posted
Last week, a good customer of mine(a welding/fabricating shop) came to me asking if I would make a template-stencil for him. It seems he had taken on a sign job. It was to be individually cut steel letters for a building downtown. Needless to say, I was taken aback. Being a supplier of Gemini letters for some years, I turned down his request. Explaining that I could not in good conscience help set him up to compete with a product I myself provided on a professional basis. I wondered out loud why he had not merely called or sent the business to my shop. Apparently, the thought had not accurred to him.
I have some feeling of guilt over this action, and realize that I have probably damaged our relationship with the refusal. But, these things do happen.
I would however, be interested to know how others might have handled a similar situation.
Thanx Ivan Allan
-------------------- Ivan Allan Eye Signs SK Canada
"One's first step in wisdom is to question everything" Posts: 102 | From: Saskatchewan, Canada | Registered: Jun 1999
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I'd be willing to bet this welder guy looked at it like any other job he does($$). He's probibly got a plasma cutter and making these letters is a snap to him. I doubt he planned on stepping on your toes because after all, he came to you for a pattern!! I would also bet he doesn't know you deal with Gemini and that he probibly could've gotten these letters from you and saved himself some grief by making them (and probibly made more PROFIT)!
-------------------- Mark Neurohr "Ernest" Paintin' Place 141 Sunnyside Road Kittanning, PA 16201
posted
i have metal fabricator here that i did his work truck. he also wants to do the same thing in steel, for his own shop. and he asked me to make a pattern for him....which i said i would, now all i gota do is run a paper pattern for him....yea its what i do.......but hes only doing this for his shop. also he has sent me 3 other jobs,(cause he liked the truck letterin i did) also you never know when you will need something welded or a sign cut out shape in steel!!!!!!! remember sometimes what you seem to be giving away today.....will come back to you from him or someone else!!!!!
-------------------- 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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posted
*His* customer probably wanted STEEL, not plastic letters, and figured he could go to a STEEL fabricator to get the work done since that's what they do.. fab steel.
I wouldn't have taken it as such a threat.. he wouldn't have come to you for a pattern if he was gonna be malicious about it, he would have gone to one of the other sign shops.
In fact, if all he wanted was some text printed on paper I probably woulda given it to him with the undertanding that there would be a trade when you need it - you scratch his back, he'll scratch yours!
-------------------- "If I share all my wisdom I won't have any left for myself."
Mike Pipes stickerpimp.com Lake Havasu, AZ mike@stickerpimp.com Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
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posted
Hi I would've made the dude a pattern & charged for it. What goes around comes around, baby. What else is he gonna do w/the template? Rearrange the letters to spell something else? I cut stencils occasionally, not caring who or what they're for, as long as I get paid. Love- JILL
-------------------- That is like a Mr. Potato Head with all the pieces in the wrong place. -Russ McMullin Posts: 8834 | From: Butler, PA, USA | Registered: Jan 2001
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posted
I would have done it, you might have possibly given him more of an idea, that it could be profitable to do this kind of work, and besides any shop can make a pattern, now he is their good customer and not yours. Besides being a supplier of Gemini letters doesn't give you the market on dimensional letters. With a litle looking around, they could supply Gemini letters too. Business relationships are very important, especially when the economy is bad, I think you blew it. Hopefully your good customer is understanding, but you know there are a million shops waiting to take your place. Even if you were bidding against him, think about it, you might get some money by making the patterns, and if the job goes bad, you can get paid to fix it. As a business owner you should be thinking "opportunity", not everyone's out to get me, because sooner or later it works out. Rick
-------------------- Rick Chavez Hemet, CA Posts: 1540 | From: Hemet,CA U.S.A. | Registered: Jun 2001
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YuuuuP! You blew it! He wasn't really a competitor, but now he probably is! You just sent a good customer to one of your competitors!
Not only did yoy alienate a good customer, you killed off a source of quick inexpensive letters that you could have added to your repetoire!
The hot tempered "MINE! All Mine!" attitude is a business killer! Not only does it p*** off customers, it also prevents any cooperation with other sign shops in your area!
Lighten up, and use this as a lesson learned!
Just my 2 cents worth!
-------------------- Si Allen #562 La Mirada, CA. USA
(714) 521-4810
si.allen on Skype
siallen@dslextreme.com
"SignPainters do It with Longer Strokes!"
Never mess with your profile while in a drunken stupor!!!
Brushasaurus on Chat Posts: 8831 | From: La Mirada, CA, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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I make patterns, cut vinyl, design things for other sign shops. No big deal. Work with your competitors instead of being their enemy. You'll be glad you did.
One day you might need a favor from him.
-------------------- Wayne Webb Webb Signworks Chipley, FL 850.638.9329 wayne@webbsignworks.com Posts: 7405 | From: Chipley,Florida,United States | Registered: Oct 1999
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Easier said than done. I can see where you are coming from, Ivan. I think I'd do the hard thing and go over to that customer. Honestly explain why you reacted the way you did, that you thought it over and would rather work with him than against him, or something like that. I think you've got a pretty good chance that he'll understand, and he might even respect you for having the guts to admit a mistake.
posted
I agree with Lotti, see if it's not too late to get back in the game. If it is too late, you at least get points for admitting to a mistake, & if it's not too late, see about getting 1 extra letter cut as a sample in your shop of a NEW product you can offer. You may not get much call for it, but he will appreciate the thought that more letter cutting work may come his way & should give you the letter no charge. Of course I think, as others mentioned, you should give the pattern free at this point & hope to save the future business together.
posted
well, i think if you call him up and appoligize, you can probably save the situation.
what you REALLY learned is that a "good custumer of yours" isn't already aware that you can supply metal letters. that's a marketing opportunity. if this guys doesn't know you offer metal letters, maybe your other customers don't know it. and maybe you have other services you offer than many of your customers are unaware of. its a reminder to you that you need to always remind everybody about your full range of services.
i had a customer go to somebody else for a banner -- she only associates me with her large dimensional sign and didn't realize i can do banners. to us, its all signs. to our customers, we're only in the business of what we did for them last time.
-------------------- :: Scooter Marriner :: :: Coyote Signs :: :: Oakland, CA :: :: still a beginner :: :: Posts: 1356 | From: Oakland (and San Francisco) | Registered: Mar 2001
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I wouldn't call him.......I'd go over "FIRST THING" in the morning, and get things right with him,......and I wouldn't wait for him to go find someone else to do business with........
Either that....or kick the crap out of him.........heheh!!
The first idea would probably work better though...
......cj
-------------------- CJ Allan CJs Engraving 982 English Dr. Hazel, KY 42049
posted
Although I can understand your first feelings on this, it might not be too late to fix it up. Do as CJ says, go over and see the guy and explain why it bothered you at first. If the guy is reasonable, things could still be straightened out. Dont beat yourself up over it either. Sometimes things like this happen. Hey CJ, shore do like that pic of you on there buddy.!
-------------------- 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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Two extra larges and a tub of timbits... that's some excellent advice there!
It takes a real man to admit he was wrong ( I am only being being gender specific because Ivan is a guy) and try to make things right.
Have a great one!
-------------------- Bruce Bowers
DrCAS Custom Lettering and Design Saint Cloud, Minnesota
"Things work out best for the people who make the best of the way things work out." - Art Linkletter Posts: 6465 | From: Saint Cloud, Minnesota | Registered: Jun 1999
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IVAN............INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW....the outcome please....
-------------------- 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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