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Original Artwork
Whenever we get asked to reproduce a tricky design or logo based on (for example) a letterhead, I always ask the question “Do you have the original Artwork? I then go on to explain how we charge an hourly rate for our time to scan and reproduce it in vector format (That usually baffles them 😉 ) but if they can supply it in the right format to cut direct they would make a small saving.
However, I’m convinced some of my customers are out to take the Mickey. Todays character turned up with his “original artwork” – an embroidered T shirt 😕 . He wanted the emboidery design put onto the side of his van. Take a digital picture he said, blow it up, and stick it on the side of the van 😆 😆 😆
When I tried to explain how awful this would look, and the difficulties in converting a scan of an embroidered image on a T shirt into something that would produce satisfactory results on a van side, he slyly replied – Oh well I’ll just have to find someone talented enough to do it (:) (:)
I sometimes think these people believe we can conjure up images from thin air. I tried to suggest he consider something different for the van but he insisted nothing else would look as good 😉
I’m absolutely convinced there’s a Pub somewhere where all my potential customers meet up on a regular basis and discuss ideas for what they can say this week to wind up Phill (hot) (hot) (hot)
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9 Replies
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i have that all the time as i have only just started up people think i just dont know how to do it ,like yourself i try and explain how a plotter will cut the image and if you just scan it in and cut it looks so bad, it happend the other day my customer said oh ok i will go to the sign company down the road (i wanted him to come back just so i could say told ya so )
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Get it all the time. I think most people just think you press a button and the jobs done.
We get, “it`s just text” and when they bring the artwork down, there a great big logo.
Or, when we ask how many colours in the design? Suddenly 10 colours convert into a couple! Then they complain when you amend the quote.
people don`t realise that you have to be paid for computer time/artwork.
I had a chap in today, asking for a Land Rover logo. Told him it would cost £12. He complained, saying “its only a piece of vinyl” I quickly snapped back, saying “the machine and software used to produce the decal costs £7000”
He quickly said “sorry he didn`t realise”
When we give a price out, some people comment upon how reasonable the price is. Then you get other people who complain upon how deer you are.
Theres no pleasing some folk.
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Had to laugh today, I quoted a guy a while back to cut and apply his own artwork to his new Vito van. Never came back untill today smilling from ear to ear with his nearly new van parked by my main door. So I walked out to greet him and also have a look at how good the finish was.
Well all I could say was “the only way you beat my price was fitting it yourself then?” “No” came the reply “it was fitted by the company who done the job”. I just left it at that and walked back inside now I was smilling from ear to ear. I thought that I had a lot to learn but even my 1st attempt of fitting vinyl was a 100% better than what I just saw.So today I have come home from work in a good mood……..
Timmy…
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I have a constant battle trying to explain to people over the phone that our printing method is far superior to the stuff you get done at the seaside (sorry anyone on the coast 😀 ), and that Embroidery can be very good but is not always very clear and that it’s uneconomic on a handful of garments etc., etc.,
I lose more buisness being honest on the phone and should just let them come along and see for themselves!
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Its the guy who’s been playing on his computer all week designing his new logo that kills me. 🙄 🙄 Or the guy who’s just been to a graphic designer and paid out pots.
They come to you with the most weirdest layouts thinking they are real ‘cool’ designs (<( (<( (<( . ……”There can you do that for me?”
You know the A4 print that got to fit into his 22ft x 6″ fascia 😆 😆 😆 😆
John
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Just got one today. The guy has been at the design all week. Big White Van, 4 typeface families, 5 colours and a great big bloody rectangular photo of a conservatory he’s fitted – on one of the panels. 😮 😮
“How soon can you do it? My missus loves the design I’ve done…” 😥 😥
Of course the photos were taken with the £99 digital camera that came free with his Dixons PC so the quality is BOUND to be good enough to stand enlargement to 20 inches high by 30 inches wide and look stunning.
Now we like to stick our logo somewhere discreet on the jobs that we do. For this one we’re seriously considering sticking on the name of another sign firm down the road. 😉
The saving grace of this job is that his only other quote for it was £300… 😀
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I had one a while ago, bloke comes in “can you do this on my van for me, my nephew designed it” without pausing I pick up the phone “what are you doing” he says, “I’m just ringing my nephew, I’ll get him to fit it” you should have seen the look on his face Hee Hee Hee 👿
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I probably shouldn’t say this, but I have two full time members of staff who spend all day sorting out artwork supplied by our customers, 90% of which are sign companies.
Low res, not to size required, no proof provided, proof doesn’t match artwork, saved in RGB, artwork supplied as company letterhead (we love that one) etc. etc.
All our quotes are based on ‘ready artwork supplied’, yet we rarely charge a client for ‘artwork time’.
But from now on………
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Now I know where all the weird customers are comming from, your sending them to me aren’t you Phil!!
I suppose every sign company gets them dont they. Original artwork in JPEG format for you to plot and a customer that cant understand why your pulling your hair out, after all it looks fine when he prints it out on his desktop printer.
Richard like myself most sign companys that dont do a lot of digital stuff probably dont know how to supply files to you, and I’m not saying you are the same as some of the other companys but when they explain how they would like files sent to them they start using all sorts of technical terms and jargon that to me sounds like a foreign language so when I do send them something it is probably wrong.
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