds
Delivery of job on intended date, samples arrive at 985 same day for internal distribution

Our publication workflow now:

Request estimate from vendor(s) – Same process
Send estimate to AE – Same process
Review schedule and add to our production manager sheet – Same process
Upload collected files to vendor after reviewing to make sure specs match job ticket – Same process, slightly modified: files are now on Dropbox. Server only utilized to access older jobs
Send final quote to AE (this is usually the most recent estimate, but sometimes we need to request an adjusted estimate to reflect the specs of the final files if they differ from the job ticket specs). Mark date sent to AE on production manager sheet – Same process, slightly modified: AEs have been instructed to CC us on email sent to client so we can be sure it was sent in a timely manner. We are to instruct our vendors to contact the client directly if the PO is not received within 48 hours
Proofs are delivered to office. Update chron to track job bag/proof handoffs – Modified process: hard copy proofs are mailed overnight (or couriered, depending on vendor) to the homes of the buyer, the designer, and the editor (if the magazine is internally written). A PDF proof is forwarded electronically for review by the copy edit team. Chron is updated electronically via Dropbox
In-person review with designer (color) while copy edit reviews content – Modified process: buyer and designer review independently, then meet via Zoom (or share notes via email or Slack, whichever method is preferred by designer). After all notes are shared, including any text edits needed after copy edit’s review, proofs are marked up by print buyer and sent back to vendor, either by pre-supplied FedEx overnight envelopes, or pickup via courier at the buyer’s home
Vendor picks up proofs marked up with notes, usually same day/next day. We go over the requested changes with them in person to make sure our notes are clear – Modified process: vendor receives marked-up proofs via one of the methods noted above, then contacts buyer with any questions or concerns
Repeat above three steps for round 2 hard copy proofs, if necessary – Modified processes listed above
Approve job with corrections, print production proceeds – Same process, slightly modified: corrections are approved by buyer and designer via review of a PDF proof for round 2 unless a second round of hard copy proofs are absolutely necessary (at buyer’s discretion at beginning of quoting process depending on the job). If any text edits were requested, the PDF proof also goes through copy edit for a second-round review and sign-off
Delivery of job on intended date, samples arrive at 985 same day for internal distribution – Modified process: on-campus deliveries are coordinated by buyer and AE to make sure someone is on-site to receive deliveries. Any mailing components of jobs are still arranged by client. Samples that would normally go to 985 are held at Mail Services until our safe return to campus. Individual samples are mailed to buyer and designer (a total of two mailings). If the job is an internally written publication, samples are also mailed to the editors and a few other key contacts (six total including buyer and designer). A few higher-profile jobs (Annual Report, for example) may include a few more samples mailed out to members of the print design team, and are requested on a case-by-case basis ahead of time to be included in initial estimates

Pros and Cons of Working from Home

Positive:

Flexibility to work remotely has eliminated commute times. Less time spent commuting means better overall work/life balance
Utilizing technology we’ve rarely taken advantage of (Zoom, Slack) to streamline communication
Learning as we go with our new workflow is giving us a better understanding of our individual vendors’ preferred processes during this time, and we have been working with them to come up with the most effective ways to handle proof delivery and pickup
Many of our communications and processes with vendors have not changed with the new workflow, and we are still able to easily request estimates, discuss proof revisions, etc., in a successful and timely manner
Dropbox has been a great alternative to the server, and is much faster in terms of downloading files and uploading to our vendors

Negative:

Not physically being in the office makes it difficult sometimes to get a quick answer or clarification on a job because we cannot simply pop by someone’s workstation for a quick chat
Overall print production process takes a little longer due to shipping proofs back and forth instead of the quick drop-off/pickup we are used to at the office
The proof review process also takes more time since we are not able to review together with the designer on the spot (the proofs do not always arrive at our residences at the same time, UPS/FedEx are not always predictable. We get tracking info, but sometimes it’s just “by end of day,” which sometimes isn’t until after work hours. For example, I have received color proofs from UPS after 7 pm)
Still experiencing issues with the timely creation of POs for jobs. It’s possible that this is at least partly due to clients’ WFH situations, but this has been a pain point in general even before remote work started
Extra costs associated with extra proof production and proof/sample delivery. This cost varies based on a few factors (number of extra copies of proofs, delivery method, and delivery locations). Each vendor has a different way of handling these requests and all have been very accommodating, but the cost is variable depending on the job. We have been noting the extra cost amounts in the notes column of our production manager report for our own records. The client receives an estimate noting the overall cost of the job with these things included, but not specifically called out as line items