• I want to thank all the members that have upgraded your accounts. I truly appreciate your support of the site monetarily. Supporting the site keeps this site up and running as a lot of work daily goes on behind the scenes. Click to Support Signs101 ...

And still yet another one....................

Gino

Gino

Premium Subscriber
Okay, here's today's story................


Tuesday, a guy called me about a sign on the building he just started renting for his business. He told me the sign is 1 foot by 8 foot. I asked him if it was backlit or not and had to further explain what that meant. He assured me it didn't light up, he only needed a metal face 1' x 8' with and without installation.

I gave him a price. He accepted and said he'd be in the next day to drop off a deposit and sign the quote sheet.

Went by yesterday, on my way in, cause it's relatively close to where I live. Turns out, it's 24" x 192" and it is definitely backlit, cause it was on when I got there. Called him and left a message for him to call before he comes in.

He called and I explained how the sign is 4 times bigger and will cost more than my original quote due to his mistake.

He couldn't wrap his head around the fact that bigger means more money. We went in at $ 478. w/o installation. Now, we're up at $1,640. and he can't understand why or how it got from 500 up to 1,700.


  • So, how many of you have people that can't figure out a sign going across the front of their building is more then 8 ft ??
  • How many people can't count much past 10 ??
  • How many people have absolutely no imagination ??

And the list just goes on............ :banghead:

​
 
M

mudmedia

New Member
Gino I love hearing your stories lol...It really makes me remember how dumb some people can be.

Gino's Journal!
 
SignManiac

SignManiac

New Member
I just installed eight exterior acrylic signs on the entrance walls to the university I've done a lot of work for. They were specked by an architect against my better advice. Four of them 2'x4' and four smaller ones that were 1'x2' at a cost of $4,000.00

I got a call today that they have been taken down after one week and was told they look cheap, which I knew to be the case. Couldn't reason with the architect who placed the order for them without getting the presidents approval first.

So now they want to meet with me next week to come up with another better suited solution. Hey more work for me :) I just hate it when architects think they know more about appropriate sign design than me!
 
anotherdog

anotherdog

New Member
the neat thing is when the guy came to put the sign up he would have called you to complain...and of course it would all be your fault.
 
weaselboogie

weaselboogie

New Member
A lot of people don't get that if a sign doubles proportionally in width, it quadruples in sq ft. This almost ranks up there with the people that don't understand that a double sided sign with arrows ends up pointing whatever direction they install it.
 
TeamOutlaw

TeamOutlaw

New Member
I think we all have 'those' customers...but, I'm almost more amazed that you are getting $50-$60/sqft for an aluminum sign! :omg:

That's darn-near what we sell a backlit sign for...WITH THE CABINET TOO!
 
Gino

Gino

Premium Subscriber
That's not my fault.

We sell on the job as a whole, not how it compares to something else. We win some, we lose some. However, we were the only shop that he could have this done for him by his grand opening, next Wednesday ;-)

Besides, now that it's higher, I'm not sure he's not gonna try to finagle one of his other quotes and try to bamboozle someone unknowing to this new deal.
 
threeputt

threeputt

New Member
We get them all the time too. Want a quote when they have no criteria on which to base the da*n quote.

Oh....and when someone says they want faces re-done on an existing electrical sign, they ALWAYS underestimate the size!

Duh, it looks like it's about 2' by 3' or maybe 2' by 4'. Turns out its a 4'x6' or bigger.
 
Gino

Gino

Premium Subscriber
:ROFLMAO: :Big Laugh.... I no sooner posted he hasn't made up his mind and he called.

This story gets even better. Ya just can't make this sh!t up...... :covereyes:



He said, I can't spend that much. Can you just sell me the translucent vinyls ??

Wha..............??

Can you sell me the vinyl and I'll cut it out and paste them on. Is your vinyl sticky on the back or do I have to put some glue on the back.

Ah, no.... our vinyls all have adhesive on the back.

Oh good, then it's the good kind.

Okay.......??

How much do I need to bring ??

About $425. in cash. No credit cards or checks when doing it this way. You're really gonna cut out by hand all those letters ?? That's gonna take you a day or two.

Yep, I know, but I only have about $800 to spend, so I'll trace the letters and cut them out this weekend and put them on.... on Monday.

Okay.......... see ya in a little while.

Thanks man............... :rock-n-roll:








:clapping: I think that's a new one..... even for me !!
​
 
gabagoo

gabagoo

New Member
Gino said:
:ROFLMAO: :Big Laugh.... I no sooner posted he hasn't made up his mind and he called.

This story gets even better. Ya just can't make this sh!t up...... :covereyes:



He said, I can't spend that much. Can you just sell me the translucent vinyls ??

Wha..............??

Can you sell me the vinyl and I'll cut it out and paste them on. Is your vinyl sticky on the back or do I have to put some glue on the back.

Ah, no.... our vinyls all have adhesive on the back.

Oh good, then it's the good kind.

Okay.......??

How much do I need to bring ??

About $425. in cash. No credit cards or checks when doing it this way. You're really gonna cut out by hand all those letters ?? That's gonna take you a day or two.

Yep, I know, but I only have about $800 to spend, so I'll trace the letters and cut them out this weekend and put them on.... on Monday.

Okay.......... see ya in a little while.

Thanks man............... :rock-n-roll:







:clapping: I think that's a new one..... even for me !!
​
Click to expand...


seriously Gino please post some pics next week!!! I have to see this
 
Gino

Gino

Premium Subscriber
Nope.

I deserve some fun. So far, this has all been at my expense. I ain't gonna make it easy on him. Besides, y'all are thinking he's really gonna stop by and pick up some vinyl and become a cut & paste man overnight. I don't think he is.
 
MikePro

MikePro

New Member
o geez, that's good :)

big win for you, especially for not simply taking his word for it and investigating further.
mistakes, even on the clients'-end, bum me out. Even tho' I'm getting paid anyways, wasted effort is never any good.

PITA upcharge for sure and kudos for demanding payment up front.
 
Bly

Bly

New Member
Great to hear somebody else gets these geniuses too.
You have to wonder how they can run a business when they can't handle something this simple.
 
Tim Aucoin

Tim Aucoin

New Member
Take his other $400 and tell him you'll cut and weed it (he'll need an explanation of what weeding is :covereyes:), then give it to him unmasked and wish him luck! :ROFLMAO: But definitely get pictures. This is too good not to follow-up on! :Big Laugh
 
Techman

Techman

New Member
Time to find a new topic. These victim threads do nothing to build confidence. Gino, you are not a good victim. You do not bleed enough.
 
Mainframe

Mainframe

New Member
Go to his place, pull the face out, give it to him and tell him to use a hair drier to peel it, have him scrub it with
soft scrub with bleach, tell him it still will ghost. then grab it on your way to work Monday letter it with black 651 and stick it in there for him, take his $800 and you made money and he gets a sign. He will tell 20 people you are good to work with, and 12 of them will be profitable, in other words process him but make him think you are helping him.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top