Does this guy seem alittle odd?

[john1]

Met up with a new potential customer today who needed a ford van lettered, He arrived at our meeting at a local coffee shop and threw some red flags up from how he was acting.

A good customer of mine sent him to me so he already seen some of my work and has heard good things about me. I discuss on the phone prior that i will need a 75% cash deposit to get things going and he says alright no problem. Reason i do cash is because i don't want to get a bad check from a new customer but this may be my issue in this thinking.

He states when he is at the meeting he does no deposit of any until he sees a proof he likes. I explained i don't do any work until a deposit is made because i must be paid for my time. He says "Your just some company, I deal with big corporations all the time and at least they have some kind of backbone and for all i know you could close up business tomorrow and i will be out of my money"

At that point i told him i don't have a good feeling about this potential job and feel it's best he get in touch with me when he wants to follow through. He shakes my hand and goes on his way.

About a hour later he calls back saying "Hey man, Do you think i can drop off a check to you next week to get things rolling?" "If anything happens i can always cancel payment on the check since i have 30 days to do so at my bank"

.....Yeah sounds fishy to me

 

[Pat Whatley]

He's gonna have a hard time cancelling the check after you cash it. I've never heard of a bank that would stop payment on a check that had already gone through. I get a fair number of customers who are paranoid like that. Just stick to your guns, politely, and typically they'll come around. If they don't just consider it as your deposit policy protecting you from someone who probably wasn't going to pay anyway.

 

[Jillbeans]

Run from this @ssclown.
Simply state that it's your company policy to take a deposit before producing anything.
Otherwise your just a little puppet dangling on his string.
Love.....Jill

 

[john1]

Absolutely Pat. I will tell him that the check must clear before anything is produced. I hate having to be this way but if your acting like this already then i have to take precaution

 

[HulkSmash]

Once they say, ok i want you to do the job. That's when we take a deposit.
Sometimes customers want to see proofs, and i understand that...and sometimes once they sign off on the proof then i take a deposit. Especially if it's just lettering a van..

 

[thesignexpert]

On the one hand he has a point about you possibly disappearing on him (I've heard of shops who pull that). On the other hand, the fact that you have reliable customers who vouch for you and a documented history of providing work in your market kinda deflates that whole argument. I say take the check and cash it right away (Pat's right) so you have your cash deposit. From there, even if he turns into a no-pay you are covered but I would also consider applying the auto shop rule... the vehicle doesn't leave your shop until paid in full. I say he has only given you enough warning to watch him like a hawk.

Of course, the prudent route would be to heed the warning signs and move on to a client you actually can trust and work well with for a great finished product. Just my .02

Good Luck!

Tim

"Useful Sign Forms, Marketing Packets and Clipart for the Sign Professional"
TheSignExpert.com

 

[Mosh]

He's FIRED!!!!! or YOU will be sorry!

 

[mark galoob]

take his check but make sure he makes it out to you personally, if he makes it out to the business, his bank wont cash it for you...then go to his bank and cash it...

mark galoob

 

["Deposit Please"]

I have a very similar situation. This 1st time customer has a ford van he wants lettered up. I quoted him & he was good with it. I asked for a deposit, he declined. I said fine...I just ask that you drop off the van at my shop and once my layout was approved( by email) i would jump on it right away. He was good with it. So he deposit his $24,000 van with me and my layout was approved. I finished lettering it yesturday and I called him up today and told him his van is ready and to bring cash.

 

[Gino]

I'd like to ask YOU..... a few questions first.

1. Why are you meeting in a coffee shop ??
2. Why do you ask for CASH for a deposit ??
3. Why would you try to insult him by telling him to his face you don’t have a good feeling about him ??

Okay, putting myself in his shoes….

I call a guy about ripping out and putting down a new black top driveway for my house. If he told me to meet him in a coffee shop and to have 75% of my project ready in cold cash, I’d feel far more skeptical of you than you are of you’re potential client.
To me, you’re coming across as some kind of scam artist. You have nothing except one or two word of mouth referrals for this guy and your first meeting is in a coffee house and you’re already asking for money without even discussing any costs. To me, you sound hungry and very disorganized…. Almost to the point like you ARE gonna leave town with his money.

