posted
We recently had a new politician elected to our area. His "aide" e-mails us a photo of another politicians window lettering in another town and asks us to do "the same thing" on their new office window. OK. So I figure out what they want, send them a quote and wait to hear. He e-mails me several times, tells me he's on the road and is SOO busy but needs this done ASAP. He sets up an appointment to come in, but again, he is SOOO busy. Then I get this.... "Hey Jane, A couple of things. In the proof you sent us, I'm assuming you just put a random phone number on there. Ours is _________. Is it also possible to get our e-mail address on there too? Here's the other thing. I've been picking and poking at our budget...and I've only got about $75 to do this. Is there any way you can work with us?"
Now mind you that is about HALF of what I quoted him! So I responded: "Yes we can add the e-mail address and of course the correct phone #. And yes, as far as the cost, we can stay within your budget. We will just make the copy that much smaller and/or use white instead of gold metallic and/or not repeat the same info on the entry door. You can also get your own permit and save $5. Let us know what you want us to do. P.S. As per our earlier correspondence, you also need to provide your own vinyl state seal, right?"
So acouple days later, I get: "Hey Jane, I'm ok with putting the lettering in white (if we have to, and can see a proof)...but I really don't want smaller lettering. I know we have a budget and you're trying to run a business, but we're trying to do this with as little cost to taxpayers as possible (and we don't have much of a budget.) Let me know what you think."
REALLY, you REALLY WANT TO KNOW WHAT I THINK!?!?!?!
SO, by now we are all fuming and coming up with what we WANT to write back but here is what we said: "Sorry, that's the best we can do. Any additional spec work comes with additional charges and must be paid in advance. (We don't normally do sketches without a sketch fee.)"
AND in his wonderful style, he responds: "Hold on, you're telling me you want to change the design to stay within our budget but you won't let us see the updated design?"
SO Now I'm thinking...you little weasel! SO, ONCE AGAIN.... "We wouldn't change the design. It would be the same, just smaller and white in order to stay with in your budget. However, you have stated that you don't want to go smaller. We would need to shrink the size of the lettering in order to get the price down to $75.00. I'm sure in your position you are well aware of the struggles that small businesses deal with every day. We simply can't afford to do jobs at half price. That would barely cover OUR costs for doing this project. I'm assuming you are also well aware that time is money. We are simply unwilling to spend extra time needed to develop sketches and quote out hypothetical options, when it sounds as if we won't get the job due to our unwillingness to give you a discount. We feel the price we originally gave you is more than fair for what you are asking us to do."
Now we wait....What a great representative for our area!!!! Looking forward to how he will "help small businesses out" if this is his attitude!!
[ January 31, 2011, 03:40 PM: Message edited by: Jane Diaz ]
-------------------- 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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-------------------- 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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posted
Photoshop the oppositions election banner "vote so-and-so" onto the front of a photo of your business... and ask him if that proof looks better... hehe.
-------------------- Todd Gill Outside The Lines Potterville, MI Posts: 7792 | From: Potterville, MI | Registered: Dec 2001
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posted
Todd's suggestion is so simply brilliant...
the other angle is to start with an "If you really want your image look cheap and can't afford..." and see if he backpedals.
Are you sure he's not from Nigeria?
-------------------- "Stewey" on chat
"...there are no limits when you aim for perfection..." Jonathan Livingston Seagull Posts: 7014 | From: Highgrove via Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia | Registered: Dec 2002
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posted
sounds to me like too much time has already been spent on this idiot. I wouldnt even respond to nay more emails or calls enough is enough
-------------------- You ever notice how easily accessible people are when they are requiring your services but once they get invoice you can't reach them anymore
posted
Todd wins the come back of the month. I am sure that is going to be a strong contender for the yearly prize.
-------------------- 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: 6451 | From: Saint Cloud, Minnesota | Registered: Jun 1999
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posted
I'm with Todd and Bruce here, you've wasted way to much time and effort for this igit. Anymore, I just don't have the patience for that type of run around for that little money. Drop them like a bad habit!
