posted
Started out with receiving the latest "revision" to our sign ordinance. There have been 2 now "without" any input from the actual committee. Of course, everyone is out today so I had to resort to a snotty (sort of) e-mail to the group. Darn them to heck. BUT... that's not the story!
Here we go, names have been changed to protect the innocent.
"Bob" came in to the shop about a month ago to inquire about a sign for his business. Let's say Bob sells flowers. (he does not sell flowers) I talked with Bob, gathered his information, put a couple of ideas into print, called Bob to come in and take a look. Bob OK's the sign and the price, I make the sign and drive to the nearby town (30 miles) and install the sign in the "Flower" department of a multiple business complex.
Bob loves the sign, pays the bill and asks if I would make a BIG sign for the outside of the business. This place is on a BUSY corner and any sign there would certainly help generate a little biz for Bob.
Again, I talk with Bob, gather the info, design the sign - he comes to my shop and approves the sign and the price. In fact, he comes back to make sure on the price, not because I was too high or too low... just to make sure that he sets enough aside to pay the bill. Fine. No, you do not know where this is going.
Today, I loaded the new sign on the truck along with everything else needed for the project, including my part time helper. When we arrived at the site, my helper said "He's already got a sign there". Sure enough, there was a 4 x 8 1/2 aluminum faced sign propped up by 2 steel fence posts. The sign definately was brand spanking new. All vinyl with a muli (maybe 3 or 4) colored graphic (vinyl overlay). No edge cap of any kind and the edges were not sealed in any way. The bottom of the sign is on the ground. I remain calm, cool and collected.
I walked into the "flower" department to find Bob. His part time man, "Phil" (as in fills in for bob, get it?)was behind the "flower" counter.
This gets better.
Phil asks if he can help me. I said that I was from Main Street Signs and I had a sign for Bob. I told him that I had talked with Bob about the sign and that it was my understanding that he wanted it and wanted me to install it. I told him that I had noticed the other sign located in the general area and wondered if Bob and I were on the same page here. Phil rolled his eyes a couple of times, took a deep sigh and began the story.
No, it gets better.
It seems that Bob had talked with a local sign maker in that town 30 miles away. This was in May. Bob had just moved his "flower" shop to that existing location in that town. He wanted to give some of the local businesses there HIS business, expecting that the favor would be returned somehow. The local guy talked with Bob, and then never was heard from again. Until the other day. The guy walked in and announced that he had his sign ready to go, where did he want it? Phil told me that some words were exchanged.
At this point, I told Phil that I would just take the sign back to the shop and try to get ahold of Bob (Bob lives in my town anyway) to get this thing figured out.
Back at the shop, I called Bob. I told him that I had been to his shop to install the sign... saw the other sign, talked to Phil and came back to talk to Bob. Actually, I left a message on a machine and stated everything "matter - of - factly" in a pleasant tone.
I was sticking vinyl on someone's car about 5 minutes later when my helper came out to tell me I had a phone call. It was Bob. Bob was sorry about the confusion and wants the sign (my sign). I will install Thursday. He told me that this other guy never showed him a thing. There was never any other conversation about anything after his initial inquiry. I asked if he had signed anything, he said no. No approval, no sketch, not even stick figures in the dirt. Just this crappy sign. A crappy sign with a bill for dang near $700.00! (My sign is $800.00+ with tax, and that's no problem).
So, there's the story. Some guys must have really huge balls to pull crap like that. The other thing is, I know this guy real well and this is not the first time that it has happened. This is the first time that I am involved in the deal.
How's that for a slick marketing technique?
And, yes, I think I have the whole story here.
-------------------- Jeff Vrstal Main Street Signs 157 E. Main Street Evansville, WI 53536 1-608-882-0322 Posts: 670 | From: Evansville, Wisconsin | Registered: Sep 2001
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posted
I don't think the guy got his money yet. I am pretty sure he simply left it there because there was a major city event last weekend. I think that "Bob" is setting himself up for a situation, but I'll let "Bob" take care of that.
