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Am i mad?
Or is it the friendliness of the UK Sign Community wearing off on me???
A few doors down from where i am based is a screen printer. Up until a few weeks back, all he did was screen print…….now he’s branching out into signs only he can hardly use a PC or a Plotter and neither can the idiot he has employed this last week or so. So in he pops, any chance I can have a look at his plotter as it doesnt seem to be working and neither is the software he has.
So off i plod(muggins), has a look at his plotter, etc and theres nothing wrong with it! Cut some test cuts in front of them and off i went.
Anyway the following day, its broke again, they must think i’m a fool so as a favour i pop back down and do the same, and later that afternoon and this morning and later this afternoon.
Finally, the guy who owns the business picks up his balls and says to me……any chance you can show my new employee the basics,etc so i did…..for free(costing me a couple of hours of time in total)!
Sorry more waffle, I guess what i am trying to ask is ‘did i do the right thing because he’s obviously going to be a competitor now he’s got the plotter,etc more or less sorted’ or am i asking for trouble??
I appreciate that the quality of the work aint going to be too clever as between them they can hardly use the plotter never mind the software but some customers dont really care as the long as the price is right.
Lets just hope my next screenprinting order is near enough f.o.c!
I dunno………
Confused, 24, Wales! 🙄
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17 Replies
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:yes1:
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You’re definately mad. 😮
That was nice of you though. Maybe they will remember that when quoting jobs lower than yours. 😀 then asking you to fix them when they mess up.
-Marek -
i would tell him your busy….up to your neck in it and there is nothing you can do!! 😛 and if he is that bad i would not worry about him..as long as your producing quality work & get a name for yourself…you can sleep at night!! 😉 now if it was ed replying he would tell the bloke straight to **** off but that’s his way of dealing with people like that not mine!! 😀 anyway i’m sure most folk will have a lot say about this!! 😀
Nik
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As a hatter!
But then again most on here are 😉
Peter -
I am a firm believer in what goes around comes around.
There is nothing wrong with helping someone.
Maybe someday you will need T-Shirts for your biz or something & he will cut you a deal.
(providing YOU design them of course!)
I have helped my share of competitors, call me a fool.
I’m certainly not gonna bend over backwards tho.
There is a newbie up the street from me,
I whined about her last week in fact.
If it wasn’t unethical to do so, I would post a link to her website
to show you all her atrocious “designs” ahem.
But as mad as I was at first, I have come to the conclusion that she can have all my PITA clients with my blessing.
(She’s a silkscreener and allegedly does signs)
I had to email a file to her for my client who needed caps embroidered.
She was dumb as dirt.
I think you did just fine.
But if they do undercut you or steal your biz,
remember that brake fluid is hell on a paint job…. (:)
oops did I say that?
Love….Jill -
Cokka, I would have probably helped him the first time, but after that I would have politely suggested he get the people out that sold it to him.
The unfortunate part, is because he has such poor computer skills, he is probably going to be a competitor on price rather than quality.
I’d certainly be reminding him of your generosity when it came to getting a screen printing price.
Of course, he may just be using the plotter to help make is screens.
Cheers
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Sorry cokka but Yep your mad alright, If the guy operates in the same town never mind the same street i would of laughed at them if asked for my help..i am normally a helpfull bloke but it if threatens my livleyhood in any way then im sorry but i would just have to say no :nag4:
Dave
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Thanks guys!
I suppose one good thing to come out of this will be the pain in the arse customers that i can gladly direct down the road. 😛
Heres a good un for you……yesterday, two guys came in for set of magnetics for their van, i gave them a price and off they went. Anyway, during my time with the Screenprinter, in they walk, they seen me and must have thought, whats he doing here or am i in the same unit as earlier?
He must have gave them a price and off they went again. Then this morning i see the same guys in their van coming away from his unit with the magnetics on their van. And it was then i thought………..AND SO IT STARTS.
Funny thing was, the screenprinter gave them the price and as far as he knew his plotter MAY have been broken. Wouldnt it have been funny if it was broken and he came to me to get the vinyl cut…….and i tell you for nothing that the price would have been the same as i first quoted to the two guys regardless of supplyng the magnetic just for the CHEEK!!!!
Monty Python should do ‘A Day in a Life of a Signmaker’ or maybe forget Monty Python and get in Panorama!
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I wouldn’t help a competitor like that, regardless of how useless they were. If he comes round asking for help again, punch him in the face. 🙂
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quote big G:If he comes round asking for help again, punch him in the face. 🙂
BIG G i like your style :thumbup2:
Dave
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The day WILL come when that bloke is taking work away from you. Tell him he needs to spray all surfaces with clutch fluid before applying vinyl to vans!
DO NOT SPRAY CLUTCH FLUID ONTO VANS. IT’S A JOKE YA DUMMY!
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The unfortunate part, is because he has such poor computer skills, he is probably going to be a competitor on price rather than quality.
AGREE !
I help anyone…..as long as they are at least 20 miles from me 🙂
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Your a raving looney mate! :lol1: But you’re in good company! 😀
I tend to have the odd visitor or two from the boards who pop in to say Hi. Most are established signmakers who want to risk my aweful coffee, but some are newbies who want to see how its not done :lol1:
Seriously though, nothing wrong with helping ppl out, but if the guy has less skill than a legless pole vaulter, why would you? If he hasn’t taken the time to learn a bit himself, offering your time is encouraging him to carry on not learning. The gents/ladies who come to me are often regulars on UKSB, they are making an effort to learn and develop, all I do is give them the odd tip, put them in touch with suppliers or with some its just giving them a couple of squeegees to start them off. They all have one thing in common though, they want to learn to be better signmakers. If they didn’t give a toss, neither would I! 🙄
The spirit of the boards as I understand it, you are offered help on the basis that its a give and take. If you can offer help to another, you’re actively encouraged to do so. When someone is take, take, take… grab the hardest squeegee you have and take aim :lol1: Humble opinion, I maybe wrong here, but this guy sounds like he’s a TTT 😕
Cheers, Dewi
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I would help him out as much as possible. 😉 He might be useful to you.
Every “numpty” enquiry that comes your way could be redirected to him. Keep him so busy with enquiries from all the *rseholes you don’t want to deal with that he will be to busy to get the good jobs you want for yourself.
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tell him u are barely getting by, not much work and very low pay.. Ask him to teach you how to screen print. And then actualyl for over when you are not busy and learn it all. Then when the timeing is right you get a press and start your own printing.
Then you can screw him two times. Onece when you do screen work and a second buy all his stuff real cheap when he as to sell out cuz he is losing his ass.
curt. -
while you are bending over showing him how to work the cutter/software, give his bos some KY jelly and then they`ll be able to sh@ft you good and proper……..
be polite and say I`m too busy next time.
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hey i do things like that all the time ……far to soft to be in business….if it wasnt for that paper cut on my hand id still be in the SAS 😕 😉
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