On the 20th, I posted about a local competitor that was low balling everyone.
The subject line read: @%#$?#&$!!!!!!!!!!
The restaurant owner called me back yesterday and wanted to meet with me before the lunch rush. I got there around 11:00 and he wasn't there. He strolled in about 11:45 and said that he had to prep for lunch and he couldn't talk with me until 1:00. Although he kept me waiting for 2 hours, he didn't offer lunch or even a drink (or an apology). He came out about 1:10 and said "OK, let's get down to business. I've got another sign company that says they can do the sign for a third of what you bid, so where do we go from here?" I was so p***ed!!! I said, "You wouldn't have called me if you didn't know my work was better. My price just went up 20% and the sign can be installed 3 weeks from the day I receive a signed contract and full payment up front." You should have seen his face!! He was red as a tomato and stood up and started walking away. He turned around and said, "How come your bid is so much higher?" I said because I know what good signage is worth to your business and obviously XXXXX knows what his work is worth too."(thank you Monte) I stood up to leave and said "You kept me waiting here for over 2 hours without so much as an apology. My time is worth money. The price is now up 30% and don't call me again unless you've got a check cut." What a d***head!! That's the first bridge I've burned in a long time, but what an ASS!!!!
[ October 23, 2003, 03:37 PM: Message edited by: Terry Baird ]
Posted by Michael Boone (Member # 308) on :
He prolly makes burger patties and then wipes his hands in his armpits anyway... Ya done good Terry!
Posted by Doug Allan (Member # 2247) on :
get a reservation @ 8:00 for a party of 12 on a saturday night, call at 7:45 re: a delay & have them hold those tables for you until 8:30... show up & 8:45, sit down at the banquet table, order a beer & tell them your friends found a cheaper joint... but leisurly enjoy your beer...
BTW, thats not a bridge you burnt... thats a deadend
[ October 23, 2003, 04:33 PM: Message edited by: Doug Allan ]
Posted by Randy Campbell (Member # 2675) on :
Good for you Terry.He probably didn't even have another price and he'll come begging with that check.
[ October 23, 2003, 04:54 PM: Message edited by: Randy Campbell ]
Posted by Neil D. Butler (Member # 661) on :
I like Doug's Idea, but I'd go one step further and pre-order.
Posted by Terry Baird (Member # 3495) on :
Doug, you can't tell but I'm laughing my butt off!
Posted by Janette Balogh (Member # 192) on :
Terry,
I'm sorry you had such a degrading experience.
Next time Terry, don't waste your time waiting on someone whose late for an appt. Give yourself a window of time ( maybe 15 minutes to a half hour.) Then just say you are off to another appt. By him showing up 45 minutes late, and then having the nerve to put you off even further, you had a big, glowing and flashing red light telling you that you were dealing with someone disrespectful of your time.
Not only is that not a good customer, that's just not a decent person.
Take this as a lesson, and celebrate it as a win, not a loss! Light that match, I'll get the marshmallows. Nettie
Posted by david drane (Member # 507) on :
Good result Terry. It reminded me of a butcher I once worked for. He was going north to have a beer with some mates and he gave me a scrap of paper with the copy all over the place and wanted a bit here & a bit there. I spent a morning doing the W/color windows and just got home for lunch when the phone rang. It was him and he started yelling & screaming that I had put the sausages in the first line instead of the second line etc. etc. I said "never mind I'll come straight in & fix it. I got my 4" scraper and just did enough damage through the work to make it look awful and left the mess on the street. The funny thing was that he was inside wrapping meat glaring at me and I was on the outside staring back at him. It was probably one of the more stupider things I have done but the satisfaction far outweighed the losses.
Posted by Kimberly Zanetti (Member # 2546) on :
Terry, No offense intended but WHY on earth did you sit there for two hours? After 30 minutes I would have left him my business card and told him to call me when he wasn't going to waste his time and mine.
Posted by Terry Baird (Member # 3495) on :
Nettie and Kim...to tell you the truth, I was curious. I wouldn't normally wait, but it was a 30 min. drive and he owns several businesses in town. I was thinking with my wallet. My bad...
Posted by Kimberly Zanetti (Member # 2546) on :
Okay, I buy that. I didn't mean to criticize, I was just curious as to what kept you there. Posted by Joe Rees (Member # 211) on :
Oh man, I would have loved to see it. Good one! I used to burn about one a year when I had my shop in Florida. It only makes way for better things.
Posted by Todd Gill (Member # 2569) on :
Terry - - Priceless! I'd pay $8 to watch a video of that confrontation!
Doug - you're funny dude!
Posted by Ian Stewart-Koster (Member # 3500) on :
Well done!!! Please keep us up to date with installment No.3.
Posted by Monte Jumper (Member # 1106) on :
Sometimes "burning bridges" can "light the way up stream" but more importantly they keep you from turning back to make the same mistakes over again.
It can be a positive thing...if you think it thru.
Do it without thinking and you'll likely ruin your day.
Posted by Matty McQuilkin (Member # 4156) on :
Terry, Way to go,a good result. A business without a good sign will not project a good visual image. Producing high quality signs demands a top price. Its amazing that customers think that they can bet you down on price of a sign. They spend thousand of dollars on setting up their business only to quibble on the price of their visual image.
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