Geek Wrap / 3M Training question

[Behrmon]

Hey All,

I did a little bit of a forum search but did not come up with I guess the answers to what I am asking.

We've been doing wraps/partial wraps/spot graphic installations for some time now with quite a few under our belts. Neither myself or the installers have ever had any formal training. We watch videos, read articles talk to reps, read this forum for tips and tricks on top of what we already know.

I'm curious to hear from folks who have attended classes (partial to Geek Wrap/3M due to location and timing) to know if you feel you benefited from the course and whether or not it was a worth while investment. I'm inclined to say more knowledge is a no brainer yet need to weigh the cost of sending 3 guys with travel and lodging etc. against how much is gained from these courses. Also curious if anyone has attended both the 3m or Geek Wrap and Justin's classes for comparison of the benefits?

Thanks for your input.

 

[jfiscus]

Our installers didn't need the training, BUT we have benefited from being 3M Certified and a PDAA member.

 

[Kentucky Wraps]

Hey All,

I did a little bit of a forum search but did not come up with I guess the answers to what I am asking.

http://www.signs101.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-69963.html
http://www.signs101.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-90407.html
http://www.signs101.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-56402.html
http://www.signs101.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-111345.html
http://www.signs101.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-72255.html
http://www.signs101.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-90422.html

We've been doing wraps/partial wraps/spot graphic installations for some time now (How Long?) with quite a few (How Many?) under our belts. Neither myself or the installers have ever had any formal training. We watch videos, read articles talk to reps, read this forum for tips and tricks on top of what we already know.

I'm curious to hear from folks who have attended classes (partial to Geek Wrap/3M due to location and timing) to know if you feel you benefited from the course and whether or not it was a worth while investment. (yes you're investing in them, however there's no guarantee they won't take that expertise and certification elsewhere or become your competition. So it's not the same kind of "investment" on paper for business) I'm inclined to say more knowledge is a no brainer yet need to weigh the cost of sending 3 guys with travel and lodging etc. against how much is gained from these courses. Also curious if anyone has attended both the 3m or Geek Wrap and Justin's classes for comparison of the benefits?


Thanks for your input.

Of course it will add to the quality and productivity. Training 3 "employees" will do that. Is it the kind of investment a business owner can rely on for the long term? Human element in there always leaves the possibility of wasted resources, or worse if they become your competition. Tough decision.
The way I see it is if they want to invest in their future by increasing their skill set and experience, they should do that in order to be worth more to you as an employer and get paid more. It shouldn't be your responsibility. Offer to give them the time off to do it maybe...and a bonus for gas money or something.
It beat going to college for years.

 

[Behrmon]

Our installers didn't need the training, BUT we have benefited from being 3M Certified and a PDAA member.

Thanks, did more work come your way with the certification?

 

[Behrmon]

Of course it will add to the quality and productivity. Training 3 "employees" will do that. Is it the kind of investment a business owner can rely on for the long term? Human element in there always leaves the possibility of wasted resources, or worse if they become your competition. Tough decision.
The way I see it is if they want to invest in their future by increasing their skill set and experience, they should do that in order to be worth more to you as an employer and get paid more. It shouldn't be your responsibility. Offer to give them the time off to do it maybe...and a bonus for gas money or something.
It beat going to college for years.

Thank you, I appreciate this perspective. To answer your questions, maybe 100 wraps and many more partials or spot over the past 6-7 years of bringing that part of our business in-house. I don't feel that our installers can throw down the $ on there own to make that happen but maybe there is a scenario that could work for all.

 

[SqueeGee]

I got certified in St. Paul and we sent two of our guys to Geek Wraps in Florida. Though we also had a very good grasp on wrapping/application, we still learned a lot and it was worth the investment.

 

[Behrmon]

I got certified in St. Paul and we sent two of our guys to Geek Wraps in Florida. Though we also had a very good grasp on wrapping/application, we still learned a lot and it was worth the investment.

