We also use Custom Composite. The part about them sending you the pictures and then billing you for them can be a pain (you usually get them over the summer, and a lot of girls move around for the summer and don't know what address to put). But they got the composite here fast and it's very well done. My chapter recognized the problem with the advance pictures after the first time around and did this:

When we got the pics taken in April, girls who didn't know where they were going to be over the summer put their address as the chapter house or a sister's house who would be in town over the vacation. Then when the pics came in, the sisters in town just re-sent the packages back to the company, and nobody paid any extra $$. It worked out pretty well...

Their number is (815) 385-8150.

If everyone has had these horrible experiences with Fraternal Composite, why hasn't anyone reported them to the Better Business Bureau? We could probably shut them down... :)

BBB report
 

I actually just searched for Fraternal Composite on the BBB's website. Here's part of teh report, apparently they have an unsatisfactory record already, as you can see.


Customer Experience

The Bureau has requested basic information from this company.
The Bureau has not received a response. The Bureau opened its
file on August 15, 1999. According to information in Bureau
files, this company is in the photography business.

Bureau records indicate a pattern of complaints alleging
inadequate performance on the part of the company.

Based on BBB files, this company has an unsatisfactory record
with the Bureau.

When evaluating complaint information, please consider the company's size and volume of business. The number of complaints filed against the company may not be as important as the type of complaints and how the company handled them.

Closed Complaints
Number of complaints processed by the BBB since the firm's BBB file was opened in August of 1999: 18
Number of complaints processed by the BBB in last 12 months: 12


Complaints Concerned
Delivery Issues: 8
Outcome of all complaints -
Resolved: 3; Unresolved: 4; Company made every
reasonable effort to Resolve: 1

Product Quality Issues: 1
Outcome of the complaint -
Company made every reasonable effort to Resolve: 1

Contract Issues: 1
Outcome of the complaint -
Company made every reasonable effort to Resolve: 1

Customer Service Issues: 7
Outcome of all complaints -
Resolved: 3; Unresolved: 1; Company made every
reasonable effort to Resolve: 2; Company did not respond: 1

Credit or Billing Issues: 1
Outcome of the complaint -
Resolved: 1

composite nightmare
 

I wish I could remember the company that did our composites back when I was in college so that I could tell y'all where NOT to go.

Whoever it was, they completely screwed up the very first composite I ever received, which was for the 93/94 school year. They put 94/95 as the year instead! It's in the middle of every composite, including the big one that we hang in the house. So now, we have confused new pledges walking through, wanting to know why there are two 94/95 composites on our wall. :mad:

Re: Re: Re: Re: Greek Composite Services
 

I see what you're saying, and it sucks that you got such bad service :( But my school is in southern Virginia so we're not really that close to a company based in New York! ;) But the reps we have always sit down with the person in charge (last time it was me) after everyone's picture has been taken and they have you look over everything to make sure everything is correct. I don't know why they apparently don't do that with everyone? :confused:

How to avoid problems with composite services
 

I have experienced problems with the composite companies, both as a collegiate member in the late eighties and most recently as an advisor to a collegiate chapter. It doesn't sound like there is much difference no matter which company you choose. I would advise that if you are the officer responsible for signing the contract, no matter how much of a deal they give you, do not sign for more than 1 year of service. What is the incentive for the company to behave if they know they have you locked in for 2 or 4 years? Also it lets the next group of officers decide who to use based on the service they received the previous year. And one last piece of advice. SAVE ALL COPIES OF ALL CONTRACTS AND NEVER EVER TRASH THEM! The chapter I advised decided to change composite companies and the first one claimed that the officer (who was long gone) had signed a two-year contract. We couldn't find a copy of the contract but finally did speak to the former officer who was positive she didn't sign a 2-year contract. Include this in your officer training after elections, to not ever sign more than a 1 year contract, consult your advisors (sometimes they know of a blacklisted company that the group on a national level should not use due to past bad experiences), and keep all copies of contracts.

