posted
I went to a local contractorrs office yesterday to sit in and look at plans on new building. EVERYTIME this guy orders signs he NEEDS IT NOW! I have learned to adjust to this and just ignore his hyper requests over time.
While sitting there he gets a call from a company we have already done work on. He says "perfect, my sign guy is here" and puts it on speakerphone. The company needs 1/2" brushed alunminum letters in the office behind desk, the president is coming in middle of march and they need to be up. (now keep in mind I priced this sign out when we did large sign outside last year)
I say, "Im sorry that cant be done in that time....." contactor grabs phone and takes it off speaker and says the letters will be up. He hangs up and I said "Are you on crack?...there is no way in hell in 2 weeks time that sign will be done" But I did tell him I now understood why he needed everything rushed he doesnt think he just appeases.
I do not operate this way. I dont mind telling people they cannot have something today. I will never change this guy so I won't try but to see someone in action just completely change their demeanor and become a YES MAN sickens me. It is stressful and at the end of the day means nothing.
I got home later and sent the company an email on the quote they made it will be 1 week before I ever sign off on confirmation....ahhh another late job and many MANY excited emails from a contractor, how some things never change.
[ February 24, 2011, 07:00 AM: Message edited by: bruce ward ]
-------------------- 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
The one that always bugs me is when we have a truck driver call and need his DOT #s tomorrow because he had just got pulled over. It's no big deal to make the numbers, so we stop what we were doing and make the numbers and call the customer back to let them know their #s are ready. Then the numbers sit for a MONTH until the customer can fit coming to our shop to pick them up into their schedule.
posted
We have several of those "I NEED IT NOW!" customers and you're right they ALWAYS wnant to be on the top of the list. I have a trick that I use that works pretty well..."We can accommodate your rush request but there are quite a few people ahead of you. When we have to work overtime to complete your special order we have to add a 20% as a rush charge. OR we can do it this Saturday but on Saturdays we charge time & a half. Which would you prefer?" That does something right away. Are they really that serious that they need it THAT bad to pay an additional 20% or 50%? Usually not.
-------------------- 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
Everything is rushed and im sick of it. It stresses me to see emails saying HOW URGENT, NEED IT BAD, IT'S GOT TO BE DONE......this is all uncalled for. I always imagined poor planning on peoples part but now since this I can see it just another form of a$$Kissing. The YES word can get you in trouble
-------------------- You ever notice how easily accessible people are when they are requiring your services but once they get invoice you can't reach them anymore
posted
Then you say, "OK, I need the money NOW baby !!! [All of it, up front.] And once the check is cashed, do your thing. If it takes a week or a month to do, so be it.
posted
This is posted in several places in my shop.
-------------------- Len Mort Signmaker1.com 11 Juniper Drive Millbury, MA 508-865-2382 "A Good Business Sign, is A Sign of Good Business"(1957) Posts: 811 | From: Millbury, Ma | Registered: Dec 2006
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posted
I can tell none of you has ever worked for a NASCAR race track! Last minute jobs pop up all the time! A sponsorship may get signed the weekend of a race. They need signs! The last minute jobs range from a normal sign, lettering a vehicle or an overnight 5,000 sq. ft. grass painting (at Talladega)! I have always taken on last minute work and delivered! That is why I have been able to work at tracks all over the country. I don't look for work at these tracks, they call me. When last minute work appears, BIG money appears along with it! That's the way it works! The formula is "stressful work" = $$$
Do I enjoy the bulls**t & stress? NO! Do I enjoy the $$$? YES!
-------------------- Tony Vickio The World Famous Vickio Signs 3364 Rt.329 Watkins Glen, NY 14891 t30v@vickiosigns.com 607-535-6241 http://www.vickiosigns.com Posts: 1063 | From: Watkins Glen, New York | Registered: Sep 2001
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Yeah, finding the vendors that will hustle for you when you need to hustle for a client will bring bigger contract values.
