How often do you get this................. ??

[Gino]

We did a store-front sign for a lady about 2 years ago and she was tickled pink with it. In fact, her neighbor liked it so much, she got a sign from us for her store after seeing the other one. Okay, so October it's two years ago we did this sign. I got a call from her on Friday that she's moving two blocks down the street..... would I look at the new location and advise her on her sign-age. I hate that word. Anyway, I talked to her today and informed her that her old 3' x 8' sign has no where to go on her new building without making some kinda hanging contraption, which this borough will not allow. The place has a small 15" x 22' electric sign running the width of her building at the roof line. I told her we could letter that piece and change a few things around in order to make her information fit, but her old sign was now outta the picture. We talked about a few options and then she says it.............

How much credit will you give me for my last sign, since you made it and can't use it here ?? Huh ?? I hate to spend all the money on a new sign, when I have a perfectly good sign, but you can't figure out how to make use of it. Huh ??

I can't give you credit for that. I can't use it over again for anything. In fact, if you want me to take it down, I have to not only charge for taking it down, but disposing of it in a legal manner. Her turn.... Huh ??

Well, can't you give me any kind of credit ?? There's nothing wrong with it.

Okay, here's what I'll do. I'll letter your phone number on the front window and not charge you anything extra for that.

Alrightie then... deal !!

 

[d fleming]

smh

 

[Marlene]

wow, she expects you to give her credit on a sign because she is moving and can't use it. that's a first. this is something you shouldn't even have to explain but you could try telling her you bought a car and that fit in your garage but now you have a truck and am wondering if the car dealership will give you credit back on the car. it might clear things up for her if she sees what she really is asking

 

[tim99]

HA HA HA cant say that ever happened to me before, but you have know idea how many people want me to re use there 15 year old plywood sign to make them a new one.

 

[J Hill Designs]

classic

 

[ddubia]

I bought this shirt but since then I got fat and now I can't wear it. What can of credit can you give me on it. hahaha

Really, I think you handled that extremely well. A simple phone number and you sealed the deal with no bad feelings.

 

[John Butto]

Gino quote: Whether you are on the receiving end or the giving end... you must be ready to walk away from a deal if you suggest one. I've gotten nice big discounts at Lowes, Home Depot, some of my vendors, and even with other professional people in business. Like I think Pat said, you ain't gonna get a deal, if you don't ask for one. Kinda like... you can't win the lottery if ya don't play.

The women probably knows someone at NSA and saw this post you wrote couple of months ago.

 

[Gino]

Gino quote: Whether you are on the receiving end or the giving end... you must be ready to walk away from a deal if you suggest one. I've gotten nice big discounts at Lowes, Home Depot, some of my vendors, and even with other professional people in business. Like I think Pat said, you ain't gonna get a deal, if you don't ask for one. Kinda like... you can't win the lottery if ya don't play.

The women probably knows someone at NSA and saw this post you wrote couple of months ago.

Curses..... dastardly foiled again. Nawait-a-minute !! This works to my favor. I figured a $3.00 phone number would shut her up and it did. She just wanted something for nothing, so if you go into a deal ready with some kinda beauteous deal, they'll generally fall for it. This one happened to cost me a few dollars. I already quoted her $450 for the lettering job and I have an extra four minutes involved. Big deal.

 

[Baz]

Ha! You gave her a free phone number ... Your such a sucker :ROFLMAO:

 

[JgS]

legally dispose of her sign? Is it a neon sign?

 

[John Butto]

All that dealing for deals has given you an advantage when someone is trying to get a deal from you. Good business sense Gino. People could learn a lot from your stories on business.

 

[Bigdawg]

We've not gotten exactly this... but I've gotten a few calls in the last couple months of people trying to sell us their old sign boxes or channel letters. Times are hard I guess.

 

[Jillbeans]

It's things like this that really make me hate people.
I can't wait until I never have to deal with anything like this again.

Love....Jill

 

[DrCAS]

This has happened to me before. I am sure it will happen again. I thought you handled it perfectly.

How can anyone realistically look down on her request? She had spent significany money (to her) for old sign. She wanted to re-use it. I would have.

People buy cabinets and channel letters and want to see if there is any value in them. Don't we do that when we buy a new car? A new printer? Of course we do. We want a trade in value applied.

