Let’s be honest, if change orders were a person, they’d be that party guest who shows up uninvited, eats all your fancy cheese, and somehow convinces you to buy cryptocurrency at midnight. As a brand manager in the food and beverage world, you’ve probably dealt with your fair share of these costly, timeline-crushing monsters. But fear not, fellow CPG warrior! Here’s your practical guide to keeping those change orders at bay.
The Real Cost of Change Orders (Spoiler: It’s More Than Money)
Before we dive into prevention, let’s talk about why change orders are the equivalent of a flat tire on your way to a product launch. Beyond the obvious financial hit:
- Your timeline gets stretched like saltwater taffy
- Your printer develops mysterious “availability issues”
- Your stress levels rival those of a coffee bean while grinding
- Your management starts using phrases like “learning opportunity”
1. Start With a Rock-Solid Creative Brief
Remember that game of telephone you played as a kid? That’s essentially what happens when your creative brief is vaguer than your aunt’s Facebook status. Here’s what your brief needs
- Crystal-clear brand guidelines (not “make it pop”)
- Specific color callouts (including PMS numbers, yes, all of them)
- Exact dimensions and specifications
- Required certification logos and their placement
- Legal requirements (because nobody likes a surprise from Legal)
2. Get Your Stakeholders in Line (Like Ducks, But Professional)
Here’s a revolutionary idea: get everyone’s input BEFORE you start design work. Wild, right? Your stakeholder checklist should include:
- Marketing leadership
- Legal team
- Regulatory compliance
- Operations/Manufacturing
- Sales leadership
- That one person who always has “just one small suggestion” three weeks after approval
3. Create a Packaging Requirement Bible
Think of this as your Ten Commandments of packaging, but with more technical specifications and fewer burning bushes. Include:
- Dieline specifications
- Material requirements
- Print process limitations
- Color tolerances
- Barcode specifications
- Required safety information
4. Prototype Like Your Budget Depends on It (Because It Does)
Yes, prototypes cost money. You know what costs more? Change orders because nobody realized your amazing holographic label would look like a disco crime scene under store lighting. Invest in:
- Physical mockups
- Store lighting tests
- Production line trial runs
- Consumer handling tests
5. Master the Art of the Pre-Press Review
This is not the time to channel your inner speed reader. During pre-press review:
- Check every single specification
- Verify all copy (including that tiny nutritional information)
- Confirm barcode placement and specifications
- Review color separations
- Double-check dieline alignment
6. The Emergency Prevention Toolkit
Keep these tools in your back pocket:
- A detailed approval checklist
- Timeline buffers (because Murphy’s Law loves packaging projects)
- A roster of reliable backup vendors
- Documentation of past change order issues (learn from history or die repeating it)
- A really good coffee supplier
When Change Orders Are Actually Okay
Sometimes change orders are legitimate, like when:
- Regulatory requirements change
- Material availability forces adaptation
- Market conditions demand quick pivots
- Your competitor just launched something game-changing
The Bottom Line
Change orders might be a fact of life in CPG, but they don’t have to be your brand’s biography. With proper planning, clear communication, and rigorous processes, you can reduce them to rare exceptions rather than recurring nightmares.
Remember: The best change order is the one you never have to make. And if all else fails, keep that emergency chocolate stash in your desk drawer well-stocked. You know, for research purposes.
Now go forth and manage those changes before they manage you!