We used Custom Composites this year and they were great. We had an excellent photographer. I don't think there is one horrible picture of someone on our composite. Also, the shipment was quick. We had our photos taken at the beginning of September and I think that the composite was sent to us sometime during Winter Break in December.

Manolia Composites
 

Does anyone use Magnolia Composites? My sorority (and most of the others at UT) use them and I think they're great. The photographers are very professional. They have a good eye for what looks good and more importantly, what doesn't! They're based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana have a stronghold on many southern schools. The owner is relatively young (mid-30's?) and former fratboy himself. When I had to miss all the appointments my senior year due to job interviews, the owner himself came back through Austin when he was on his way to Dallas to take my picture so I wouldn't have to use an old photo. (For those of you not familiar with Texas, Austin is at least 3 hours out of the way when driving to Dallas from Houston.) Talk about great customer service!

Fraternal Composites, Inc. is the worst company I've ever dealt with. We filed a complaint with the BBB a few months ago because they rescheduled on us for times last semester, (photographer broke his leg, they weren't going to be in Wisconsin on the first date they set to come to our house and take our pictures, they lost our information, and one more bogus excuse.) After that mess, they still overcharged us, and the pictures were horrible.

d

Fraternal Composites, INC
 

ARGH!!!

I'm dealing with Fraternal Composites right now! This year I am in charge of getting the composite in order, and to my dismay I found in my binder that we had a three year contract with them!! Luckily this is our last year with them. Anyway, I was very upset over the fact that they choose the date and time of the photography session, and after nicely asking them to change the time to allow our Open Rush girls on the composite I was turned down. They gave us a horrible time (11am-1pm), and on the phone they instructed me to send my girls over to fraternities to get their pictures taken if they couldn't make our time. Long story short, they thought I cancelled on them so they didn't even come for the 11am time! They then said they would come later on that night at 9:30pm. What did they do? They called back later and cancelled! ARGH It's been a week since this fiasco, and I still haven't heard back from them. Do NOT work with this company!! From what I've heard about last year's experience they were rude and did not do half the things they advertised.

Composites
 

I am the Financial Advisor for the Alpha Eta chapter of Alpha Chi Omega. We have had TERRIBLE experience with Fraternal Composite Services for years. Has anyone ever had any experience with Greek Yearbook?
Their website looks quite promising and they actually had an example section of their work with a composite of the Alpha Gamma Chapter of AXO at the University of New Mexico 2005-2006. If any Alpha Gamma's see this, please let me know how it went. I welcome any comments on the Greek Yearbook company. Thank you:)

After a couple years of Fraternal Composites screwing up EVERY single organization's composite, we switched over to Greek Yearbook. The experience with them was a lot better. We all liked that they put proofs of the composites on the internet so you could see what they look like and make any potential corrections before they get printed.

My experience is that they have used NUMEROUS spammers to try to advertise on GC over the years. I, and many others, have a strong distaste for companies who use these tactics.

When I became chapter president, my chapter was stuck in the contract time warp with Fraternal Composite. "We'll keep the price the same if you sign for another year". Then the price goes up with inflation.

I refused to sign an addendum to the contract and we as well had horrible service. I, on behalf of the chapter, sued Fraternal Composite, with me representing us pro se. They counterclaimed a breach of contract. We ended up winning, getting out of the 3 year contract that my predecessors got us into, and getting our money back. I guess that's why I became a lawyer.

I say keep the business in your local community. Strike a deal with a local photographer to get the pictures done. They are usually used to the quick processing (It's like getting your pictures done for prom) and then send the pcitures to a framer in town. They can probably construct something similar to what Fraternal Composite can do. It may be a couple bucks more but at least you will get it in the year you took the pictures.

My ulcer gurgled at the very thought of Vantine! They tried to force a three year contract on us, and then delivered the composite in time for the next year's Christmas party!