posted
In the mail today was a checque, payment in full, for a rush job we completed a while back. The order was an extreme rush job...signs for the alumni association's homecoming weekend at our local university. Along with the checque, was a very nice letter, thanking us for the prompt and efficient production of their signs, in spite of very short notice.
I consider a letter like this a "tip" and these get laminated and included in the portfolio as an additional form of reference. Other times, we've had customers willingly and freely pay a cash "tip" for good service. Once we were given free tickets to a local Cattlemen's Beef Barbecue, and got a nice dinner as a bonus.
It makes the extra effort seem appreciated when customers do this sort of thing, but it does happen rarely. What have you received as a "tip" and do you consider a "thank you" letter a form of tip as we do??
------------------ Ken Henry Henry & Henry Signs London, Ontario Canada (519) 439-1881 e-mail kjmlhenry@home.
Some days you get to be the dog....other days, you get to be the fire hydrant.
posted
Yes, they are rare, but sometimes this really shows ya which customers really appreciate what ya do.
Not so long ago, I finished a bike that really taxed me and the owner. The bike was destined to go wrong from the beginning, but somehow, with lots of communication and cooperation, it came out great. I put in more time than anticipated, the customer had to wait about 2 or 3 weeks longer than expected, but when it was finished, the bike looked great...
Well, about a week after I finished my part, the owner called me, "to just tell ya how I appreciate all ya help, from start to finish.."
Man, that was better than cash. To know that all the time I spent really did go noticed, and did mean somethin'...
There are good customers out there, sometimes ya just gotta earn em'...
This happend to me last week, and was a first for me in 20 years of biz.
I lettered a semi truck for a "family" owned trucking co. ( they have 1 truck )
I went to their house out in the country to look it over, convinced them to do an artsy phartsy lettering for their name. It looked pretty good when we finished it.
Well, they gave me a $40.00 "tip" over the cost of the job, which I tried to refuse.
This week, they informed me that they neglected to have the USDOT number put on their truck, an oversight on their part.
So I made up the numbers, ( used the wrong color blue vinyl that matched the other numbers, arghhhhhhhhh!) I had to fix that mistake.
When they tried to pay me the additional expense for the numbers I refused. Convinced them to spend the money on their kid.
I wish all customers were this way. The kind that let you be creative, are very courteous while the project is underway, very thankful for the custom layout that makes them look so good compared to the other 'quicky sticky' graphics on truck doors these days.
great topic ( one that's encouraging)
------------------ Go Get 'Em..... :) AKA Raptorman on #Letterheads mIRC Chat Draper The Signmaker Bloomington Illinois USA
Proud 2-yr. $upporter of this Web Site (May 1999-May 2001)
Posts: 2883 | From: Bloomington Illinois USA | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
Ken, Occasionally, we have rec. monetary tips as well as verbal praise and have also on occasion rec. non-payment and verbal abuse! I guess my most memorable tip came from a paint contractor, he was refurbing a bank building inside and out and the owners wanted a large mural on a lobby wall. They had searched all the pre-printed wallpaper scenes and couldn't find anything like they wanted so the contractor asked if I would bid on it. This was in my early years of business and pricing wasn't one of my best business practices, I bid $800 and knew I could make a fair dollar for the time involved and back in the early seventies $800 bucks was a handful of money. When the job was finished everyone including me was satisfied, the contractor paid me $1600 and said I should have charged $2500 as that was what the pre-printed paper scenes would have cost for a wall 12'x 20'. Needless to say this contractor is still one of my best clients and business mentors, its people like him that help us small business owners learn the ropes. Every time I pass by that bank at night I can see the mural through the window and it makes me think that there are a few appreciative people out there.
------------------ Larry
Elliott Design McLemoresville, Tn.
If you can't find the time to do it right, where gonna find the time to do it over?
Posts: 486 | From: McLemoresville, TN. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
TIP = "To Insure Promptness" I have several customers that always throw in a little extra one way or another. An extra $20, theater tickets, dinner passes, whatever. It sure makes your day when you know people appreciate your work.... not to mention that it always seems to be easier for the folks with the gratuities to get something done "special".
------------------ Jerry Mathel Jerry Mathel Signs Grants Pass, Oregon signs@grantspass.com
Posts: 916 | From: Grants Pass, OR USA | Registered: Dec 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
In the beginning I was always told I didn't charge enough!! so many would just add on an extra $20 or more.(!!!!!) Now I am told how nice it is to work with someone that listens to what they want. Just last week the president of a real estate company was sent an e-mail thanking him for sending me their way. She proceeded to tell him that I knew how to listen to what she wanted.(eventhough I didn't agree on everything she wanted!) I used to have all the nice letters people sent to me on my wall in my shop. It is always a nice feeling to receive a letter sent with the check. I wish it happened more often! There is one customer of mine that always calls a couple of days after I have done a job for him and thanks me for the great job. I just love him.
