-
go to the customer or get them to leave the vehicle??
For basic vehicle livery, is it better to:
A : go to the customer
or
B : get them to leave the vehicle at your headquarters??
-
26 Replies
-
B 😀
-
Does the customer ever get put off?? i.e can it effect business in general?? I ask this as people always look for convenience and was wondering if this would be a downfall in general hence the question. e.g customer drops the vehicle and you need it for a full day so the customer can’t be hanging around but cant get a lift back or something if his come about a mile or 2 away.
-
B
-
B the tea is always better at home. 😀
-
A 🙂
As a one man band 90% of my work is on customers premises or at their home on a Saturday & Sunday.Regards
Roy
-
Definitely B
-
B save on fuel, time and less hassle I find. on the other hand some clients will require you to do the work at they’re premises then you may have to provide liability insurance bla bla bla.
As for the general white van man its got to me at HQ 😀
-
B all the way
But if not possible extra charge to go to there place
-
depends if you own a nice clean workshop…with heating…tea…etc etc on hand…or if you live on a busy hill where you take your life in your hands doing the signage on the traffic side
or if THEY have a nice clean workshop with heating tea etc on hand….. -
quote Roy Roberts:A 🙂
As a one man band 90% of my work is on customers premises or at their home on a Saturday & Sunday.Regards
Roy
Why arrange it on a weekend? Is 5 days not enough? B is the correct way round it.
-
Correct answer is A (& B) :lol1:
-
Three of Reasons Karl,
1. Wife works all weekend & has Days off in the week.
2. Lorries are out all week and only parked up at weekends.
3. Also I suppose because I’m self employed and If a customer is willing to pay for me to go to them then I will, its amazing how its passed on to other customers.Regards
Roy
-
What if you need the vehicle for the day. surely the customer cant wait the whole while for it??
-
B
I rarely go out on site. I also am self-employed, which means that if I am not around to answer the phone/speak to customers who turn up, then I risk losing a job.
Most of my customers are small-ish businesses and are happy enough to leave their van with me for a few hours, or even the day.
Mostly they will use a 2nd vehicle, or if they live reasonably close I will give them a lift home if needed.
-
B
A if we have to, and travelling costs, and other on-site working expenses, are paid.
-
quote Karl Williams:quote Roy Roberts:A 🙂
As a one man band 90% of my work is on customers premises or at their home on a Saturday & Sunday.Regards
Roy
Why arrange it on a weekend? Is 5 days not enough? B is the correct way round it.[/quote
the answer to that Karl is sometimes the weekend is the only time available when the vehicle is off the road unless its new. i can only speak here for myself and that is i dont have a problem working at weekends if the jobs there
-
id get customer to bring vehicle to me if atol possible .if theres a screw up with vynyl being damaged on site by whichever means its just added hassle to have to go back to workshop to cut a letter
Regards Brian
-
I understand what your saying lads, I use to do the same. But when you do this for clients they always expect the same level of service and also expect you you to be at their beck and call. I found I made a rod for my own back. Just my opinion from experience.
-
B all the way.
If you’ve got a decent workshop then you get to control the environment that you work in. If you’re on site at someone else’s workshop you don’t have control over where the vehicle is parked, the wind conditions, dust factors and the "Richard cranium" factor of their employee’s.
Ever had the apprentice sand down a panel next to the van you’re applying vinyl to?
-
quote KW:I use to do the same. But when you do this for clients they always expect the same level of service and also expect you you to be at their beck and call. I found I made a rod for my own back.
That’s right, and I had exactly the same when I got my first premises.
You won’t change the routine with existing customers overnight, but you can make a start by saying things like, "certainly, we’d be pleased to do your van tomorrow, but I can only do that if you bring it here. If it must be dome at your place then the soonest I can get away is next Tuesday". Once you get them started down that route then it’s surprising how quickly it becomes the norm.
We still work on-site, but only when we have to, or when it suits us. However, I still think it should be avoided wherever possible. Firstly there is Phill’s point about being away from your workshop and missing phone calls, along with casual callers. My thing is the actual cost of an employee’s time and the vehicle expense once they leave base. That’s not insignificant.
-
Would it then be okay to have a call out charge to deter customers from not bringing the vehicle to you??
-
quote Stuart Green:Would it then be okay to have a call out charge to deter customers from not bringing the vehicle to you??
I don’t think that would work in my case. It would be a psychological problem for my customers
What you can do though is to offer them a bit of discount to bring the van to you. After all, you did put a lump into your quote to allow for working on-site didn’t you? So if you’re not incurring that expense you can knock it off and be no worse off, whilst the customer thinks he is saving money.
No. Hang on. He IS saving money, so everyone’s a winner.
-
I would defiantly do the van in your own premises, I to only work at the customers premises if absolutely necessary. I have to an extent got round the problem of any re cut letters etc due to mistakes by having the luxury of a very large Iveco van which has enabled me to setup my old creation cutter in the back as well as my laptop and a small bench to do any re cuts on site but I would not recommend putting an expensive cutter in the van.
-
Stuart, BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB
Been in the sign business since i left school and doing vehicles at a customers site is rear. it’s only ever been for one reason. That’s that it has been something too big to fit into company vehicle bay.
All the comments you’ve had are bang on! One last thing to remember, you probably spend a lot of money on premises, business rates etc etc Get what you pay for and use your own environment.
After all, you don’t pay out tax for your car then take the bus or taxi! -
Some good points here. we quote all vehicles fitted at ours and add a premium for onsite and weekend installs. One thing to rememder also is if the customer leaves his vehicle it becomes your responsibility and if damaged when moving it around or in your workshop could cost you. Check your insurance covers you and any employees to drive customers vans.
neil…
-
Good point Neil..and very valid!
Log in to reply.
