posted April 13, 2009 01:31 PM
Yep. We're going out of business. We're closing our doors for good.
Imagine my surprise. My boss was even more surprised.
It seems a competitor of ours knows more about our business than we do.
A regular client came in to see what was going on. His father had gone to the competitor to get some prices. Somehow our name came up in their conversation and he was told that we were going out of business.
Hmmmm.....I just don't know what to do.
I've just ordered a new t-shirt press. I've got several thousand t-shirts to print not to mention a large $20k+ sign project in the works.
I need to call the competitor to find out when we're closing so I can make plans.
posted April 13, 2009 01:46 PM
I'm surprised they didn't just say you were already closed. I once had a competitor who did that - told people I had gone out of business. The funny thing was, I had someone who heard this and actually argued with me about it - as in "So 'n so says your shop went under, you're out of business."
"No it didn't."
"Are you sure? That's not what he told me."
"Well either he's mistaken, or he's lying to you."
"He wouldn't do that!"
At that point, realizing that I'm arguing with someone with the mental capacity of a eggplant, I decided to confirm so n so's information - yep, closed up, sold everything, moving to a hippie commune in Katmandu, on the theory that anyone that dumb deserves as much disinformation as they can stand.
-------------------- "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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posted April 13, 2009 02:39 PM
We got a large job a few years ago when another sign company bad mouthed us. Their client needed to submit three bids and the other company gave them our number and told them about us: "They don't have any insurance, they're high priced and do really lousy work, but they'll get you a bid." After she saw our portfolio, we ended up with a very nice order.
We just wrapped up our largest job ever after that same sign company again bad mouthed us, got an order, and then produced a sign package for an apartment complex exactly the way they had described our work as being. When the management company bought ten more properties, they called us instead.
Interestingly, whenever we had a booth at an apartment trade show, folks from that other sign company would do a lot of hanging around our booth and visiting. Knowing their ethics, I was aware they were just fishing for whatever advantage they could gain, so I suspended my "no trade secrets among Letterheads" motto for the duration of the show and only revealed info that wouldn't make much difference.
-------------------- David Harding A Sign of Excellence Carrollton, TX Posts: 5084 | From: Carrollton, TX, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted April 13, 2009 02:43 PM
And then there was the ex boss that told his clients (that I was in charge of dealing with) that I was having personal problems in relation to my Dad (huh?) so I wasn't returning to work. This was after his wife fired me on the phone for being a woman.
I later straightened all those clients out when they became my clients. LOL
I love second hand tainted news. It really puts things back in total perspective when you get the opportunity to live the real truth.
posted April 13, 2009 06:08 PM
Sheesh..I never had anyone tell anyone else that I was going out of business.
I was the one who told people!!!
Still loving being "out of business" though.
Retirement is not for everyone, but it suits Shirley and I quite nicely.
107F/42C at our place in Mexico today and not a trace of snow for the last 2 years!!!
-------------------- Dave Grundy retired in Chelem,Yucatan,Mexico/Hensall,Ontario,Canada 1-519-262-3651 Canada 011-52-1-999-102-2923 Mexico cell 1-226-785-8957 Canada/Mexico home
posted April 13, 2009 09:45 PM
Todd, it's my personal belief that we'll all have to answer for what we've done in the past. It's my hope my list won't be too too long.
""Good judgment comes from experience; and a lot of that comes from bad judgment" - Will Rogers Posts: 3485 | From: Beautiful Newaygo, Michigan | Registered: Mar 2003
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posted April 14, 2009 12:40 AM
A competitor once told a customer who I had lettered a boat for years earlier that he heard I had died - I didn't have as much trouble as Cam convincing him otherwise.
So be glad, Glenn, coulda been worse..........
-------------------- www.signcreations.net Sonny Franks Lilburn, GA 770-923-9933 Posts: 4115 | From: Lilburn, GA USA | Registered: Feb 1999
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posted April 14, 2009 08:58 AM
Glenn -- so sorry to hear it! You never know the kind of news that will come from left field. Recently, we found out from a similar channel that EstiMate is only a "Band-Aid" on the problem of pricing signs -- imagine our chagrin! ;-)
-------------------- Best Regards, Mark Smith EstiMate Sign Pricing Software It's Not Luck. It's EstiMate.™ http://www.EstiMateSoftware.com 1-888-304-3300 Posts: 724 | From: Asheville, NC, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted April 14, 2009 09:40 AM
Sonny...you should have responded to him as Mark Twain did to the rumors that he had died..."Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated."
-------------------- Frank Smith Frank Smith Signs Albany, NY www.franksmithsigns.com Posts: 807 | From: Albany, NY USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted April 14, 2009 11:44 AM
Well, what this tells me is that he sees me as "the competition" and that I must be having an effect on his business for whatever reason.
I rarely give him a second thought about him or any of my other competitors here in town. I just don't have the time quite frankly. His business must be hurting to do something so stupid and childish.
posted April 14, 2009 12:28 PM
That weirded me out when I read the topic of this post. If Glenn goes out of business, the end aint far behind. Go by his business and throw rocks at him Glenn. Ive had this happen too. I just dont pay attention to it, unless I come in one day and my doors are locked and find out I fired myself.
-------------------- Maker of fine signs and other creative stuff. Located at 109 N. Cumberland ave. Harlan, Ky. 40831 606-837-0242 Posts: 4172 | From: Ages-Brookside, Ky. Up the Holler... | Registered: Jul 1999
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posted April 15, 2009 10:39 AM
On a couple occasions over the years someone went around the harbor re-lettering boats and getting the jobs by saying that I sent them. They functioned on the credibility of my reputation.
-------------------- The SignShop Mendocino, California
Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple, awesomely simple, that's creativity. — Charles Mingus Posts: 6714 | From: Mendocino, CA. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted April 15, 2009 11:52 AM
Yeah, I had something similar to happen to me several years ago. A competitor took pictures of my work, put it in his company's portfolio book and tried to pass it off as his work.
He got caught at the annual small business expo when on 4 separate occasions during the event clients walked up to me and asked by was their sign in the competitor's book.
posted April 15, 2009 01:35 PM
I have a friend who is a lawyer so I would ask him to send a 3 page letter full of legal crap to scare them but other than that I wouldn't let it bother me.
This has happened to us a bunch of time especially because it was my grandfathers business and he didn't retire till he was 75
-------------------- Jake Lyman Lyman Signs 45 State Road Phillipston, MA 01331 Posts: 635 | From: Phillipston, MA | Registered: Sep 2002
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The funny thing was, I had someone who heard this and actually argued with me about it - as in "So 'n so says your shop went under, you're out of business." ![[Confused]](confused.gif)
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