Cool story )

[reQ]

Had a walk in customer who wanted couple vehicle magnets done. Not big deal, made them up, called him, no answer, left a message (that was like 2 weeks ago) Calls me this morning:

Me: Good morning, Sign Universe. How can i help you?
Customer: Could of been better
Me: (confused) whats wrong?
Customer: I did order couple magnets over 2 weeks ago and they never got done
Me: (after checking what was the order) They were done next day after you ordered them and we left you a message on your phone
Customer: I did not get any messages. I hope you can give me a sweet deal on these magnets now, because i never received them in time?
Me: What price were you given?
Customer: $80 for a set
Me: So, it will be $80
Customer: No discount after being late?
Me: I am sorry, we made them in time but we can not control if you check your voicemail & do not answer the phone number you gave us
Customer: "CLICK"


Moral of the story:

1) Never forget to take your money upfront, specially with walk-ins.
2) If stuff like that happens, stand your ground and be ready to tell them to flak off.


P.S. With bigger order i would take the down payment of course.

 

[rossmosh]

We set pickup dates. They can come then or any time after. I tell specifically "I'm not calling or emailing you when it's done".

We do this for two reasons:

1. I don't want to deal with the "you never called/emailed me" nonsense.
2. If I do their job the same day, I don't want them to think they can get same day service.
3. I find when they actually need the item and when they actually think they'll pick it up. No more "I'll have it ready tomorrow" after they ask for it "as soon as possible" and then they swing by next week saying "Oh, I couldn't get here. I didn't need it until tomorrow actually."

 

[Warmoth]

Gahh, been there. Admittedly, we're often a little too trusting of people here, when it comes to payment.

I've learned that if the job is for a special weekend event (a one time use kinda thing), definitely take payment before anything, no matter the price. Learned enough that they'll miss the pickup and never come back.

 

[Gino]

Hey, it happens. Ya wanna be nice and take people at their word, but it almost always comes back to bite ya.

We have a policy sign which one of the policies say.... orders under $100 are paid for in advance. We are in the process of raising that to $150 for the First of January. Also, raising all of our prices. No one ever gets p!ssed off payng up front. Even when you call in a Pizza order for take-out, they get your telephone number and have means to get your money, if need be.

Hope ya eventually get your money..........​

 

[reQ]

Hope ya eventually get your money..........​

I don't think i will ever see that guy again ) I will just strip the vinyl off that set of mags & install another vinyl on top (exactly same size i need)

 

[Warmoth]

Put the magnets on your car with the addition of "doesn't pay their bills" underneath their logo.

Had a flooring company around here lately that got sick of chasing a deadbeat over an unpaid bill. They rented one of those temporary changeable signs with fluorescent letters and put the guy's name on it with balance owing.

The sign was taken down and the invoice paid within 3 days. :ROFLMAO:

LMAO. People don't realize the power we hold.

 

[fresh]

Put the magnets on your car with the addition of "doesn't pay their bills" underneath their logo.

Had a flooring company around here lately that got sick of chasing a deadbeat over an unpaid bill. They rented one of those temporary changeable signs with fluorescent letters and put the guy's name on it with balance owing.

The sign was taken down and the invoice paid within 3 days. :ROFLMAO:

you just gave me a great idea... I should make a board within viewing distance of the front of my shop that has a list of the companies who owe us money. Its funny how most people don't like to be known as deadbeats.

 

[Kottwitz-Graphics]

you just gave me a great idea... I should make a board within viewing distance of the front of my shop that has a list of the companies who owe us money. Its funny how most people don't like to be known as deadbeats.

That's works for grocery stores with a list of bounced check name by the register...

 

[James Burke]

you just gave me a great idea... I should make a board within viewing distance of the front of my shop that has a list of the companies who owe us money. Its funny how most people don't like to be known as deadbeats.

One of our local business does that very thing, and another business places all their NSF checks under a piece of glass at the checkout counter for everybody to see.

Talk about a little positive peer pressure.



JB

 

[Gino]

Had a walk in customer who wanted couple vehicle magnets done. Not big deal, made them up, called him, no answer, left a message (that was like 2 weeks ago) Calls me this morning:

Me: Good morning, Sign Universe. How can i help you?
Customer: Could of been better
Me: (confused) whats wrong?
Customer: I did order couple magnets over 2 weeks ago and they never got done
Me: (after checking what was the order) They were done next day after you ordered them and we left you a message on your phone
Customer: I did not get any messages. I hope you can give me a sweet deal on these magnets now, because i never received them in time?
Me: What price were you given?
Customer: $80 for a set
Me: So, it will be $80
Customer: No discount after being late?
You shoulda said:
Sorry, but we charge $6.00 a day for storage, but we don't penalize you for not showing up on time.
Me: I am sorry, we made them in time but we can not control if you check your voicemail & do not answer the phone number you gave us
Customer: "CLICK"


Moral of the story:

1) Never forget to take your money upfront, specially with walk-ins.
2) If stuff like that happens, stand your ground and be ready to tell them to flak off.


P.S. With bigger order i would take the down payment of course.

Ever try this ?? Then say, get your a$$ in here and pick these up. NOW, you've been notified, so stop racking up the storage fees.

 

[bannertime]

Ever try this ?? Then say, get your a$$ in here and pick these up. NOW, you've been notified, so stop racking up the storage fees.

That's in my contract, "Finished products must be picked up within a period of 30 days of being notified, after which time we are no longer responsible for same and may dispose of same at our discretion. All money collected will be applied as money earned. We reserve the right to charge rent for space used by same, if same is a larger item, in our possession longer than 30 days. A larger item is longer than 36 inches in any direction. The fee for rent can not exceed $1 a day and not to exceed $160 total, per item."

Never had to collect. Not even sure it's enforceable. It's really just there to keep people from leaving stuff here. I have had a lady pay a deposit and tried to get a refund over year later. That was funny.