posted
Well ... ok. . . contempt MIGHT be a strong word - but who's not familiar with this scenario . . .
and just when I think my years of training customers has paid off and this ridiculous scenario has been thwarted, here comes another wave of these sorts . . .
Let's not go back as far as a childhood dream someone has to own their own business, or even how many times they've thought of it, and almost started the process over the last nine years..
Let's just look at one example of this familiar pattern over the course of one year . . .
Sally finally determines to open the bakery she's always dreamed of. Baking out of her kitchen for the last few years has overwhelmed her entire family. But she's found a perfect location. She spends lots of time explaining her business to the banker. She has It all planned out perfectly. It takes a lot of phone calls & paperwork over the course of a few weeks with the bank & the realtor to finally secure the building. She then spends a couple of weeks cleaning, and preparing the building, and meeting with contractors. All kinds of crew's are called in: Painters, carpenters, tile guys, people who sell bakery equipment. Sally makes sure to be in contact with all these people and more. Delays are rampant because a counter doesn't fit, a wall has to be torn out to accomodate a special piece of kitchen equipment. Building inspectors are showing up eventually to sign off on things ... She moves her grand opening date 3 times in this 4 month process.
Sally spends every waking moment taking care of and dealing with every tiny detail. And finally, on a Friday afternoon, she settles on a grand opening day, only 6 days away, on Wednesday morning!
All she has left to do now, is call that sign person . . .
posted
And can you send me several examples so i can show my Husband, and then we can decide, and can you do something like this from my nephew, he's brilliant at drawing!
-------------------- T.J.BARKER ARTLINE SIGNS PLOT 2 PRIORS LEAZE LANE HAMBROOK WEST SUSSEX UK 01243 572769 BARKERARTLINE@AOL.COM Posts: 80 | From: CHICHESTER WEST SUSSEX U.K. | Registered: Oct 2003
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posted
Sheila, that's part of "the life of a sign person". I'd venture to guess that most all of us have had that happen, probably more than once.
We used to do a lot of race cars. The person buys the best chassis components, spends thousands on engine, driveline and tires; has a slick paint job done.....and then calls the day before the first race, and wants the car done immediately, and tries to talk you down on the price, because they spent all their money on the "important" stuff.
Truck dealers are the same way.....spend lots of time and money on paint and chrome dress-up; then want the pinstriping and lettering done "yesterday" for cheap....
SHEEEESH!
-------------------- Dale Feicke Grafix 714 East St. Mendenhall, MS 39114
"I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me." Posts: 2963 | From: Mendenhall, MS | Registered: Apr 1999
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I never had any corporation fly anyone in to discuss any projects. I guess I wasn't important enough?
Actually, I found that dealing with larger accounts was much easier than dealing with small businesses. I always figured it was because the guy/gal who approved projects wasn't actually approving anything that came out of their own wallet/purse?
-------------------- 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
And, 'I blew my budget on a lot of unforseen stuff, and also over-spent on extras I couldn't live without, so I don't have much to spend on a sign' (wahh-uh)
Translation to sign painters brain:
'I really spent a TON'A BUX makin' the exterior building and inside of my business look absolutely fantastic, but I'm late getting a sign, AND willing to put up a mediocre sign which has already and will negatively affect my sales & customer interest . . . '
(All of which, btw indirectly can make the sign person look bad to potential clients)
lol TJ! Nephew art. . . . and daughter, son, couzin, spouse, sibling . . . there is no artistic member of any family who is not placed upon the pedestal of greats right along side Davinci & Angelo . . .
Ha! An' now, I'm aboot to hijack me own t'read ...
Never had anyone fly in a talker, but dealing with big corporations? I can't decide which can give you more grief when it comes to time-consuming-time-wasting stuff:
The small business: assinine requests ...
Discussing colour samples, for one example ... 'Could you just come by my house and look at this certain colour in the tiny dots on my bathroom wallpaper? I want my sign THAT exact colour.'