Thank you. Can you speak to any differences between the 3M vs Geek Wrap courses? Also can you clarify for me that certification (testing) is an additional cost over the cast of training? From reading the GeekWrap U description it appeared from skimming it that testing was an additional $1000 on top of the course.

 

[jfiscus]

Thanks, did more work come your way with the certification?

Yes sir. We also only outsource to other PDAA members for installs outside of our service area. This is how all of the local installs that we do not print come over here now. I would say around 100 or so per year.

Even though we use a lot of geek wrap install tools here (yes those squeegees really are worth the price), I haven't ever heard of GeekWrap install training.

 

[SqueeGee]

Since I did St. Paul and our guys did Geek Wraps, I can't speak to the differences. My sense is that they both cover the same skills. From a certification point of view, there are some differences. I'm afraid that I don't remember exactly what they are so if certification is important, you should ask questions about that.

We chose to send our more advanced installer for training and certification while we had our newer guy focus on training only. By doing so, he got more training while others tested for their certification.

Hope this helps!

 

[greysquirrel]

Check out a company in hillside, nj Diversified Display...they host vehicle wrap classes 2-3 times a year that is sponsored by Avery and hosted by Justin Pate...solid hands on course...the cost of the class is offset by wrap tool kits and media provided by Avery...

 

[rdmdarr]

http://graphics.averydennison.com/en/home/resource-center/wrap-training.html for something closer to ya.

 

[Behrmon]

Thank you all for taking the time to respond. I value all the insights, experiences, perspectives and suggestions.

 

[Bosh]

"Worth it" is the hard part to determine. I did the 3M 3-day training in St. Paul 5ish years ago.

Impression based on my experience: Don't expect a lot of game-changing "tips and tricks" from 3M- it's very focused on material properties, warranty requirements, percentages, etc. 3M's program is geared toward certification, which is very procedure-oriented, with technique as an afterthought. A wrap can be fully within 3M warranty if the right material is used, plenty of primer 94 is applied (they emphasize this, dear god. . . ) the overlaps are the right width and direction, the perf is edge-taped- EVEN IF the cuts are terrible, the registration sloppy, graphic distorted etc. In general, it's about durable commercial product, not the details. There was no talk of wrinkle free corners, and lots of talk about how far above the static water line to wrap a boat.

3M generally has a "let the technology do the work" ethos. How do you wrap a difficult bumper? Careful management of tension, pre-stretch, pocket, leech etc,? NO,says 3M use 380/480 and just STRETCH! 150% no problem! PRIMER! Get a roller and just JAM! (those rollers are a menace).

On the other hand- 3M certification can lead to job opportunities. That's the (potentially) "worth it" part.

 

[Behrmon]

"Worth it" is the hard part to determine. I did the 3M 3-day training in St. Paul 5ish years ago.

Impression based on my experience: Don't expect a lot of game-changing "tips and tricks" from 3M- it's very focused on material properties, warranty requirements, percentages, etc.

This was the impression I got when researching it online. I'm wondering if the GeekWrap course is less material properties and more process.

On the other hand- 3M certification can lead to job opportunities. That's the (potentially) "worth it" part.

The catch 22, ugh.


Thanks

 

[Rebel Graphics]

Kinda late to reply to this post but let me tell you my experience with GeekWraps...

Pros:
- They know what they are doing. Many years of experience. Hey, the guy invents his own tools and they work!!!
- You are trained on wall and floor graphics, brick, concrete and rivets
- Partial wrap of a Chevy HHR, damn so many curves!
- You leave with a Geekwrap trained installer certificate (hey, it meant a lot to me, I'm a rookie), or you can opt for the certification $$$
- They post your name on their site and a trained or certified installer
- There were three trainers so they can really focus on you and make your money worth

Cons:
- Me being broke the price was kind of steep
- Me being a rookie on wraps, required a lot of youtube follow up and practice vinyl

Overall, It met my expectations and left with a smiley face. I would recommend it