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Another Tricky customer
I just spent most of the afternoon fitting three signs like this today:-
Each sign is 3ft in diameter, made from 10mm forrex, cut out with a jigsaw (using Robs suggestion to add an extra outline and white border in cases like this – and Grays suggestion to place the boards on top of polystyrene when cutting out the shapes – thanks guys 😀 ).
To be honest I think they are a bit too fussy – a classic case of the customer insisting on it being done his way ( of which more later (:) )
They were mounted on the walls using stand off locators (as used for flat cut and moulded lettering).
In my original quotation I had specified that this was how they would be fitted.
As I was about to drive away, the customer came over and asked me if there was any way I could mount them flat up against the walls as he was worried that they would be pulled off by vandals!!
What I find most annoying was he waited until I had finished doing all three signs before asking me this question. I explained that I would have to cut the locators off (not an easy job) in order to mount them flat so would have to take them away again and return on Monday to fit the signs again. (hot) (hot)
What would you have done?
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8 Replies
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Phil,
I sympathise with you, I think we all hate that scenario. I think I would look payment for the job as completed today and tell the customer that you’ll work out a quote for the extra work on Monday.
Its a tough one to know what to do
Talk to you later
Liam
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I would have screwed him to the ….sorry I mean I would have screwed them to the wall and charged him extra
What do you do with these guys who stand there and watch you do it THEN when the ladders, tressles, equipment ‘n’ all are nicely packed away and you’ve only enough strength to drive ya sen ome, come out with the ‘Huhhhh! You know that…’ (:) (:) (:)
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This is a classic case of making sure all your customers are aware that anything over and above whats quoted and signed off will be charged at the current rate. But…….. even when you do this as I’m sure Phil has, you always get it.
I have just layed out a basic text design on a van, quoted the customer, had an email to say he was happy with the quote and what was on the back of the van, but had to decide what he wanted on the sides – I ask you, he’ll be back with a 3000 word esay for each side!!!
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nice signs Phill 😉
…as regards the other – just bite your lip and hit ‘um where it hurts – in the wallet!
you did the right thing – no question.
more soon
mikethesign
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Looks Good mate,
I think I’ve heard of these guys….
Ask him where he buys his EBC Brakes from, being the largest distributor of EBC Brakes in Scotland, I bet I can beat his prices 😀
Sales patter over 🙂
Gav
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If you had explained how these would be mounted before you did the job Phil and the guy waited until you had installed all three before saying anything I think you should have told him that you could mount them flush on the wall but that it would involve additional costs for labour and fastenings. Thats what I think you should have done but I would probably have just redone them for him.
Jon has been moaning at me a lot just lately, he says I let the customers trample all over me and I am needing to toughen up a bit. As he keeps telling me no one else would go to the lengths I do and certainly not for the money I charge, I’m needing to do like he says but I’m so scared I’ll lose a job I do almost anything to keep the customer happy. -
I had a similar situation with a stand off sign (‘can’t they get a crowbar and lever then off’?) and just told the customer, yes they can tear them off the wall, or if theyr’e flush they can pull the vinyl graphics off or even put a brick through your window, but why should they bother when there’s those nice shiny stainless steel capitals across the road just begging to be torn down…..
He got my point, in reality if it’s gonna happen, it’s gonna happen!
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i am in the same boat as martin phill, to soft, any way,
i suppose the best thing is to say nothing & mount them flat on,
at least he cant say anything bad about you, & next time he comes back for more work, just bump a little extra on to the price, to cover you on this one 😉 eddie
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