Really, with the economy the way it is, fast dependable service is the only thing distinguishing competitors from each other, and generally the customers who "just need it DONE" are plenty willing to pay for the convenience.
If you have to squeeze YOUR vendors a little in order to make that happen, so be it. At the end of the day, everybody is better off for it.
At my job, we've been finding every possible place to squeeze out efficiency, and I spend a lot of time with our vendors to coordinate not only our internal processes but streamlining THEIR process as well. The end result is we know how to spec out a project/product design so it's tailored to their manufacturing processes, machine tolerances, etc so there is minimal time wasted with phone calls and emails. It makes us efficient, it makes them efficient, we can keep sending them work, they can expand capacity, thus we can increase the work we send which allows us to take on more volume, larger jobs, with more clients with the money to spend.
It's fast paced, it's a hustle and yes it's a pain in the butt.
It's also all there for the taking.
-------------------- "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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I've sorta given up replying on these kind of posts. Honestly why are we in business? A customer comes to you to give you work and then you complain about it and have an Attitude towards them... and then complain that there's no work coming in, Huh? Honestly, I have "NEVER" looked for work, over the years we have become busy just doing decent quality work, most times on schedule, sometimes I'm late, but I try to figure out what the Real deadline is, and then take it from there. Yes I realize that most who complain on here are just venting, and do the work with a smile anyway... and there's lots of times that I feel like that also.lol But if you want to stay busy.. be Friendly and Smile a lot.. it helps. And that Saying that Len Posted, always bugged me, I see it in some business's and it's offensive to me, here I am giving them my work and they are complaining????? I sometimes run out of paint or materials, and I can Phone my vendor and they come through.. now how great is that?
-------------------- "Keep Positive"
SIGNS1st. Neil Butler Paradise, NF Posts: 6277 | From: St. John's NF Canada | Registered: Mar 1999
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I do a lot of work for local mills. most of them don't care what it cost. They care if they can get WHAT they want, WHEN they want. Several years ago I received a phone call at about 4:45 on friday afternoon that went something like this...
Customer: This is (purchasing agent) and we need you to add (contractors name) to the sign at gate "C".
Me: Do you need anything else? The one sign is only $25, but I have to charge you $65 for coming there to install it.
C: I don't think you will have time for anything else, because this has to be installed by 9:00 tomorrow morning. Can you do that?
[At this point me, and myself said, "Bull****. It's quittin time. we have plans tonight, and tomorrow. Tell him we'll be there Monday.]
I: I would have to charge extra for that kind of rush, but let me check my schedule.
C: Mr.(plant manager) said to tell you to adjust your schedule, and bill us when you are done. If you can do that, I have a PO ready for you.
I: I'll be there in the morning.
I spent all of about 5 minutes lettering the sign before the wife and I went out to eat. Saturday morning I loaded the sign, drove for about 25 minutes to the mill, buzzed two screws in with the cordless, and drove about 25 minutes back before 7:00, and filled in an invoice for $135.00(sign $25, trip charge $65, 50% rush $45).
Later the next week I received another phone call...
Caller: This is (plant manager) and I want to thank you for taking care of me last Friday.
Me: No problem. I just hate that I had to charge so much for one sign, but I have to cover costs.
C: (contractor) has been here for about 6 months, but I was waiting til we needed about 10 signs to order. I was notified on Friday afternoon that a group from corporate ,including the CEO would tour the mill at 9:00 Saturday, and (contractor) is the CEO's son in law.
Me: Glad I could help. Call me when you need anything else.
C: We do need 4 more contractor name plates when you get the time. (purchasing agent) will be contacting you with the information, and I want you to charge the same amount for each of them.
Me: There would only be one trip charge.
C: OK, but while you are here add a charge for removing (sign company), (sign company), and(sign company), because you will be our ONLY sign vendor now.
Sometimes it pays to bend a little to take care of a customer.
BTW...I removed those three signs for free.
