Customer: "Where do you get your vinyl from?"

[klemgraphics]

Just had a good one

Guy calls and says I'm on the committee for town fall fest and we're going to make our own signs. Where do you get your vinyl from?

I told him the one place that I don't think will actually sell to him and if they do he can't get anything less than a 10yd roll for sure.:ROFLMAO:

He then proceded to tell me that he is looking for banner materials for a banner that they hang across the street. He says they have always used xyz signs in the past but they are expensive.

He's going to bring the banner by this week for me to look at, maybe after he is aggrevated with not being able to buy sign supplies or find them I can sell him some "expensive" signs.

Just had to share, don't think I would have the balls to make that call.

 

[WhiskeyDreamer]

had a customer do the same awhile back....i didn't give a supplier name, just said that our suppliers will ONLY sell to sign shops...

 

[StopSignGraphics]

People never cease to amaze me.

I guarantee if they are lucky enough to pull this off, that after they buy the material, paint, hardware, etc (if they do it right)... they'll have more money and trouble put into this than simply buying it from you in the first place.

 

[G-Artist]

Sure those banners are expensive if they are made to DOT over-the-street specs.

But a lot cheaper than a lawsuit.

 

[klemgraphics]

Wanted to do that, but the small community that we have around here I know he would be telling everyone he was in contact with not to do business with me. And I don't need a bad rep just over a few signs that I never did in the first place.

 

[Jillbeans]

I love how they want you to "look at" their banners when you know darn well they won't be buying new ones from you.
(oh the scent of sun-baked ancient banner material with multiple patches of date changes)
I have given up with this type of client-that-never-was.
I refer them elsewhere.
My main and secondary supplier thankfully only sell to sign shops.
G-Artist is correct, a decent highway banner costs far less than a lawsuit once their piece of crap fails and beheads an innocent bystander.
Love....Jill

 

[scarface]

i would just tell him i don't give out my vendor information. You could tell them a supplier in Canada though, they would love the shipping lol

Screw that guy lol

 

[Gino]

Go over their heads and bombard them with so much detail work as to getting the right vinyl to match the right substrate and get the 2.5 mils and not the 3.5 or 4mils and get the release liner that allows you to see what you are doing and most of all... get the appropriate knife blade 30°, 45° or 60°.... to match the right vinyl so it doesn't cut under the vinyl into the backing creating an overlap which will make the vinyl fail in a very short time. Don't forget to make sure you get the matching transfer tape because the vendor will just sell you anything and you don't want to have to buy more when IT fails, too. Dazzle them with all the information you have to deal with on an everyday basis and don't make this look as easy as you're obviously doing. Pretend there is some skill left in this trade and without it.... they're bound to fail.

Don't tell them about buying 10 yard rolls or anything else. They'll be curious enough just to buy, get their feet wet and then one city employee will eventfully be in charge of the Township Sign Department.

 

[klemgraphics]

Great idea Gino, when he gets here to show me his banner I will do my best to make his head spin. He didn't really give me any details, for all I know he will be using a cricut to make these signs.

 

[jfiscus]

Make a small sign about your consultation fees and hang it in the area you will be discussing the banner with him. After he talks for a few minutes, tell him about your fees (pointing to sign) and that with a purchase you waive those fees, and which way does he want to go about concluding this transaction???

 

[CheapVehicleWrap]

LOL Gino. I'd tell him i produce it and each one is custom.

 

[ProWraps]

i would just tell him i don't give out my vendor information. You could tell them a supplier in Canada though, they would love the shipping lol

Screw that guy lol

my thoughts exactly. why would you EVER give out your vendor information? do you walk into kmart and ask them where they got their products so that you can get them cheaper? a bit of common sense should apply here.

 

[klemgraphics]

my thoughts exactly. why would you EVER give out your vendor information? do you walk into kmart and ask them where they got their products so that you can get them cheaper? a bit of common sense should apply here.

I just didn't want to burn any bridges just yet knowing that when they try to make their own signs and have a hard time I may be able to get some work out of this. I may be totally wrong, but around here people remember when you treat them right and bash you to everyone they know when they think you did them wrong. That being said I would never call somewhere and ask who their supplier is. I guess I just tried to look like the good guy to him while still not giving him the info he wanted since the supplier I gave him will not sell to him anyway.

 

[Joe Diaz]

This has never happened to us. And I can't believe anyone would have the gall to do it. Normally I go out of my way to be helpful but in this case I would be honest and straight up tell them:

"NO. I won't tell you where I get our materials. What would be in it for my company? Why on earth would I gave people information on how to do our job and where to get all the supplies and materials instead of buying the final product from us? That just doesn't make any sense."

Perhaps that is what people like this need to hear. That this type of request is a stupid thing to ask. And they need to know that it isn't personal, it simply business.

And you know what, If they get mad and take it personal and storm out of the building or slam the phone down... Good riddance. It wasn't like you were going to get the job anyway. And I wouldn't worry to much about bad publicity. I think the average person knows that this type of request is dumb, That is probably why we have never heard it uttered here.

If one states their position correctly, they might not like what they hear but they will at least respect you.

 

[hydo1]

I've had this happen twice. The first time I got flustered and said I couldn't disclose for whatever reason and they just got pissy at me. The second time I gave them my own cell phone #. I prepared a script for when they called about getting their resale #, company name, etc etc etc and just made it impossible to get any real info from me. It was kind of strange but it resolved the problem.

 

[OldPaint]

reminds me of my stock car paintin days.
iam lettering this stock car and this guy shows up tellin me that he and his wife lettered the car last year. i said good for ya, and maintained a friendly attitude with him. he showed up when i was just getting started, this is important.
i did what i had to do, change paint colors, doin numbers, sponsors, yadayada. bout 4-5 hours and iam cleanin my brushes.
this guy walks up to me again andjust acted so amazed. he starts sayin YOU DONE ALREADY?? well ya, it wasnt that much. then he says:
me and the wife did it last year, and it took us a A WHOLE WEEK do do what you just did!!!!!!!!
so let them make their own banner)))))))))))))))))))))

 

[mark galoob]

lol...i would give em my cell number, and wait for their call...when they called, i would be happy to sell them all of the equip they needed for this job. i would of course buy it then double the price and sell it to them. i would even consult with them and show them how to do it...for a fee.


mark galoob

 

[CentralSigns]

Wounder if they have the propper software to cut vinyl.

• Signlab $2000
• Vinyl $100
• Banner $100
• Computer $1000
• Plotter $5000
• shop tools, and materials $100

Banners for fall fare $7300. Probabily could buy banners for the next 10 years for that price. That's what I would say. Send them to India for material not Canada ay Scarface.

 

[G-Artist]

Personally, I think I'd be cooperative but in a sly way.

Tell them you'd be happy to sell them the vinyl they need (to help them out).

When they screw up the job they'll be back and maybe this time they will ask you to cut it. Do so, but don't weed/tape (unless they specifically ask).

And do everything with a smile and say "always glad to help out" while taking their $$$.

Eventually you'll probably get the entire job.

 

[binki]

Tell them you'd be happy to sell them the vinyl they need (to help them out).

When they screw up the job they'll be back and maybe this time they will ask you to cut it. Do so, but don't weed/tape (unless they specifically ask).

And do everything with a smile and say "always glad to help out" while taking their $$$.

Eventually you'll probably get the entire job.

+1.