contract work gone wrong. HELP

[cmack]

I need some advice. I have a big order that I could not get done by myself due to only having one machine and other shirts for this order. I subed the work out to another embroidery shop, that uses amayas also. They look horrible, I know it is not the digitizing due to the fact that I sewed it out and it looks great.
my cost on the shirts were 30.00 each for 100 of them and they were specially made for me with a 4 week lead time.
the contract shop is asking what do I want to make it right.
What does everyone think is fair?
I dont want to come off as a jerk but I need something to offset the costs.

[YDCustom]

I'd want to know what went wrong, personally. How were they hooping, what backing did they use, machine settings, etc. Also, why on earth didn't they call you when they noticed that the shirts weren't turning out well? Do they think the shirts are acceptable?

As far as compensation, have you shown the shirts to your client? I'd be upfront about it because the client may not care. If the client doesn't care and accepts the shirts, then I'd just ask for a discount on the work. If the shirts are ruined and/or the client won't accept them, then I'd be much more firm about compensation. What was outlined in your contract? Either way, I'd be making sure that I didn't use that shop again.

Another thing to think about is how you would handle this with your customer if you had made the mistake. What compensation would you offer? What request from the customer would you absolutely not fulfill?

[Monipezi]

I am am sorry to read what happened - we are a group of independent amaya as well as other embroidery machine users here in vienna - and we are doing what you have done now for many years _SUB-CONTRACTING.
But in order to do this right we have following proceedure. The embroiderer in our group who gets the job also controls the work flow and finally delivers to his customer. In order to do so and in the process to keep the quality between us alike we proceed as follows:
1 the initial embroiderer digitizes (or gets the design digitized)
2 makes the "proof-stitch" for the customer and gets it signed for a go-ahead
3 sends a further copy of the proof together with the embroidery file - and the correct info of the threads used (as much info as possible) to his subcontractors and gets a proof stitch from them.
Only when the original contractor is happy with the result (and of course the price) he gives the go-ahead to proceed with the order.
We understand that every embroidery machine is different - also from amaya to amaya - and fine adustments must be made to match the the designs stitched on different machines
however - if I as the contractor have been given the green light from my customer and is happy with the result from the sub-contractors - only then they get the green light to proceed.
If the final job done then does not meet the quality he produced (and from us accepted) in the proof then its up to the subcontractor to correct the problem - whatever the cost of material (or even if he has to buy machine-time at another place) may be.
Hope to help you in some form - but most important - subcontracting works well (we manage to handle very large orders in short time) but make sure you set your conditions before you engage in subcontracting.
greeting from Vienna- Austria
Peter

[cmack]

The problems all revolved around hooping backing and bobbin tension.
They advised me when I called to check on the order that "they were sewing out nicely".
It is not the easiest shirt to sew on I know this, but if they would of used 2 layers of backing adjusted their bobbin case and hooped taughtly and adjusted the presser foot they would of sewn out quite well.

I have sewn the design on my machine on a shirt that was scraped. It looks just fine.

To all the people out there asking if I had seen their finished work before, YES I have , it looked good.

[Wayne]

If the work you have seen looked good then it sounds like they may have let a new employee get their feet wet on your shirts.

[cmack]

I think they did, but they should of watched over him.

there are about 60 shirts out of 100 that are useable.

[Steve]

I know this won't help now but I wouldn't use a contractor for embroidery just because they have Amayas. Try using 5 B’s Embroidery http://www.5bs.com next time. They have over 300 heads and located in Ohio. I used to use them when I lived in Maryland because it was 2 days shipping to me. I no longer use them because I'm in FL now and found someone here in FL about 20 miles away from me. The one here in FL uses Tajimas and I have been happy with their work.

[Rod or Sharon]

Another contract company is Squeegee Printers, Inc out of Canaan, VT. Dick was an Amaya tech and great friends of ours before he passed away a couple of years ago. They run 18 Amayas and do great work. They also do contract screenprinting. Give Pat a call 802-266-3426.
Sharon

[cmack]

I am very hopeful the company that made the shirts for me will waive their minimum order of 48/ color.

I only need about 50 shirts total.
such a good order ( the biggest I have ever had)
Gone bad.....I will be lucky breaking even now!