Every time I plan something outside of work, people place orders?

[StopSignGraphics]

It can't be just me but every time I plan to do something fun on the weekend or take a day off everybody and their brother will decide they need something about an hour before I'm ready to leave? I got 4 orders for stuff that needs to happen ASAP in the last hour.

I think my new marketing plan is going to schedule more days off.

~Chris

 

[rjssigns]

Tried to sneak out to get topsoil for our raised beds. Email pops up. I need 20 24" x 24" decals today. Okey-dokey. Hard to turn down quick cash like that. Planting can wait.

 

[CanuckSigns]

Yup, without fail every time I plan to take a week off, the week before the phone doesn't stop ringing with people who I quoted a month prior who are "ready to move forward" on that job now, and of course there is no rush, they don't need it until next week.:ROFLMAO:

 

[Stanton]

Business hours.

Days off are yours. You earned them.
They will wait, or they won't. (they will wait).

Do you get out of bed @ 3:00a to service a moron?

This is your life.

Doctors take turns in the middle of the night.

We are talking signs. There is no emergency.

 

[sinclairgraphics1]

It can't be just me but every time I plan to do something fun on the weekend or take a day off everybody and their brother will decide they need something about an hour before I'm ready to leave? I got 4 orders for stuff that needs to happen ASAP in the last hour.

I think my new marketing plan is going to schedule more days off.

~Chris

Ha ha, man I hear you on that. Happens to me every single time I get ready to head out of town too. Today I had 3 rushes and I'm heading down to the Ozarks tomorrow for 4 days. Got a whole pile of work waiting when I get back too. It's a great marketing plan!

 

[mfatty500]

I tell them "your lack of planning is not an emergency to me"

 

[the graphics co]

I tell them "your lack of planning is not an emergency to me"

haha, if only you could say that and retain them as a customer!!

 

[ddarlak]

flat out lie....I'll have to put you on the schedule, I can have it done (fill in the blank, a time that suits you!) ~ funny how they really don't need it right away....

 

[studebaker]

I can't even tell how many time I will get an order at 5:10 pm on Friday afternoon... From Design Companies that should know better!

 

[rjssigns]

For our regular top tier clients my play time can wait. When our client called late Friday I said sure we'll make it happen.

Short of standing at the airport with bags in hand I will always take his calls.

I am the product of parents that lived through the Great Depression. Because of this my mindset and work ethic are probably not what many are used too.

 

[binki]

Last minute orders are SOP around here. Everything is an emergency and everything is last minute. Before you jump on me over this, I would say that is how we roll. Always on the edge and we never stop closing sales even if we have no idea of how we would cover it when we take the order.

 

[rjssigns]

Last minute orders are SOP around here. Everything is an emergency and everything is last minute. Before you jump on me over this, I would say that is how we roll. Always on the edge and we never stop closing sales even if we have no idea of how we would cover it when we take the order.

Sound like us. Wife always worries about those times. I work best when there is no end in sight. We've already printed in shifts to get jobs out on time. Longest run was 21 hours. Which was immediately followed with a 16 hour stint.

Dad taught me from a young age when there is money to be made you lay the hammer to it. Tomorrow comes with no guarantees.

 

[rfulford]

I received a call Friday about 3pm for for 7 4'x6' vinyl banners and a 10'x8' fabric banner due today (Monday) at noon. It was tight but I could pull it off so I asked when I could have art from them. The reply was that they had sent quotes to 3 other shops and they would release files to whomever won the bid when all the quotes were in. So I quoted a shop opening fee along with overtime charges. Never heard back.

 

[CES020]

Sound like us. Wife always worries about those times. I work best when there is no end in sight. We've already printed in shifts to get jobs out on time. Longest run was 21 hours. Which was immediately followed with a 16 hour stint.

Dad taught me from a young age when there is money to be made you lay the hammer to it. Tomorrow comes with no guarantees.

I wish more Dad's taught kids those values. We're a service business. We have to react to things, whether it's poor planning or not. If you can't service your potential customers needs, then they'll get them done, it will just be by your competition. I'd rather work a little longer and stop them from going to people that I know will do a hack job on them.

It would be nice to have a production shop where we had months of backlog and we could pick and choose every job that came across the desk, but that's not who we are or where we are at at this point in time.

 

[rjssigns]

I wish more Dad's taught kids those values. We're a service business. We have to react to things, whether it's poor planning or not. If you can't service your potential customers needs, then they'll get them done, it will just be by your competition. I'd rather work a little longer and stop them from going to people that I know will do a hack job on them.

It would be nice to have a production shop where we had months of backlog and we could pick and choose every job that came across the desk, but that's not who we are or where we are at at this point in time.

Spot on. Since so many can provide essentially the same service you have to base everything you do on customer service.

We have clients that have stayed with us because we knock it out of the park every time. Those same clients also told us we are not the least expensive option either.