------------------ "surf" or "MoJo54" on mirc Cheryl J Nordby Signs by Cheryl (206) 300-0153 Seattle WA.....!
Make your own glitter. Then follow your own shine. Linda Knight
posted
I always remember Frank Zappa when people talk about tips: "watch out where the huskeys go, and don't you eat that yellow snow"! now theres a tip for ya.
------------------ -------------------------------------------------- "A wise man once said that, or was it a wise guy?"
posted
I've received numerous tips over the years. Most come from doing work on "toys" race cars, show cars, boats, bikes and the like. Occasional a trucker will give me a tip. The tips are usually in the $20-$50 range , although I have seen $100 more than once and a $200 one time. My buddy Cosgrove always says "when you start getting a lot of tips, it's time to raise your prices" Ken, to answer your question about considering the letter a tip. MOST DEFINATELY! I have only gotten one two of these in my career , but they sure meant a lot. Too bad it happens so seldom.
------------------ George Perkins Millington,TN. goatwell@ionictech.com
"I started out with nothing and still have most of it left"
posted
I actually got a call yesterday from a politician! She's running for judge and just called to thank me for the nice job on her signs, (32x48, DF coro, 80 pcs).
She had lots of compliments on them and wanted to pass it on.
A rare occurance but well appreciated!
------------------ Bill Modzel Mod-Zel screen Printing Traverse city, MI modz@traverse.com
Posts: 1357 | From: Traverse City, MI | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
posted
yeah, i've gotten tips and bonuses....often enough that it gives me the will to keep going when i'm dealing with one of the jobs from hell....like now!
my favorite client has given me an extra $3,000 over the cost of work in his hotel. this is going as a deposit toward painting his house. but, it's been 2 years now. he and his wife never get around to picking out furniture.
i sure needed the money both times when he gave me $1500 out of the blue. when he finally gets around to having his house done, he'll get a great job, cause i'll have all this extra experience under my belt.
i'm much more skilled than when he first hired me. nothing like 3 years of experience and a couple years of learning from folks like y'all.
------------------ free to paint, day and night :) Gailforce Airbrush & Design Squamish, BC, Canada www.gailforce.homestead.com
posted
I've gotten a few tips and I havent even been in business that long.. =)
One project was a little race trailer for a family team that races drag bikes. The trailer was an enclosed one, probably about 12 feet or 16 feet long.. nothing too big... the wife just LOVED the way it turned out. Not only did these people feed me dinner (man, that was the best pizza I ever had too!) the wife felt compelled to give a tip.. $50.. I tried to refuse (of course) but gave in.. of course.
If fact, just today I got another tip for this semi trailer job. They havent paid the balance yet (the guy with the checks is due in tomorrow) but they liked it so much they gave me three 4-Day passes to the World Finals jetski races here in town next week.. If I remember right, I spent $60 for myself last year to spend all 4 days at the races.. pretty nice tip!!
They also fed me.
A free meal means a lot to me.. =)
------------------ Mike Pipes Digital Illusion Custom Graphics Lake Havasu City, AZ http://www.stickerpimp.com
Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
Lately, the best tip was my customers letting me have their vehicles for an extended amount of time. Their patience is invaluable when I am busy! I need the money, or would love gifts, but I cherish that time also to do a great job without being rushed.
I tipped my carpenter the other day and also try to let my suppliers know how much I appreciate them. It really pays off! After all, they have busted their chops to make me look good!
------------------ Deborah Fowler Creative Signs, Ohio "Give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day: Teach a man to fish, he'll eat for a lifetime."
Posts: 5373 | From: Loves Park, Illinois | Registered: Aug 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
I got a hundred dollar tip once, for a 40 dollar job, the guy waited for it while I did it. He said I saved him a 200 dollar fine LOL so he split it with me. My brother always says, let me give you a tip----buy (Dow Stock (he worked for dow at the time) Bill
------------------ Bill & Barbara Biggs Art's Sign Service, Inc. Clute, Texas, USA Home of The Great Texas Mosquito Festival Proud second year Supporter of the Letterheads Website MailTo:twobeesusa@netscape.net
Posts: 1020 | From: Lake Jackson,Tx | Registered: Nov 1998
| IP: Logged |
Printer-friendly view of this topic