When the customer does the rounds..

[Hugh Potter]

I’l often get 2-3 quotes for bigger jobs but a dozen? and for a cheap job anyway? it’ll cost them more in time running around!

[David Rogers]

Ah, the "I’ve got an afternoon to kill – let’s go get a quote or ten" type

if they walk through the door with a printout from somebody else, and a tale of "he was soooo rude", it sets off warning signals (although I have been suckered a few times) – just throw a price out there. If interest persists, ask them how they’d like to pay a deposit today to get the ball rolling…if you meet with resistance, put it at the very bottom of your work pile – you WILL regret it otherwise.

Facebook is bad for that…apparently "online = bargain", nope…and telling me who will go to instead seals the outcome.

At least if an email comes in with everybody in a 20mile radius listed as a ‘CC’…it gets thrown in the trash. Not even remotely interested, regardless of alleged value…don’t even read them most of the time.

[David Hammond]

I had a customer e-mail us asking for a price to sign their van.

Attached was a low resolution logo, with the grid background, obviously a screen shot of the logo. They want the facebook/twitter logos, and this number, all very specific, alarm bells were ringing in the back of my mind.

I searched the company name on Facebook, twitter, I even google the phone number to see if there are any links to the company… zilch… I mean no trace of the company.

Being skeptical I just send them a price guide, and ask how much they want to spend based on that, and they gave me a budget. Still skeptical I asked for a deposit to cover artwork, it was paid without hesitation.

Despite all the alarm bells we got the job, installed today… customer was very impressed with our service compared to others they’d spoke too.

I’m genuinely surprised it actually happened 😆

[Robert Lambie]

I think everyone gets their fair share of this type of customer, myself included.
I don’t give internet type enquiries any time unless "at a glance" they tick all the boxes. i.e. full postal details, website etc and the message body is informative, rather than just saying "i want a shop sign, how much?"

Walk in customers are a bit different, at least they have taken the time to come in and should be treated like any other customer. You never know who you are speaking to after all… I guess same could be said for the internet ones, but still…

Regardless you do get the chancers, I had one about 3 week ago.
Customer wanted X-amount of vinyl printed and contour-cut, approx A4 size. He was giving us the artwork also, but was stressing how urgent it was required. This was Wednesday morning about 10am and he was looking for them Friday afternoon at latest.
I said, "this isn’t a problem, nor was it a big job, call it £60+vat and you can pick them up around 3pm today" But i need to see the artwork and make sure its of the right quality, file type etc.

He said "fantastic, so quick too!"… but what can you do about the price??
I said "nothing, the price is what it is and i am pushing the job through for you to help"
He replied, "no mate, I can get this anywhere as quickly, if not quicker, and i think you may have priced this wrong, you have to sharpen your pencil or i am taking my business elsewhere".
I really could not believe how this guy changed, right there on the spot…
I said, "I actually did get the price wrong mate, its probably more like £100+vat and ready for Friday Lunchtime".
he just shook his head at me and walked out. It was over as quick as that… bizarre! 😆

There is nothing wrong with someone wanting a good deal, or someone that spends repeatedly with you getting some form of discount structure. But so many customers these days simply expect you to kiss their back door for their chicken feed.
anyway, we live and learn!

[Phill Fenton]

In a similar vein there’s nothing more frustrating than someone asking you to provide speculative layouts on a van "he is thinking of buying".

Not without a deposit from you first mate!! :shake: