Customer buys printer

[Mosh]

Just had an old customer call and want a bunch of vinyl prints laminated. I asked him where he got them, he told me he bought a used Roland printer and was planning on doing all his own wraps and trailer lettering, but didn't have a laminator so he wanted me to laminate them for him. AAHH NO!

 

[SignManiac]

Yep let him spend an extra $5k if he wants to play with the big boy toys!

 

[Bly]

You could do him a favour & lam them in calendared.

You know, save him a few bucks.

 

[FatCat]

Wow, talk about some sand...screw 'em.

 

[Mosh]

I asked him what kind of film it was, he had no idea, he told me it was only $250 for the whole roll so I have a pretty good idea....

 

[JoeBoomer]

Just wait for his printheads to dry up when he's not using it.

He'll be back...

 

[Mosh]

Got it for $4,500 and said he printed last week...it has BEEN UNPLUGGED ever since!!!!

 

[peavey123]

Just pretend to laminate it. He won't even know the difference. jks jks

 

[fresh]

Why not just laminate them for $4 sqft, and have him sign a release stating you are not liable for damaged prints. That is what I would do

 

[Letterbox Mike]

Why not just laminate them for $4 sqft, and have him sign a release stating you are not liable for damaged prints. That is what I would do

I'm with you on this. I'd be mad too that a customer tried to cut me out of the equation, but he still needs you, take advantage of that, take the money and run. Better to make some money off the guy than none at all, right? I get it's the principal and all, but it sounds like he's going to learn really quickly that wide format printing is not as easy as he thought, so laminate for him, don't do him any favors on price, but still take the work. When he fries his printer or figures out his true costs and gives up on it he'll come back to you for everything. In the mean time, take the money and don't burn the bridge!

 

[GAC05]

I'm with you on this. I'd be mad too that a customer tried to cut me out of the equation, but he still needs you, take advantage of that, take the money and run. Better to make some money off the guy than none at all, right? I get it's the principal and all, but it sounds like he's going to learn really quickly that wide format printing is not as easy as he thought, so laminate for him, don't do him any favors on price, but still take the work. When he fries his printer or figures out his true costs and gives up on it he'll come back to you for everything. In the mean time, take the money and don't burn the bridge!

I'd go this way too.
In a short while you might be able to score a used printer for next to nothing.

wayne k
guam usa

 

[The Giraffe]

You could do him a favour & lam them in calendared.

You know, save him a few bucks.

That's genius.

 

[Craig Sjoquist]

Agrees with ..Insignia

Other shops no matter who or what they do, are really not a threat, it is you that is & it is called fear.

 

[inthesignbiz]

Just because you have a guitar,
it doesn't make you Jimi Hendrix.

Is he going to install them too?
That might be a hoot to watch.

 

[Northern Design]

Baby Sitting

He is going to ask alot of questions and bug the crap out of you for the next year until he learns it for himself
Let this one go and learn the hard way

 

[MikePro]

+1 bly & insignia
there's minimal effort/liability in laminating someone's prints and best of luck to them if they think its so easy to just dive-right-in with someone else's old printer.
Go for it at the right price, your time is worth money and they better be willing to pay... and of course, good service comes with an offer to help save a few bucks with some calendared overlam, if desired.
simply snubbing, will just encourage them to go buy a used laminator and keep rolling anways.

 

[John Butto]

Mosh, today's word is... competition.

 

[Locals Find!]

I see an opportunity for the "Mosh Consulting Service" to have it's first customer. Offer to consult with him on his endeavors at a rate of $250 an hour. Hold his hand and scoop the cash out of his wallet. Of course he is going to need supplies which, you of course will be more than happy to sell him for a 20% over your actual cost. Need help with that install "No Problem" double the shop rate for all installations.

Make it cost him more than it's worth to be in business as your competition and he will be begging you to take his printer for free from him and, be begging you to go back to the way it was before he bought the machine.

 

[Gino]

I think that guy just joined this place the other day and were all eager beavers to help the putz along. :ROFLMAO:

​

Mosh, this is nothing new... just to you. It happens all the time. Like mentioned, it's called competition. Some of our best customers became competitors and while some remained loyal and used us for things they couldn't handle.... others just wallowed in it. The little one and two man shows.... well, the majority of them, just fizzled out. Phsst.
​

 

[visual800]

Don't burn the Bridge?.........This other guy lit the dynamite stick when he purchased the printer. I'd burn that BI*** down. I wouldnt laminate anything and get rid of him as a customer. He is going to bug the hell out of you till the days he says screw it and sells his dried up printer

 

[HDvinyl]

Just had an old customer call and want a bunch of vinyl prints laminated. I asked him where he got them, he told me he bought a used Roland printer and was planning on doing all his own wraps and trailer lettering, but didn't have a laminator so he wanted me to laminate them for him. AAHH NO!

Sell him your Big SqueeGee