Do you consider your local competion friend or foe?

[Big House Signs]

Another shop in town does mostly electric signs...we are not enemies but not friendly. I actually came onto their turf and brought digital printing here. One of my x dear friends owns a printing and office supply store...he is now doing signs & t-shirts, subbing them out (not to me) and has gone after my customers. He used to refer signs to me and I sent printing to him. Not any more. It's a hard world.

 

[dlndesign]

I've actually worked at quite a few of the sign shops in the area, some freindly some not. But it does help to have a few insiders in the area. I had a shop that I needed to print half of a job that I was doing, we had the same printer and vinyl, worked out great. Got the job done in half the time. Other locals keep to themselves, or I haven't heard of them. I try to be friendly to anyone that needs a hand.

 

[BobM]

All are friends until they prove overwise. Lifes to short for enemies.

 

[skyhigh]

One of my best friends is a signmaker in a town up from me and I have a lot of other good friends in the business that are close enough to be competitors too! I love meeting people who are truely into this industry and try to befriend anyone willing!

We're all pretty friendly but for the most part everybody sticks to themselves. I have no problem loaning them materials and no problem asking to borrow some. They're all welcome in my shop, as far as I can tell I'm welcome in theirs.

I could have written either one of these comments.

I try to be helpful....if you need something I have, its yours. Need my truck, just put some gas in it. Just stay out of my office :ROFLMAO:

Keep your friends close & your enemies (or competition) even closer.

 

[Craig Sjoquist]

I am 110 % friendly to any and all sign shops even ones that do same work and we might even bid same jobs on.

Since I mostly do window splash and requested hand lettering like block walls and what not. I am no threat really more of a asset to any sign shop.

I have always learned and been taught if you help your competitor you both gain.

There is at least 10 plus sign shops with in less then 5 miles from me most with in 2 miles even 1 a block away that people think it's me, would gladly let them do the print work or vinyl signage that I can not do and have also recommended to customers to go to many of them depending who does what better or can handle it.

I enjoy talking with other sign people we are some of the best humans,

 

[gnatt66]

there are a few in my area..some are REAL good, others are decent, and most are bigger than me.

i walked into and introduced myself to two semi local shops and was met both times graciously. ive even run myself outta ink and went and bought a cart from one (that was nice of him).

i like to keep a line of communication open and let my work/level of service decide if i make it or suck out...

 

[Latigo]

Within the full scope of what my Son does, we actually have no competition in our AO. And I happen to be a darned good shot. :Big Laugh
I should also mention that we offer our more unusual services to other sign shops and regulary work for a few of them.
All of them in our AO understand that we will never compete with them in the retail business.

 

[Zambookajoe]

We are only 2 in my area, we used to be 3 but this guy went belly up because is pricing was super high and quality super low plus he loved to sniff the you know what but anyways....

the other guy I know him from a while back, good guy, good work, good pricing but the worst business man I have ever seen, we do not help each other but I wish we would, it would be a lot easier on everybody

 

[CentralSigns]

Well I like to be friends with everyone. My competition on the other hand doesn't feel the same. He has tried to run me over on foot twice. He tried to jump into my truck once uttering death threats. Had to let the county mounties in on that one. I'm not sure I would be safe if he say me alone in a dark alley. He has threatened myself , my wife and kids. He is a real piece of work. He even threatened to sick his eastern star buddies on me. I feel indifferent. I believe that if he wasn't such a jerk maybe we could work together, I'm sure he does some things I can't and I the same. So for now we stay away from each other, at least I do. It's really sad !!

 

[visual800]

I like all except for one that took some jobs after I submitted art for them to quote on electrical (they can go to hell) and 1 more guy in this area I just absolutely despise. Everyone else I get along with

 

[skyhigh]

We are only 2 in my area, we used to be 3 but this guy went belly up because is pricing was super high and quality super low plus he loved to sniff the you know what......

I would guess it had little to do with his high prices. On the contrary, I had one local guy go out of business because he was too low and couldn't pay his suppliers. If you do good work, you will not be sitting around doing nothing.

Well I like to be friends with everyone. My competition on the other hand doesn't feel the same. He has tried to run me over on foot twice. He tried to jump into my truck once uttering death threats. Had to let the county mounties in on that one. I'm not sure I would be safe if he say me alone in a dark alley. He has threatened myself , my wife and kids. He is a real piece of work. He even threatened to sick his eastern star buddies on me. I feel indifferent. I believe that if he wasn't such a jerk maybe we could work together, I'm sure he does some things I can't and I the same. So for now we stay away from each other, at least I do. It's really sad !!

OMG what a freak. There has to be more to the story? What did you do to set him off? Surely, just going into business didn't do it.

There are freaks everywhere. If anyone threatened my wife & kids, he would be eliminated quickly. At the very least, he would be conducting his sign business from his wheelchair (in a year when he got out of rehab).

 

[binki]

In a 10 mile radius I have:...

we are a little more compact here. i can find that much within a mile of us. at one time we had 7 that i knew of within a block. 2 are gone, one is going out and a new one showed up.

one thing we have here are these large commercial parks, kind of like condo's for business. some of these places have hundreds of units. it is not uncommon to have 2 or 3 of the same type of business in them. they are basically a 10x10 office and 1000 to 1500 sqft of space with a roll up door.

 

[binki]

...He even threatened to sick his eastern star buddies on me...

watch out, they are mean!