StopSignGraphics
New Member
I just thought I should share this. Maybe I can save someone from having a similar experience
In a nutshell, a year and half ago I picked up a wholesale customer that had purchased into a sign franchise.
She wanted to open a business, the franchise sales people convinced there that even though she didn't really have any experience with design, vinyl, installs or really anything in the sign industry that they would be there for her to make her business a success. She would be partnered with another franchisee until she had made enough money to purchase her own equipment and open a store front. Not saying she was smart but I'm sure they where very compelling with their argument.
She forked out about $45,000. She was given illustrator and photoshop, a bucket full of install tools, a cookie cutter website and about a weeks worth of training.
First problem she encountered, the other franchisee she was partnered with didn't know anything about it and was only willing to give her a price slightly below retail. Honestly she really was paying to be an independent sales person for someone else at this point
Somewhere along the way, I picked her up as a wholesale customer and have helped/trained/guided her to the best of my abilities. She's made a few descent sales but not really enough to make a living off of, so she's already struggling. She tried to sale her franchise to someone else a few months ago and corporate would not allow the sale.
She gets a letter from the franchise corporate last week, she hasn't met their minimum sales for the last few months. They want her to pay an additional amount or lose the franchise. There is absolutely no way she can pay what they are asking. So she's booted out. That's bad enough but now they are demanding her cell number, the software, tools, contact info for all of her clients, etc...
First off, she really should have been smarter about spending her money and she really should have read the fine print in her contract before agreeing to anything. But seriously they took her money, provided almost no training, really didn't offer much in the way of help and when she failed booted her out and now want anything associated with business in anyway back.
It's almost criminal.
In a nutshell, a year and half ago I picked up a wholesale customer that had purchased into a sign franchise.
She wanted to open a business, the franchise sales people convinced there that even though she didn't really have any experience with design, vinyl, installs or really anything in the sign industry that they would be there for her to make her business a success. She would be partnered with another franchisee until she had made enough money to purchase her own equipment and open a store front. Not saying she was smart but I'm sure they where very compelling with their argument.
She forked out about $45,000. She was given illustrator and photoshop, a bucket full of install tools, a cookie cutter website and about a weeks worth of training.
First problem she encountered, the other franchisee she was partnered with didn't know anything about it and was only willing to give her a price slightly below retail. Honestly she really was paying to be an independent sales person for someone else at this point
Somewhere along the way, I picked her up as a wholesale customer and have helped/trained/guided her to the best of my abilities. She's made a few descent sales but not really enough to make a living off of, so she's already struggling. She tried to sale her franchise to someone else a few months ago and corporate would not allow the sale.
She gets a letter from the franchise corporate last week, she hasn't met their minimum sales for the last few months. They want her to pay an additional amount or lose the franchise. There is absolutely no way she can pay what they are asking. So she's booted out. That's bad enough but now they are demanding her cell number, the software, tools, contact info for all of her clients, etc...
First off, she really should have been smarter about spending her money and she really should have read the fine print in her contract before agreeing to anything. But seriously they took her money, provided almost no training, really didn't offer much in the way of help and when she failed booted her out and now want anything associated with business in anyway back.
It's almost criminal.