(Yes. That was a 'drama-in-real-life' true request)
Maybe it's just working for women I despise. I can say that cause i R 1, but some of the most illogical, ridiculous ideas spew from the drawl of rich, southern debutants 'round these parts. And these days, everything they want is sumthin' they saw on PINTREST.
Ack!
Meanwhile, those big corporations? oh yeh, they DO take 90 days to pay. They like to wait until the company has accrued the intrest on their holdings to match your bill, THEN they will pay you.
At least small business's pay you like, immediately upon installation. One person running a small business single-handedly dealing with everything will go ahead and write you a check when you ARRIVE to install bc they gotta go somewhere & might not be there when ya get done.
Big Corps got about 20 secretaries in the Big office - all filing ... their nails ... and it takes 3 months for 5 or 6 of them to process, lick a stamp, and drop a check in a mailcart to be mailed, eventually.
Gee y'all. It occurs to me I've grown rather cynical of the very people who are supporting me and returning to me repeatedly for signs -
maybe I'm burned out?
I still love most of my repeat custoners. Me & them - they & I . . . whatever, WE know what to expect from each other. Communication can almost be summed up as mere grunts -
Maybe I'm just spoiled by repeat work. Every new client is a potential, well, usually uneducated student who I must school in all the principles of what makes a good sign and WHY it costs so much and blah blah blah . . . And I'm at the tender age where I just don't suffer fools as I used to, which was previously 'sweet & patient' . . . Now I just GO OFF on people in order to explain why their requests are ridiculous and how I AM keen to provide service, but you can take a colour sample to your OWN DANG HOUSE MATCH IT UP AND BRING IT TO ME.
omg. I'm turning into Si & Opie . . .
lol
(edited for mispelled words which commonly appear during most rants)
""Good judgment comes from experience; and a lot of that comes from bad judgment" - Will Rogers Posts: 3484 | From: Beautiful Newaygo, Michigan | Registered: Mar 2003
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LOVE it! Been there done that too, very well written even with the misspelled words.
Dale, You forgot one thing in your post, how about when you get to the job of lettering the race car they tell you they are going racing tonight will the paint be dry? Or the guy that wants you to letter while he is installing the engine and transmission so he can go racing tomorrow! (This actually happened to me more than once.)
-------------------- Rob Lenz Lenz Signs 402 Elm St. Osage, Iowa 50461 Posts: 134 | From: Osage, Iowa | Registered: May 2002
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posted
I'd buy your book, Sheila! That was a bit of enjoyable reading.
(take with a grain of salt...this is Letterville where everybody and their brother were going to buy my clipart when it got done. )
Posts: 4084 | From: ... | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
I found that keeping tabs on new businesses renovating a space helps. Getting the jump on new budgets always helps, before they blow their wad on something else dumb...like internet advertising or some eccentric purchase they will forever regret. Usually some sub contractor will spill the beans on who owns the business and how to get in touch with them. The early bird always gets the worm!
-------------------- Preston McCall 112 Rim Road Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501 text: 5056607370 Posts: 1552 | From: Santa Fe, New Mexico | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
LOL Preston..."The early bird always gets the worm!"
I heard that all of my early life...AND...Then I heard....
"The second mouse always gets the cheese"
-------------------- 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
posted
I am usually always willing to deal. Might say, "At this point, what is your sign budget?" If they say, "$1000 bucks", we can deal. If they say "$500 Bucks", we show them our wonderful selection of temporary Corex signs. I rather sell them a temporary sign, then hope for having them return for a nicer sign. Even if they buy a "Signs Online" job, at least they know where to go when they want a real sign. I still do dry calls, most of them don't pan out, maybe one out of 15. Especially when they say, "We just need a big banner." Then I, yes me, send them to the "Signs Online" store.
-------------------- Signs by Alicia Jennings (Mudflap Girl) Tacoma, WA Since 1987 Have Lipstick, will travel. Posts: 3812 | From: Tacoma, WA. U.S.A. | Registered: Dec 1999
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