Again, I thought that this situation was handled perfectly.

 

[Berferful]

Reminds me of one of my customers. Daddy bought a gun shop and made her Manager. Three weeks later she made herself the President. She wanted to know what kind of credit we could give her on her new business cards cause she couldn't use her old cards anymore

 

[2B]

Reminds me of one of my customers. Daddy bought a gun shop and made her Manager. Three weeks later she made herself the President. She wanted to know what kind of credit we could give her on her new business cards cause she couldn't use her old cards anymore

it wasn't Red Jacket Firearms was it? :Big Laugh

 

[Pat Whatley]

Lately I've been getting calls every couple of weeks from people wanting to know how much i'd pay them for taking channel letters of cabinets off of buildings. Apparently there's a big market somewhere for used channel letters.

The one I get most, though, is the realtor who orders 10 signs...then changes their phone number and can't believe I charge almost as much for decals to cover their old number as I do for new signs.

 

[Locals Find!]

Lately I've been getting calls every couple of weeks from people wanting to know how much i'd pay them for taking channel letters of cabinets off of buildings. Apparently there's a big market somewhere for used channel letters.

The one I get most, though, is the realtor who orders 10 signs...then changes their phone number and can't believe I charge almost as much for decals to cover their old number as I do for new signs.

If your charging "almost as much" your going about it all wrong. You have to charge more than you would for the new signs. That way they wont' bother with that nonsense and just buy new ones.

 

[Gino]

Hey Pat..... are you sure they're not 'HOT' ??

People around here will steal anything if they know they have someone to buy it quickly.



And here we go again, Addie. Why in the world would you tell a completely successful businessman how to run his business with your background.... about anything ?? If anyone in their right mind would charge $40. or so for a simple patch and $35. for a new sign....... if I were the customer, I'd consider that place a total 'Rip-Off', but then again, we are talking about your business model here, so I guess if the shoe fits....... it's gonna wear out in your case.

True case, so you can maybe understand a little something for a change, Addie. A few months ago, geeze, almost a year ago...... a realtor came in wanting prices for phone number patches. I asked how many ?? Oh, let's say 50, enough for 25 signs to start. In my head, he said to start, which means they'll be more if I handle this right. I told him for the 50pcs. 2" x 16" black on white overlay, it would run about $5.50 each. Hey, how many do you really need ?? Well, I just bought out another office and we're moving it to the other side of town, so my phone is changing and all of the other office's numbers will change. I need a total of 300 signs worth. Alrightie then, I can do them for $2.75 each. He said GREAT !! That's the best deal yet, by far. [Needless to say, I could print them and have them ready in a few hours]. Okay, that's out of the way, I need to talk about 4' x 4' double sided signs and 4' x 8's. Can you do them ?? Yep, sure can. We've been doing signs for this guy like you can't believe. Another true story. Guy [realtor] came in this past June and placed an order for a few overlays and needed prices on some larger Commercial Signs. He ordered a sh!t-ton of signs and we eventually got paid the balance. In fact, they gave us a bonus for their taking so long with the final check. A few words were said back and forth about our not trusting them and they decided they were gonna take their business elsewhere. I always kept a professional and positive attitude, until about two weeks ago. I told him how it was, how we run our business and told him to basically take it or leave it. I just got an e-mail from him this morning asking if we could move on together with our business and he ordered more signs. I figured he couldn't find anyone else near our prices, quality or service.... something rare these days to have all three.

Again, I did what I said and stood behind it, while he back-pedaled and called me names and made fun of me, but really.... in the end, I still have his business while the words and crap really don't bother me. I'm still taking his green cash to the bank, especially after we ironed out the terms which he now fully understands.

I don't know if you're reading this Baz, but this was the guy I was telling you about last month. He finally turned around. Go figure.

 

[John Butto]

Aluminum channel letters, cabinets, stainless steel give good cash when you take them to a recycle place. Had a contractor friend call me up and ask if I could use some brass letters they were taking off some interior walls. Ask him how many there were and he said a lot. Ended up being 100lbs, went by, picked them up, went to the recycle, turned them in and if I remember right around $1.50 a lb. Told my friend about it later and he called me, with a smile, "a cheap *******".