I’m sure it’s not the case, but listening to this story…. you sound more like the red flag than he does.

I’d re-think my customer bed-side manner and try to gain a customer before you start talking about technicalities. I've seen many of your posts and they seem to revolve around getting more business. Heck, I don’t do sketches either, but that part comes long after we’ve nailed down and got our prices out of the way. However, the many possibilities of what can work for him, thumbnails and other deal making tricks are a must before you scare the potential clients away and piss them off.

 

[gabagoo]

I feel Gino is right here.
I understand that you have to get paid for your work but why not just take the money for the layouts first, then once he goes for the layout the 75% will apply.
At least at this point he knows you are capable of doing it.

 

[Letterbox Mike]

I gotta' agree with Gino too, you come off more fishy than the potential client. The coffee shop thing doesn't seem weird, that's pretty common, we do it all the time, but the 75% cash deposit would make me walk without hesitation. If he's not sure if he wants to follow through, ask him to pay up front for X amount of design time for the sketches. Then if he like what he sees and wishes to proceed he can give you your typical 75% deposit for the tangible product.

But nonetheless the 75% cash deposit would be a red flag to a lot of folks, especially bigger businesses, IMO...

 

[john1]

I guess as always im the one with the problem. Everyone else is right and i'm wrong.

Gino, I meet at a coffee shop because i am home based and don't want random customers in my home. I'm sorry but not everyone has a big shop to meet at. Also, I did not insult him, I simply stated i didn't have a good feeling about this because he was running his mouth about "your just some company and i deal mostly with big corporations"

This guy is not a big company, He installs audio systems for a living. He carry's big name brand products so i guess that's his big corporations. I deal with Fellers, The worlds largest wrap supply company, Who gives two craps?

All in all, I will never become anything. I am tired of putting time and money into learning the business to be in the same boat as a year or two ago. Nobody hardly gives two craps about a good design anymore, They want the best design with the cheapest price they can get.

Hell, I just lost a $900 job that the customer said he was going to send the money for tonight because "im trying to save as much money as i can", When two days ago he was fine with everything. I'm tired of it all.

Now your all going to bash me and say "grow some thick skin" or something another and that's fine but until you have felt the way i have you won't understand. Most of you make $10,20,30+k a month and are caught up in the hype so bash away because I've had it. Make me feel lower and more reason to quit. I will predict that Gino and iSign will be the ones who have the most to contribute as always.

I'm going to start ordering the cheapest vinyl on ebay and offering it at $1.00 PSF and sell to people like that because nobody cares anymore. Out of 10 customers, you will get 3 who actually care about the design, quality and materials.

 

[HulkSmash]

You are being ignorant to not look at what Gino is saying.

Put yourself in the customers shoes...
You say that we're blinded by hype of what some of us make? those who make that have BUSTED their as$es off to get where they are today.

The sign industry is a tough one, and those who make it all have their own stories.

First of all - you shouldn't ask for 75%. That's ridiculous. 50% is max IMHO.
And you collect that money after the job is signed off on. You split the price.

This much for design:
This much for the material and labor:

That way if they don't like your pricing you can still charge for design.

You make a quick sketch to show them what you can do for them. Have them sign off on it. Then take a deposit AFTER they give the go ahead... Some customers want you to prove that you have the right technique or idea for the job, before they give out money. Most people are not going to pay you in cash. Heck we don't even have a cash drawer in our shop. Everyone pays check or CC.

No one is saying it's your fault. You might just want to approach customers in a different way, and not call them sketchy to their faces because they wont pay you 75% down cash...

Just my thoughts. This is just a bump in the road...

 

[showcase 66]

Dude, Chill out. From what I am reading no one is bashing you. Just telling you how they see it without the sugar coating.

I am pretty much in the same boat as you as I work from my house and I too will meet with people at a coffee shop from time to time. Most of the time I buy them a cup of coffee and make it a little casual.