-------------------- Brian Diver PDQ Signs Everett, Wa
posted
Of course I share Jane's frustration with this guy....but as a hypothetical...what if all of the U.S. Congress was comprised of just such penny pinchers.
posted
There is a difference between penny pinchers and this guy. In most cases we can work with penny pinchers. If he were just a penny pincher, he would be okay with the smaller sign and more cost effective options we presented after he told us what his budget was. A penny pincher doesn't try to buy a Lexus for the cost of a Kia.
Even though we became suspicious after his response about the "budget", the only reason she continued to respond, is because we gave him the benefit of the doubt. As much as we would love to slam the phone down or give people attitude the moment we have a bad feeling about them, it is difficult to do that in a small town and not deal with the consequences.
Making money is important but so is having integrity and showing the general public that even us crazy sign guys can be professionals.
Besides we have had PITA penny pinchers become great customers after they realize how this is supposed to work.
-------------------- Joe Diaz Diaz Sign Art 628 W. Lincoln Ave. Pontiac, IL 61764 www.diazsignart.com Posts: 538 | From: Pontiac, IL | Registered: Aug 2005
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posted
Joseph...dealing with this kind of a customer is trying...I was just making a hypothetical for the sake of a little levity and not meaning to make light of the frustration you guys feel.
posted
No worries Rusty. I know you weren't. I was just trying to make the point that this isn't the type of penny pinching you want form your elected officials. This isn't the type of penny pinching you want from anyone.
-------------------- Joe Diaz Diaz Sign Art 628 W. Lincoln Ave. Pontiac, IL 61764 www.diazsignart.com Posts: 538 | From: Pontiac, IL | Registered: Aug 2005
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posted
dammit Joe.. YOU are the kind of man that is going to put that kind of politician out of business some day! (and so is your whole family... but I could imagine that you might actually do it... forget penny pinchers.. imagine for a minute the entire US Congress made up of balanced, ethical, articulate & rational folks like the Diaz clan)
quote:Originally posted by Doug Allan: Imagine for a minute the entire US Congress made up of balanced, ethical, articulate & rational folks like the Diaz clan)
We can make it so..... remember to VOTE !
-------------------- Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass... It's about learning to dance in the rain ! Jim Moser Design 13342 C Grass Valley Ave. Grass Valley, Ca. 95945 530-273-7615 jwmoser@att.net Posts: 488 | From: Grass Valley, Ca. | Registered: May 2006
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posted
I would say, sorry at this point in time I cannot be of service to you. That's to much time back and forth for $75 bux. you guys have bigger fish to fry, no time for minnows...
-------------------- aka:Cisco the "Traveling Millennium Sign Artist" http://www.franciscovargas.com Fresno, CA 93703 559 252-0935 "to live life, is to love life, a sign of no life, is a sign of no love"...Cisco 12'98 Posts: 3576 | From: Fresno, Ca, the great USA | Registered: Dec 1998
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posted
Nothing says rejection quite like a form letter, we use:
"We're sorry we cannot help you. Thank you for contacting A & E Graphics. Have a nice day."
For extra emphasis, misspell their name.
Yeah, I know it's weak, I'd really like to tell them to pound sand up their butt or take a flying ----, but it's also nothing they can wave at potential real customers to discourage them from contacting you.
-------------------- Eric Elmgren ericsignguy@comcast.net A & E Graphic Signs Park Ridge, IL "The future isn't what it used to be" -Yogi Berra Posts: 192 | From: PARK RIDGE, ILLINOIS | Registered: Aug 2009
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posted
I hate it when that happens. You never can tell when someone is going to be such a PITA. I started sending price quotes first that they must sign off on before I will send a proof. I think it's helping to weed out the difficult people. I once had to do 3 proofs for a doctor's office glass door for "Office Hours". Then they didn't place the order. That was the straw that broke the camel's back. My policy now is that once the estimate is accepted I will provide a proof. The proof can be revised twice (minor revisions) at no charge. After that, revisions are an additional cost. This is for simple jobs for new (untested) customers.