[edited to fix typos]
[ February 26, 2011, 09:49 AM: Message edited by: Don Hulsey ]
-------------------- Don Hulsey Strokes by DON signs Utica, KY 270-275-9552 sbdsigns@aol.com
I've always been crazy... but it's kept me from going insane. Posts: 2275 | From: Utica, KY U.S.A. | Registered: Jan 1999
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I had a guy call me on a Saturday morning about lettering his new boat. I told him I'd go by the following week and take a look at it and call him back with a price. He explained that his friends were coming that afternoon and he really wanted the name to be on the boat. I laughed and said that was impossible - I'd already made other plans. He then asked what a ballpark price for the lettering would be. I replied somewhere between $125-175. He said he had 5 crisp hundred dollar bills for me if I could do it that day.
I said, "I'm on my way"......
-------------------- www.signcreations.net Sonny Franks Lilburn, GA 770-923-9933 Posts: 4115 | From: Lilburn, GA USA | Registered: Feb 1999
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-------------------- 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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-------------------- 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
Ok next time he need fabricated metal letters stud mounted Ill just call Gemini and ask if they will shove that to the front of the line.....We will see how that works, I can tell you it wont.
Neil you must live down the street from your vendors. When you RUSH a job that is the most ooportune time for everything to go wrong. I have always said I can get vinyl in one day at my front door UNLESS I need it to come in one day it will take 3. I have rushed jobs, we all have, and some work, some dont! Most of the time I see they dont.
Early years it was awesome to work 24/7, I couldnt get enough of it. Now, not so much. If you needed it tommorow you should have order 2 weeks ago is what I say. It doesnt show disrespect IMO it shows this is NOT my fault and Im not gonna be blamed for this.
that contractor, has already sent numerous emails and calls talking about he's getting his a$$ chewed out cause the sign is not up. It's our mouth and we have control over it
-------------------- 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
It happened at the Denver Airport. This is hilarious. I wish I had the guts and smarts of this girl.
An award should go to the United Airlines gate agent in Denver for being smart and funny, while making her point, when confronted with a passenger who probably deserved to fly as cargo. For all of you out there who have had to deal with an irate customer, this one is for you!
A crowded United Airlines flight was canceled. A single agent was re-booking a long line of inconvenienced travelers.
Suddenly, an angry passenger pushed his way to the desk. He slapped his ticket on the counter and said, "I HAVE to be on this flight and it has to be FIRST CLASS."
The agent replied, "I'm sorry, sir. I'll be happy to try to help you, but I've got to help these folks first; and then I'm sure we'll be able to work something out."
The passenger was unimpressed. He asked loudly, so that the passengers behind him could hear, "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHO I AM?"
Without hesitating, the agent smiled and grabbed her public address microphone. "May I have your attention, please?", she began, her voice heard clearly throughout the terminal.
"We have a passenger here at Gate 14 WHO DOES NOT KNOW WHO HE IS. If anyone can help him find his identity, please come to Gate 14".
[ March 01, 2011, 09:50 AM: 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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Yes Bruce, that is correct, my vendors are real close, and I realize that is a huge advantage, I also know where they live. lol There has been times where they came in on a Saturday to deliver for me... so I guess they might get a bit peeved as well, but they do know the situation, there's always rush jobs, you just have to be able to handle it...I'm fortunate I can, for the most part.
-------------------- "Keep Positive"
SIGNS1st. Neil Butler Paradise, NF Posts: 6277 | From: St. John's NF Canada | Registered: Mar 1999
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I do believe more than ever people need to slow the hell down and chill out. I am now doing a good bit of signs for a larger company in birmingham. They ordered 2 4x8 maxmeatl with vinyl lettering 3 weeks ago NEEDED IT NOW! that contractor was bitchin and whinin. materials came in and I did it....those panels are still at my shop because they have not picked them up yet contractor is in montgomery.
I dont know if it's because we can get things NOW that our mindset is hurry hurry hurry. and have you all noticed the ONE thing that is said after you meet a client is "How quick can we get that"
-------------------- 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
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