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I posted about an HDU sign I made that blew off a bank building a while back. I felt it was my fault even though it had been up close to 5 years. I had back painted cleats and glued and screwed them to the back of the sign and then attached the sign to mating cleats on the wall. In high winds and hail the sign blew off the bank wall leaving the cleats behind.
Later someone posted that HDU should not be painted and then glued, because if the paint fails you have a problem, which is exactly what I think happened even though the sign had been up for nearly 5 years.
We had a heart to heart about it during a "circle of knowledge" at the Lincoln meet. We had some good comments and suggestions and I used one of them. I decided to not bill the bank for the repairs, but we did send them a statement of what the repairs would have cost along with an honest assessment of what might have happened and a statement that the bank had always been good to us and we wanted to take care of them.
Today the bank president came to the shop and presented us with several gift certificates for area restaurants. It seems the board of directors appreciated our honesty and wanted to thank us in kind. I'm sure that a bank such as that with several branches has just given us an immeasurable amount of good advertising worth I don't know how much. So sometimes a little honesty and integrity and standing behind what you make -- even if it may cost you time and effort -- will pay off in unexpected ways.
Thanks to whoever had that suggestion. You never stop learning lessons in life with this business. Not all our lessons are good, but this time I'm feeling like I did the right thing.
-------------------- Bill Diaz Diaz Sign Art Pontiac IL www.diazsignart.com Posts: 2110 | From: Pontiac, IL | Registered: Dec 2001
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If I remember right, it was CAM that suggested sending them a bill for the total amount but then stating we would be not charge them for it.. That way they know the VALUE of what we did and understood we took care of them. Good call, Cam! Thanks!
-------------------- Jane Diaz Diaz Sign Art 628 W. Lincoln Ave. Pontiac, Il. 61764 815-844-7024 www.diazsignart.com Posts: 4102 | From: Pontiac, IL USA | Registered: Feb 1999
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Bill, Good for you. I believe that honesty is always the best policy. It shows that you have integrity-a trait sorely lacking in this dog-eat-dog world of lowest price and questionable quality. If you stop learning in life-you are done.
Lets hear it--Three cheers for Bill!
-------------------- Mike Duncan(from the left coast) Astoria, Oregon Posts: 367 | From: Astoria, Oregon 97103 | Registered: Nov 1998
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It's nice to hear that your efforts were appreciated, and that appreciation was made clear and tangible.
-------------------- "A wise man concerns himself with the truth, not with what people believe." - Aristotle
Cam Bortz Finest Kind Signs Pondside Iron works 256 S. Broad St. Pawcatuck, Ct. 06379 "Award winning Signs since 1988" Posts: 3051 | From: Pawcatuck,Connecticut USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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