gnubler
Active Member
My first one, as a business owner.
Started with a phone call last April, new business wanting letters installed on their building. They sent an example image of a sign they like, supplied a font and letter height. Building is two blocks away so I checked it out after work, looked like an easy job. Sent a ballpark quote the next day along with some information on the order process, customer replied favorably.
A week passed with several emails back and forth, and I decide to put together a quick mockup of the letters on the building. Normally I don’t do proofs on speculation, but it was a quick five minute thing that I hoped would lead to getting the job. This turned out to be a huge mistake, as it spawned a string of requests for changes on the proof, and after a couple days of this I said I had hit a limit, and that to continue the process they would need to place an order with a 50% deposit. A few more emails were exchanged, then the customer suddenly went silent. I was okay with this, and didn’t follow up.
Two weeks later, they’re back. They love the last design and want to put an order in. I revised the quote, it was approved, and I received a check for half down later that week. I send off a final proof for approval so I can start the permit paperwork…comes back with “can we see it with the letters two inches taller?” Okay. I remind them that new changes would affect the quoted price. Then there was a font change, more adjustments to letter heights, another font change. Before this all started I asked if they had a logo or any branding in place - they did not, and weren’t interested in having me design one. I’m mildly annoyed, as I had now run the numbers several times, and met with my contractor to survey the install site…ample time and energy had been invested. By now, the cost of the signage had increased by around $500, and I had hit my quoted time limit for design/changes. This led to a lengthy, and final, phone call with the customer.
She’s disappointed because she says she can sign into her online printer and make a million little changes to her designs, and is confused that I’ve hit a limit on design when she was expecting MORE. Keep in mind I’ve already fulfilled all of their requests, we’re on proof #8, the email thread has hit 50 emails spanning six weeks now…I’m thinking ‘jeeeezus effing…” I explain I can only devote so much time for each job, I don’t have an online designer and most sign shops don’t, and if she wants further design changes then I bill by the hour. At the mention of money she then says that their budget is now around $500 less than the approved quote (the one they paid a deposit on). Yeah…No. She wants me to “bring my software” to her place so we can play around with designs. No. She wants to come to my shop and sit beside me to make nudges until it looks right. No. Grand opening is in three weeks, will the sign be done? No.
I got lost on this one. What should have been one of the easiest jobs to get done, with virtually no designing really needed, turned into a dead end. I canceled their order and am refunding the deposit. Can’t wait to see what type of sign ends up on that building, and when.
Who else has fired a customer, and why?
Started with a phone call last April, new business wanting letters installed on their building. They sent an example image of a sign they like, supplied a font and letter height. Building is two blocks away so I checked it out after work, looked like an easy job. Sent a ballpark quote the next day along with some information on the order process, customer replied favorably.
A week passed with several emails back and forth, and I decide to put together a quick mockup of the letters on the building. Normally I don’t do proofs on speculation, but it was a quick five minute thing that I hoped would lead to getting the job. This turned out to be a huge mistake, as it spawned a string of requests for changes on the proof, and after a couple days of this I said I had hit a limit, and that to continue the process they would need to place an order with a 50% deposit. A few more emails were exchanged, then the customer suddenly went silent. I was okay with this, and didn’t follow up.
Two weeks later, they’re back. They love the last design and want to put an order in. I revised the quote, it was approved, and I received a check for half down later that week. I send off a final proof for approval so I can start the permit paperwork…comes back with “can we see it with the letters two inches taller?” Okay. I remind them that new changes would affect the quoted price. Then there was a font change, more adjustments to letter heights, another font change. Before this all started I asked if they had a logo or any branding in place - they did not, and weren’t interested in having me design one. I’m mildly annoyed, as I had now run the numbers several times, and met with my contractor to survey the install site…ample time and energy had been invested. By now, the cost of the signage had increased by around $500, and I had hit my quoted time limit for design/changes. This led to a lengthy, and final, phone call with the customer.
She’s disappointed because she says she can sign into her online printer and make a million little changes to her designs, and is confused that I’ve hit a limit on design when she was expecting MORE. Keep in mind I’ve already fulfilled all of their requests, we’re on proof #8, the email thread has hit 50 emails spanning six weeks now…I’m thinking ‘jeeeezus effing…” I explain I can only devote so much time for each job, I don’t have an online designer and most sign shops don’t, and if she wants further design changes then I bill by the hour. At the mention of money she then says that their budget is now around $500 less than the approved quote (the one they paid a deposit on). Yeah…No. She wants me to “bring my software” to her place so we can play around with designs. No. She wants to come to my shop and sit beside me to make nudges until it looks right. No. Grand opening is in three weeks, will the sign be done? No.
I got lost on this one. What should have been one of the easiest jobs to get done, with virtually no designing really needed, turned into a dead end. I canceled their order and am refunding the deposit. Can’t wait to see what type of sign ends up on that building, and when.
Who else has fired a customer, and why?
