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I started using them and certainly the actual print quality is excellent.
Alas their customer service was awful and although you think your order may receive careful attention by a "production" dept, in reality you are processed by an office who seem to have little connection with the production area.
The last time I used them had I think between 5 and 7 returns / faults. Each time I had to send the album back, only to find the replacement would have scuffed edges or dirty marks etc...
I've had them ignore instructions as to where I would like lettering embossed, I've had broken promises on cover material supply.
When I speak to Italy I get a friendly voice, but no actual action to ensure mistakes aren't repeated. When a delivery became months overdue I received no compensation (although I had to compensate my client,) and their attitude was as long as they got it right in the end, then no harm done.
Their quality control used to be good, but it fell apart from my experience some years ago.
Unbelievably, when I said that their was a wash of unhappy photographers out there, the response was "we're so big we just ignore all that." I wish I'd been recording it as proof...!
I've found on more than one occasion that the pages are not flat, and I've had to keep them under a heavy weight for several days before handing off to a client. I believe this is due to the thin page type that they use.
I like some of their cover designs but hate the fact that the albums come supplied in a cheap white box - not good for presentation. They do have some nice cases, but these are only for books of a certain size.
Their small pocket books are very cheap as add-ons, but the quality of these has fallen to the point I fear pages will simply fall out. The print quality of the guest books are different to the usual albums and is far below my quality threshold - given their cost.
So for me - NEVER AGAIN...! They have big names backing them, because those big names will be handsomely rewarded. They spend on marketing and initially I was taken in by the gloss and scale of their operation.
I'm Uk based and now use GF Smith exclusively. They treat you personally, have thicker pages so they stay flat, will happily custom build something special within reason and their print quality is sublime. Books arrive in a lovely black box and posh bag.
Their small guest books are amazing and replicate the album quality. They are not particularly expensive, but look so good that I can make an effective margin on them.
If something ever does go a little wrong (no one is perfect,) then they do everything possible to rectify the issue.
For me, I would advise against Graphi... unless you have the patience of a saint and long lead times. There are better and more reliable suppliers out there.
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