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Alternative To Gemini?
- Thread starter bayviewsignworks
- Start date
Every transaction over the last year or so has been identical or worse on the timing as your experience. I have no quibbles with the quality, production timing, pricing or condition of things how they arrive. Its the time process from initial contact to getting to the production proof back for "final" approval that has turned nearly every job into a 3-4 week process. I just noticed that an RFQ I sent on August 2nd still hadn't been responded to. I resent it and in minutes got the automated confirmation reply.
Been dealing with them in the exact same way for decades. We send full size, dimensioned, vector files with colors noted, installation method, pattern or no pattern, etc.
Maybe the revolving door of CSR's we seem to deal with aren't being trained fully or compensated well enough to stick around long enough to gain enough experience to quickly process orders. We have had over a dozen orders placed in the last 2 months and had nearly that many different CSR's or graphic artists process them.
clarizeyale
New Member
We use Gemini for custom letters but the demand for these on our end have been low as of late.
If we do, turnaround for a quote and the letters have taken a little longer than when I first started at the shop 4 years ago. From my understanding, there was a lot of people leaving/retiring this last year or so, so I'm assuming training, knowledge, and speediness has gotten down. We used to be able to tell clients they can get their letters in 3-5 days but now it's about 7-10 days.
Anytime we ever have issues such as paint chips and such, customer service is super speedy and helpful to get us replacement letters THOUGH one time they sent us paint to hand paint it ourselves? We were a bit confused by this cuz we DONT do that.... Since then, we've used them even less and less.
They had/have great stuff but something about their quality has gone down just a little but I assume it's all the new people coming in.
If we do, turnaround for a quote and the letters have taken a little longer than when I first started at the shop 4 years ago. From my understanding, there was a lot of people leaving/retiring this last year or so, so I'm assuming training, knowledge, and speediness has gotten down. We used to be able to tell clients they can get their letters in 3-5 days but now it's about 7-10 days.
Anytime we ever have issues such as paint chips and such, customer service is super speedy and helpful to get us replacement letters THOUGH one time they sent us paint to hand paint it ourselves? We were a bit confused by this cuz we DONT do that.... Since then, we've used them even less and less.
They had/have great stuff but something about their quality has gone down just a little but I assume it's all the new people coming in.
Texas_Signmaker
Very Active Signmaker
When I use them I usually get quotes turned around in a day or two... Then I place an order and they usually ship in about a week... So from beginning to end is 2 weeks
I'm sorry, but I have been at this game for 40 years and have used Gemini for a couple of decades. I learned what they need early on and send my RFQ's the same every time and sometimes they are responded to promptly and other times with the exact same type requests, the response isn't as quick. The OP may have disappeared but others who have expressed having some issues aren't crazy or not properly following the process. It also doesn't seem to matter if I use the website or email.
Johnny Best
Active Member
Over 40 years ago Spanjer Brothers use to sell wood letters. We would order those through the catalog and phone conversations and mailing of layouts. Then when you received the wooden letters you would prep them for gold leaf. These, depending on size might take up to a month or so to receive.
Now you have someone complaining of not getting letters within hours. Would be more worried about quality than rushing something out the door.
Ask for samples and as Toad says, follow their processes to have good business relationships with these manufacturers of sign letters.
Now you have someone complaining of not getting letters within hours. Would be more worried about quality than rushing something out the door.
Ask for samples and as Toad says, follow their processes to have good business relationships with these manufacturers of sign letters.
paul luszcz
New Member
I still use Gemini after 25 years, but the majority of my orders now go to Steel Art.
Steel Art quotes dome in much faster than Gemini.
Steel Arts patterns are accurate, Gemini's simply are not. It takes half the time to install Steel Art letters because of the correct patterns. And Gemini's poor patterns cost a fortune. ($4.50/letter?)
Steel Art quotes dome in much faster than Gemini.
Steel Arts patterns are accurate, Gemini's simply are not. It takes half the time to install Steel Art letters because of the correct patterns. And Gemini's poor patterns cost a fortune. ($4.50/letter?)
eahicks
Magna Cum Laude - School of Hard Knocks
We use DLL for certain things too. Their quality is hit or miss....we had a job last week with 2 PMS colors, which usually they handle well. These 2 were a huge problem for them, for some reason. Got the job in and one color was way off, but customer luckily loved it.
Gemini quality is always great, but as stated, turnaround can be a whip sometimes. So what are doing about it? Our new CNC arrives next week! So hopefully we can kick a huge portion of our sub jobs back to us.
jimmysings
New Member
i used to love gemini but recently quotes have been taking 2+ days employees don't seem to really care as much, i think they hired stevie wonder to make the patterns and i think he smokes a joint prior to making because they patterns are ridiculously off just about every time... so we quit having them make our patterns quite some time ago ..kind of irritated me that they don't sell their marquis letters anymore..now you have to go through a distributor and the prices are crazy i just bought 6" pronto letters qty of 300 and it was like 280 bucks!! how am i supposed to make any money selling that??
Texas_Signmaker
Very Active Signmaker
The patterns I get from them are a joke.
Last project I had to do about 350+ letters on 6 pan face signs, and I spent (easily) double the amount of time just to straighten the letters. A drunk could have done a better job. If it was brick or corrugated metal, I'd buy into it being the substrate and me not hitting them correctly...but this was on a flat pan face aluminum sign... No excuse there. You could literally see the screws on the letter "I" would be perfectly straight, and on the pattern they were offset 1/4" cockeyed.
And yea, quote turn-around times are nothing to brag about... I've been using them for 14 years now and they never have been quick. Lately though their turn-around times are getting rather long.. almost 2 weeks.
Gemini's pattern process is very flawed. As far as I know, they still mark their stud locations by "hand" which makes things way less consistent. Anyone that owns a CNC/Laser knows that you use the machine to mark your studs whenever possible. That makes the process go a hell of a lot smoother and is ultimately way more efficient as then you can just print off a template and everything should align just fine.
Gemini's major advantage is size and ability. Stocking all those different colors of acrylics and materials is expensive. Being able to shoot whatever color you want, more or less, and the result is basically OEM standard is difficult to do. So although they have their flaws, there's a reason why Gemini is still so heavily used in the industry.
Gemini's major advantage is size and ability. Stocking all those different colors of acrylics and materials is expensive. Being able to shoot whatever color you want, more or less, and the result is basically OEM standard is difficult to do. So although they have their flaws, there's a reason why Gemini is still so heavily used in the industry.
kcollinsdesign
Old member
I used to order those Spanjer letters. They were great!
Gemini has always been good with RFQs and production times. I have never had any problems with either their service or products. It must be noted, though, that I do not run a "just-in-time" business. Those few times where I have needed rush orders, Gemini has either come through or politely declined the order. They are a top notch company and well worth developing a relationship with.
Uh, just tried that link and the site is down. Hopefully unfortunate timing...
Moze
Active Member
Coming from someone who installs Gemini's letters almost weekly - their patterns leave a lot to be desired....and that's being nice.
Steel Art is the best I've used - in all aspects.
Haven't used them a ton, but Howmac makes a really nice product.
Dimensional Letters & Logos in McKinney, TX are typically very good. Had one job that was a complete cluster but they made it right in the end.
Steel Art is the best I've used - in all aspects.
Haven't used them a ton, but Howmac makes a really nice product.
Dimensional Letters & Logos in McKinney, TX are typically very good. Had one job that was a complete cluster but they made it right in the end.