-------------------- Jean Shimp Shimp Sign & Design Co. Jacksonville Beach, Fl Posts: 1266 | From: Jacksonville Beach, Fl. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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-------------------- Mark Kottwitz Kottwitz Graphics Ridgely, MD www.SeeMySignWork.com -------------------------- Imagination is more important than knowledge. -- Albert Einstein Posts: 746 | From: Ridgely, MD | Registered: Oct 2000
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posted
Today I got this e-mail.... "How much smaller? This is a large window, and shrinking the design to the size of a quarter would just look silly. I'm trying to work with you, and I want to work with a local business, but I work for a state that's broke, and I don't have the authority to spend willy-nilly. I hope we can come to a resolution, and I apologize that the tone of our conversation has turned negative. pjp" Doesn't he sound apologetic and sorry for thinking we could just do the work for 1/2 price?!? I think I might just shrink the whole thing to the "size of a quarter" and send a sketch back to him. ...or just not respond at all is what the guys want to do.
-------------------- 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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posted
The thing is, if you had started with a price of $300 and cut it in half he would probably now be contented, and have found it in his budget, to be paying half price at $150. The retail stores have cultivated the mentality that everything should be half the marked price. I would resend what you already told without further comment: "Sorry, that's the best we can do."
-------------------- Joy Kjer Art On Display Signs 4001 Randolph St Lincoln, NE
"My life has a superb cast, but I can't figure out the plot." Posts: 445 | From: 4001 Randolph St. Lincoln, NE | Registered: Jun 2002
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posted
Maybe since they have no money, you could just ask him to trade for something like a new road in front of your shop. They could throw that in with another bill, spend the money, and no one would really know. just saying
-------------------- Tom & Kathy Durham House Springs, MO Posts: 654 | From: House Springs, MO | Registered: Apr 1999
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posted
A real politician would hire a whole construction crew to replace the door with a smaller set which would make the smaller lettering look larger and then tell everyone how much money he saved because he got the lettering for less than originally quoted.
posted
This seems like a lose-lose situation. You've probably lost any profit on this job from all the time you've spent with him so far. And if you were to come to a compromise chances are after you do the job he will nit pick it apart. I would respectfully tell him you can't do the job and move on.
-------------------- Jean Shimp Shimp Sign & Design Co. Jacksonville Beach, Fl Posts: 1266 | From: Jacksonville Beach, Fl. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
Been there, done that. Whatever happens from this point forward, you lose. He has steered you into a position that, no matter what you do, you will appear as a crook, unpatriotic, or just about anything else that is negative.
Follow your best instincts.
[ February 03, 2011, 12:51 PM: Message edited by: Raymond Chapman ]
-------------------- Chapman Sign Studio Temple, Texas chapmanstudio@sbcglobal.net Posts: 6306 | From: Temple, Texas, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
He doesn't care about patriotism. He only wants YOU to doubt your integrity and patriotism. A real patriot would be considerate of the financial well being of his fellow Americans instead of trying to manipulate them.
edited for clarification
[ February 03, 2011, 02:20 PM: Message edited by: Wayne Webb ]
-------------------- Wayne Webb Webb Signworks Chipley, FL 850.638.9329 wayne@webbsignworks.com Posts: 7403 | From: Chipley,Florida,United States | Registered: Oct 1999
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quote:Originally posted by Wayne Webb: He doesn't care about patriotism. He only wants YOU to doubt your integrity and patriotism. A real patriot would be considerate of the financial well being of his fellow Americans instead of trying to manipulate them.
edited for clarification
Politicians anymore pray on emotion instead of the well being of the populace. Grrrrr, I'm going to stop now before I start ranting too bad.
[ February 04, 2011, 09:11 AM: Message edited by: Dan Beach ]
-------------------- Dan Beach Cylinder 9 Designs 1650 Glassboro Rd Sewell, NJ 08080 Posts: 625 | From: South Jersey | Registered: Sep 2008
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""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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If you've ever watched your public t.v. channel, that shows your elected officials in action, you'd soon find out that many of them are like children. I think that goes for their aides as well. I lump them in with realtors, and avoid them like the plague - icky!
-------------------- Kathy Weeks Weeks-End Signs & Graphics Lake Elmo, Minnesota Posts: 249 | From: Lake Elmo, Minnesota | Registered: Mar 2009
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posted
"For half the price, please show me which half of the words would you like omitted."
-------------------- "Stewey" on chat
"...there are no limits when you aim for perfection..." Jonathan Livingston Seagull Posts: 7014 | From: Highgrove via Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia | Registered: Dec 2002
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I have gotten approval for the original design and cost. How do we proceed?
-------------------- 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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