Discussion Can you believe................................

Presently, we have 3 nice size electric signs were are working on. One is right up the street from our shop. I gave her a rather good price in my opinion, since she's a neighbor. Anyway, we have our preliminary notes, quote sheet and our work sheet.... all in agreement with each other. Her signature and date is on the quote sheet and we received our deposit about 2 weeks ago. I called her the other day, as she said she had someone in her employ, who could re-do the LEDs in the sign. I had suggested her not using the old ones as the sign hasn't been used in about 3 years and the light bars have been moved around extensively according to her landlord. He had removed them almost 3 years ago for safe keeping. I called to let her know we'll be closing the sign up in the next day or two, according to the weather, and I noticed she hasn't done anything about the lighting.

She finally called me this morning and said, she thought I was doing the lighting....... I gently told her, no you said you were gonna do it. We went back & forth after I pointed out nowhere does it say anything about our doing the lighting. Also, it says right on the quote "no electrical work needed by us". She just kept saying, I thought you were gonna do it. No, I'm not. She finally said, well, for that price, it should include you putting all new lights in as you promised. Sorry Lucy, but that was not the agreement. At this point, I can't get my electrician here to do it in time for you. Plus, there'll be an additional cost for his time and whatever replacement lamps we need to get.

It's been about an hour since the first call and she just called back and said, we are not paying any more for the sign and you hafta put the lights in it so it works. That's the agreement. I could tell, this was not her talking but someone else. Turns out, her sister is doing all the paper work and financing the girl's restaurant. I said........ first, calm down and just stop for a second. I went over our past conversations and she finally saw how she misunderstood. She thought because we said we are not responsible for any electrical work needed, we would just put all the old stuff back in. I told her, I NEVER use old parts over again in electrical signs, once they've been removed..... and we didn't remove them. They've been removed for 3 years, so no way was I ever gonna use them. She said she'd talk to her sister and I suggested they both come in and we'll talk this over and find a way to help them.

We'll see ​

 

Not quite sure how I'm gonna handle it, yet. It is a neighbor afterall and I'll wanna go eat there from time to time. So, I don't want anyone spitting in my food, but I'm also not gonna do things for free. I got the numbers together if she wants me to re-fit it with new stuff. BUT, she ain't gonna wanna pay it no way..... no how.

 

Yep, same kinda deal. They hear what they wanna hear and make up story lines to go along with what they remember. Then, when asked, well, uhh, ahh, ummm well, it was said somewhere along the way. No, it wasn't, but if you show me where I made this mistake, I'll be happy to refund you or fix if for free for your inconvenience. Funny, how NONE of these people ever think about how they inconvenience us, huh ??

We all make mistakes and I'll own up to mine or anyone working for me, but not for an outsider or a customer, unless it was totally by accident. Then, I'll try to find some common ground. Sure, in every job, there's more than enough money in it to fix it at no charge, but I decide when, to whom and how that's gonna be issued or even considered..... not them.