vehicle graphics: sea stradbroke

[hullitec]

Nice job dsi, how do find the application of vinyls and prints over there considering the extra heat etc? Dry, wet application??

I have been considering making a possible move abroad with Australia maybe an option.
I wouldn’t mind picking your brains about the lifestyle over there, if you don’t mind, at some point.

Cheers
Mike

[Shane Drew]

Thanks Mike. I work mainly dry. On our really humid days, a wet application does not dry quickly, but I prefer dry anyway.

This job was made harder by the heat we experience here. Today it was 40 deg c and about 80% humidity. It is only for a few months a year, but my English friends liken it to being the closest thing they could think of that resembles hell 😮 You get used to it eventually, the positive being that the beer is always icy cold 🙄

I’ll send you my email address. Happy to fill you in on lifestyle and will send you my address directly.

[Lee Harris]

Another fine job from the land of OZ. Nice work.

Regards
Lee

[Shane Drew]

Thanks Lee.

You would not believe what happened tho.

The owner picked it up this morning, gushing about how good it looked etc, shook my hand and went on his way.

Bearing on mind it was exactly as he had asked me to do, and was the same as the artwork he approved, when he got home with the bus he rang me to tell me that he didn’t like the signage on the back and he had removed them all.

He was nearly crying. I was stunned. Turned out he discovered that I had removed his Toyota decal off the back door, and he nearly had a coronary. His voice was actually breaking as he spoke on the phone. I asked at the time of delivery if it was OK to remove the decal as it would impede the sign, and he brushed off the request with the comment ‘whatever you have to do’.

I offered to put the decal back on as I had saved it without damage, and he started ranting about it looking like crap, and warning me ‘never to do that to him again’.

Then he drove back to my office and pointed out all the things he didn’t like about the sides. He wanted the roof text to go from the gutter (literally touching the gutter) up over the curve in the roof.

I am shattered. He has turned out to be a control freak or something. I am supposed to do a fleet of these things, but I am not sure I can work for this bloke again.

I don’t know what to do.

😥

[Andrew Bennett]

dsi, nice work.
What machine do you use please mate?
With regards to the customer. You mean he didn’t check the whole vehicle over before he drove away? Hmm.

Now about the emptional blackmail bit with this guy crying over the phone.
Has he paid you yet? sounds a bit like a deceptive way of you dropping the price on future work as way of “compensation” !
regards
Andy

[Peter Normington]

shane that looks really good who is the guy promoting his self or toyota (?) and like andy says has he paid you yet if he has could you not be too busy for six months to do the rest? if he’s not you said he’d approved every thing, with that in mind after the way he’s spoken to you it’s immediate payment please and no discount

Lynn

[Marekdlux]

Since the fellows number is on the van lets all give him a ring and tell him how nice his new van looks and we’ll be calling back soon to book a ferrie. 😉

DSI, it looks great. Nice work. 😀

[Jill Marie Welsh]

Very nice Shane.
Looks clean and professional
(just like you)
Love….Jill

[Nicola McIntosh]

nice one shane!! 😀

bummer about the customer……you always get one 🙄

Nik

[Steve Lamb]

dsi

Nice work, beats doing a dirty builders van in the height of winter. Roll on the spring.

Bad news about your dodgy customer, did he sign off the the design before producction?

[mark walker]

Very nice work Shane, take the money off him, it looks great. Sounds as if his wife/partner/know all friend should have been the one to sign the artwork and he couldn’t stand up to some one else’s opinion, if you get my meaning !?!?! 😮 .
Great work, Mark.

[Roy Roberts]

:thumbup2: I think it looks great Shane. :thumbup2:

Suggest you you present the client with a pair of dark :headbang2: sun glasses and a white stick, 🙄

Oh Yea! and a bottle of gripe water.

[Shane Drew]

A sincere thanks to all your comments. I take my job very seriously and I must confess this guy got me down a little last night, but your comments have been most welcome.

I have not been paid for the job, as the ferry company is footing the bill, but they contacted me by email today telling me they think the workmanship and design is ‘fantastic’. I told them the bus owner has removed the rear signs and they can not understand why. They are happy to pay tho, so that is good.

The bus owner did sign off on the artwork, but now claims that he verbally changed it before I started. The only converstation I had is reflected in the design.

He sent his wife around after work tonight wanting a favour. She was looking for me to do a couple of car magnetic signs for a job tomorrow. Told her I was too busy.

He has just rung me now, wanting me to do another bus tomorrow. He is all friendly and cheery. Told him it was not going to happen, as I am booked out for 3 weeks. He wants me to ‘look after him’ as he is in a predicament. He is thick skinned obviously, cause he said he’d ring me tomorrow to discuss some more work.

I think I have got a right one here 😥

Andy, the machine I used is a Roland SC540 ex. Had not thought of it as emotional black mail. You are probably right. It will backfire tho because I have a good working relationship with the Ferry people now, and they have a problem with his attitude too it seems. He may find they will start playing his game and he’ll be out on his ear.

Jill, thanks for your nice words. 😳

HIGHVISMAN, good idea. Gripe water – I think the sarcasim may go over his head tho 🙄

Peter, I think he needs therapy, definatly got a toyota fetish if you ask me. 😮

Once again, thanks for all the kind words. I was rather depressed last night, but after reading the replys, I am feeling much better :lol1:

Cheers all.

Shane

[John Harding]

Shane

I had a problem with a customer hagling a price after the work was finished, so i removed a digit from his phone number untill he paid me!

But the greatest pleasure is telling somone politely that you do not want to work with them again – even its the last job in the world or the biggest contract your pride is invaluble.

John

[Simon Clayton]

That’s Great work Shane…sounds like the guy is a total knob head,
you normally find something going on in the back ground, trying to get money off other work or favours ..ie sending his wife round for magnetics.
Should of taken his other bus, double the price and only half finished it, saying you had a rush job from a better client and couldn’t finish his for two weeks…
There’s nothing worse than having your work pulled apart by somone who hasn’t got a clue

Simon

[Bill Dewison]

Nice work Shane 😀

As has been said, your customer sounds as if he doesn’t know his bottom from his arm joint! If he’d pulled my work apart in the manner he has to you, I would have a similar attitude, I wouldn’t be working for him again.

If you really don’t want to do his vehicles in future, personally I’d be that blunt, and recommend he finds another signmaker who can accommodate his needs. He’ll be extremely lucky if he finds another signmaker who will go to the lengths you will to ensure a good job!

On numerous occassions I’ve turned down jobs that have either been badly communicated to me, or where a customer expects that they in some way own you because they are paying you to work for them. Money isn’t everything, and although I’m in the business to earn a living, if I can not see eye to eye with a customer I’ll politely inform them of their other options and refuse any further work.

Cheers, Dewi

[Simon Clayton]

Very well put Dewi

Simon

[Shane Drew]

John, Simon and Dewi, thanks guys. Good suggestions that I’ll consider next time he rings.

Cheers