Discussion Good Friday afternoon finish.................................

[Gino]

About 2 months or so ago, a new customer walked through the door. He ordered a 3' x 4' double sided sign. I quoted him and after we sealed the deal, he told me, nobody else wanted to do it, cause it wasn't enough for them to do. They all wanted to talk him into something else and upsell him. About 2 weeks later, he asked for another sign and the same size. Made it and got paid. About a week or so after that, he ordered 2 more. He was pleased and it was a nice job. Got a call from one of his plants from out in Michigan. They ordered some signs. Seems they cannot find anyone to do 3' x 4' signs, either. Now, they ordered a nice wall job, probably worth about $15,000. They want to get it done before the weather gets cold, but I just wonder what the other sign shops think, when all they hadda do was do a few nice things for someone and then let things happen.

 

[BIG EASY DOES IT]

Amazing sometimes what being nice to someone will do. Went to Taco Bell today. Let a lady go in front of me for the drive thru. She paid for my meal.

My best salesman is some of our local competition.

 

[Enola]

you have aroused my curiosity. What exactly were these 3x4 double sided signs?
Were these a Text Only sign? Was there artwork you had to work with?

I have one customer that also orders a bunch of 3x4 signs on a regular basis. Must be a popular size)
It totally baffles my mind that any sign shop would send a customer away because of a small job.
(ok, well maybe a calvin peein decal at 4:37pm on a Friday)

 

[Gino]

Just a simple 'now hiring' sign. Then, one in spanish, then two more specifying actual positions. All on 3mm ACM with 3'×4' real estate frames. Sign and frame $290.each. The only design time was their logo..... supplied in vector format, the words now hiring and their phone number. About 10 minutes to put it all together. Very simple and easy. About $55 all total in materials and 20 minutes of printing time.

The other people didn't so much send him away, as much as just tried to sell him stuff he didn't want. Then, they just didn't respond. The lady in Michigan said she filled out an online questionaire and they didn't follow up. She physically went to another shop and they kept getting all the measurements wrong and quoting her wrong and made her feel uncomfortable, while the last place, said they'd call with a price and never called..... after she called back 3 times.

 

[SignosaurusRex]

Good old-fashioned "Customer Service" wins every time!
"Questionable Service" lives right next door to "No Service".
Unfortunately for the consumer, good customer service seems to be a rarity.

 

[Enola]

One final question.
Is a walrus your favorite aquatic loving mammal?

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

One final question.
Is a walrus your favorite aquatic loving mammal?

No, that's Gino alright. I took a picture of him laughing on the beach in New Jersey.... funny thing is, I thought it was Chris Christie at first.

 

[Gino]

Disregard tex's silly remark. Actually, that's not a walrus, but an elephant seal.

I don't have a favorite animal. I like most animals in and out of the water. They're much easier to get along with than people.

 

[binki]

We take one-offs quite often. They usually lead to nothing but from time to time they lead to larger orders. We also frequently get 'out bid' by someone else doing it for less. Those orders seem to come back to us once they get the finished product. Our best one just happened a few months ago from a customer that uses us for some things but not others. We showed some samples of our work for what they don't use us for and they tossed the other stuff in the trash and placed the entire order with us.

Our best source of work are those 'design online' places. Our customers now design online, send us the link and we have ready made artwork. Of course those places hide what materials they use and change the font names but it isn't too hard to figure out.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

 

[GAC05]

I don't have a favorite animal. I like most animals in and out of the water. They're much easier to get along with than people.

Grilled, fried or baked?

 

[Gino]

Yes.

 

[Johnny Best]

Gino must like fried calamari. And he does not like it from India, Thailand or China because of their fishing practices are questionable.

 

[Gino]

Hey, what happened to the remark about the Beatles song the Walrus by McCartney ?? I thought that was funny and insightful.

 

[Johnny Best]

Beatles, Glass Onion,
"I told you about the walrus and me, man
You know we're as close as can be, man
Well here's another clue for you all
The walrus was Paul."

 

[Gino]

Yeah, that's a known fact, but who was the Eggman ?? House of the rising Sun........ I liked that song.

 

[Boudica]

That video makes me think of some of the "sparring" that goes on in this forum. I won't name any names

 

[Gino]

Hahahahaaaa........ ya got that right !!!!!

BUT YA BETTER NOT BE TALKING 'BOUT ME...... or you'll be limping for a lon-n-n-n-g time. ​

 

[eahicks]

Yep....a simple 2'x6' soccer banner 10 years ago turned into a school that gives us about $250K/yr in business. Careful what you turn away.

 

[Stacey K]

That's awesome! I can't believe the other shops would turn that away!?! I shudder at little car and truck decals but not signs!