What they learnt: Prithviraj Desai, Mail Order Solutions

When we started Mail Order Solutions (MOS), we were a 100% export business. We got into domestic printing only after setting up our fully functional printing press in 2010. 

 

During the initial days of MOS, we won our first international printing order. As you can imagine, everyone in our team was extremely focused and excited about executing our first export order. The order was for a typical direct mail piece containing personalised letters, an order form, and a response envelope, all enclosed in an outer envelope. 

 

In our early days, we outsourced all our printing, so we had to coordinate the job between several vendors. Hence, we had planned the job well, as soon as we got the order. Each and every step was monitored closely so as to avoid errors. The entire job was executed promptly. 

 

We had followed client instructions to the T for producing the mail pieces and dispatched them via air freight. The team had a party that evening to celebrate the dispatch of our first ever shipment. However, our celebration was short-lived. 

 

Because of heavy rains in Switzerland, the shipment was exposed to the rains in transit and got completely soaked. The mailings got wet and our client refused to accept the shipment and the entire shipment was a loss for us. We packed the mailings into the boxes not expecting rain as it was April in Mumbai. We hadn’t factored in that there could be rain in Switzerland. We had to reprint the entire campaign.