-------------------- Jeff Vrstal Main Street Signs 157 E. Main Street Evansville, WI 53536 1-608-882-0322 Posts: 670 | From: Evansville, Wisconsin | Registered: Sep 2001
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posted
We have a guy in our area that has done stuff like that, though not on that scale. Apparently, he will go see someone about a sign and offer to "get back to them later" with a price and sketch, then shows up with a sign and wants payment! I saw this go down in a local bar/restaurant; he was arguing with the owner, who repeatedly said "I never ordered this sign." The sign guy was threatening to sue and making all sorts of demands. I quietly asked a bartender friend what was going on; he said this clown had been after the owner for months about signs, and now he had shown up with something (I saw it, and shuddered).
The funny part of this story is that this goofball had called me months earlier and asked for a price to subcontract some work for this same place. I gave him a figure, and never heard from him again. Some third party (another shop, I don't know where) did the sign, and some months later I ran into Bozo and he accused me of "stealing his customer" and insisted that he had heard I had done this sign behind his back. Nothing I said would convince him otherwise, I finally told him to get out of my face. BTW, the sign in question is at best mediocre, but I guess they got what they paid for. As for Bozo, he's living proof that no level of idiocy is too low for entry into the sign trade.
-------------------- "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
Jeff..an interesting story!!! All the more so because one of my best clients became that for the very same reason. Their previous "sign company" showed up one day with a WHOLE BUNCH (client's wording)of lettering that they had asked for SAMPLES of, but the sign company assumed meant an ORDER for. (Customer wanted one sample and a price on 100 sets of lettering..sign company read that as an order for 100 sets of lettering)
The previous sign company were told to take a hike and I am very careful to listen CAREFULLY to what my customers want!!!!
-------------------- 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
Really, a written contract is a mandatory part of a sign order for work like this.
The contract should include an agreement as how much money down, and how much is due before installation and the final balance due in 30 days.
(unexpected problems occur during installation and there should be a clause in the contract that allows for unforseen expense in labor and material ...which can be an extra billing with a 30 day due date. This way the customer has time to come up with the extra expense he was unprepared to deal with.)
All business should be conducted so there is a win-win situation for you and the client. Its just a protection for everybody and a "feature" of your business that makes you better than your competition.
posted
i got one of them here....the guy is a SIGN BROKER!!!! NO ****!! he dont draw, paint, vinyl or do installs. he goes out and pretends to be a FULL SCALE SIGN SHOP. gives prices and then gose around to the real sign shops and gets someone to make(and design)his signs, and then gets them or some one else to install them!!!!!! guy tried to get me to work with him one day...he wanted to know what charged to do signs..told him.. "you cant afford me", and walked off!!!
-------------------- joe pribish-A SIGN MINT 2811 longleaf Dr. pensacola, fl 32526 850-637-1519 BEWARE THE TRUTH.....YOU MAY NOT LIKE WHAT YOU FIND Posts: 11582 | From: pensacola, fl. usa | Registered: Nov 1998
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-------------------- Brian Oliver Paxton Signs Fort Collins, CO paxton@peakpeak.com www.paxtonsignsofcolorado.com Posts: 237 | From: ft. collins, colorado,usa | Registered: Mar 2001
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posted
Quick update on that deal. I put up the sign(s) yesterday. It was a beautiful day, no clouds, plenty of sun and a warm 79 degrees. Today it's 54 and cloudy, yuck.
Anyway, the sign went up as I had planned. I had to figure out a goofy structure to mount this on top of a horrid existing sign... or rather a framework that is a posting area for this week's fresh produce.
The customer was very pleased with the sign. The other guy's sign is in a pile next to some old pallets. Not my problem.
How come when I'm up on top of a ladder on a busy street working on something like this no one whistles at MY rear end?
-------------------- Jeff Vrstal Main Street Signs 157 E. Main Street Evansville, WI 53536 1-608-882-0322 Posts: 670 | From: Evansville, Wisconsin | Registered: Sep 2001
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