For your deposit. It is good you stick to your guns about getting it but you need to drop the cash part. If they give you a check, go to their bank and either verify the funds are available before depositing it or doing any work, or if it is a large amount you can have his bank turn it into a cashiers check guaranteeing the money will be deposited. I do this with all my new clients.

Relax Take a deep breath and re read this thread. You are getting good advice and getting an insight to your business for free. Take it and run with it.

 

[Mike Paul]

Met up with a new potential customer today who needed a ford van lettered

First off, was he looking for a logo design or just a basic lettering job for the van?

 

[Locals Find!]

75% deposit would be a red flag in my book. Asking for that kinda money up front cash is just making you look sketchy. Whether you meant to or not. I am home based too and never ask for that kinda deposit before the artwork is ready. I usually ask for an hour of artwork time upfront based on 2 hours time. If you worried about checks ask for a money order. Then once the artwork is good to go. Then ask for the deposit on materials & labor.

You need to calm down and really focus on your business. Find a niche and work it. Don't try to be everything to everybody. Shops like Gino can do that because they are much bigger. He has staff. It sounds like your so desperate for work your trying to take on everything. You can't be successful doing that. Clients can smell desperation and they won't trust you.

Put your attention on a few products you know well and will make you money. Let everything else go until your capable of taking it on. Become an expert and the work will find you after a while.

 

[signmeup]

Asking for a 75% deposit in cash is going cost you a lot of jobs. It makes people feel like you don't trust them (which you admitted to being the reason you asked for cash). When you don't trust people... they don't trust you. They'll just go find a company they do trust.

 

[Gino]

Wow, so much pent up hostility...............





Okay, let’s make a deal here. You’re not in the ‘Premium’ section, so I can’t take you for real. So, in that case, I’ll address you in a more friendly tone than you are deserving.

First of all, get rid of the sob story and the feel sorry for 'myself' attitude.​

You can meet anywhere you feel is right for your company, but the fact remains…. If you continuously meet in coffee shops, Dunkin’ Donuts and other fast food places…. how can anyone ever take you seriously ?? Really !!

Before I had a place, I took prospective clients out to a rather nice place and dined them a little bit. I didn’t go all out, but a cup of coffee was not my idea of making a sale. I didn’t have a pot to piss in, so I made sure of whom and where I was going out with to cement a deal.

Don’t get mad at me if I make a suggestion you can’t fathom. That’s not my problem. I’m trying to give you some insight that you are not thinking clearly and you are indeed the one coming off wrong….. not your potential client.

The size of his company has absolutely no part in this scenario. You’re the one trying to land a job…. Not him. He has all the rights to feeling ill at ease with your behavior.

I can tell you this… feeling sorry for yourself and making all these completely 'off the wall' comparisons is not going to do you any good, if you want to stay in business. Don’t grow any frickin’ balls…. I don’t care, but if you want to keep doing this, then you better grow some in a hurry.

Sure, you don’t want to hear this, but if someone doesn’t tell you this… you’re gonna be the one serving one of your EX-competitors coffee when they bring your old clients in for coffee or a hamburger.

I won’t tell you what happened to me yesterday or even today… cause I think you’ll just completely get upset and start calling me a liar. However, if you don’t get a hold of your emotions and check in with reality… you going to do something bad…. to yourself or someone close to you.

Please check your emotional baggage at the door and try to evaluate your state of being in business and with your clients without the empathy. Stop placing your shortcomings on others shoulders and stand up for yourself.

You came here looking for help. You received it, now deal with it constructively and get the unnecessary items out of the way.

 

[prime signs]

well said!!!!

 

[round man]

RUN Forest,...RUN !!!!

 

[Billct2]

Personally I think meeting in a coffee shop is weird, for a first sales meeting especially.
Why not meet at his place of business if you don't want him coming to yours?
Second , no way would I do business with someone who has me meet them in a coffee shop and wants 75% up front in cash.
At this point I think this customer is history and you may have some explaining to do to the customer who recommended you.
So I would use this as an opportunity to review your business practices so you can not end up in this scenerio again.