I Hate This Customer

[TimToad]

YOU know Mr Tim Toad I do run other business and don't frequent the site during the day, I just saw the thread now and you know what I don't care.....I personally feel if you come to this country LEGALLY you need to assimilate or LEAVE. I'm born from immigrants who came here legally and assimilated..

Nowhere in this thread did a single person bring up immigration, or the status of the customer in question. And what does your ancestor's entry status into the country have to do with the subject at hand?

Now that you've made your position clear, those of us who prefer not to see clear cases of bigoted and prejudiced language used on a public forum can decide whether or not to use your venue and your advertisers.

 

[Signs101Admin]

Nowhere in this thread did a single person bring up immigration, or the status of the customer in question. And what does your ancestor's entry status into the country have to do with the subject at hand?.

You did...

I'll confront ignorant bigots the way they should be dealt with. Head on.

We live in a melting pot country full of immigrants. Figure out how to work with people of all races, creeds, etc. or get out of a business that is needed by all.

This is 2017, there is no room for the kind of racism and bigotry this thread has spawned. As the dominant race and the one wielding most of the power and influence, white people are obligated to stretch their brains a little and face the reality of what kind of country we live in.

 

[equippaint]

If you dont want the darker skin customers send them to me. I will take them all day long. I dont like negotiating either but its so easy to get past. Just like any customer you have to show them that you have some interest in them. It seems that all to often, as evidenced in this thread, that many could care less about them. They dont hunt, they dont fish so I have nothing in common with you so lets hurry up and get right down to business. Engage them, bring down the defensive barrier. This is why you have these head to head battles. Really, the people that are stereotyped tend to be more loyal, dont price shop, know what they want, will be extremely loyal customers and will send referrals IF you treat them with some respect. Many of them are disrespected everywhere they go so tend to be more defensive. Sure they negotiate but so does 99% of the world. Who cares? I thought you were professionals?
I deal with a ton of spanish people so I learned to speak spanish. Not for them, I did it for me and my business. Another thread on graphic design brought up practicing to stay up with current changes, etc. This is no different. Most of my spanish customers speak english too, but I deal with other countries and earn alot of respect when I can bust it out, especially when they are in front of me struggling to find an english word not knowing I speak it.
I used to deal alot with China too, and they try so hard to adapt to an american style of business because they want it. If the USA keeps sticking their heads in the sand, were going to be left to the wayside. Most other populations speak more than 1 language and are proud of it, here we look down on anyone that doesnt speak English. Noones changing for you, its up to you if you want to be in the game or not. My family has fought just as much as anyone elses here for this country too. Im going to fight for me and learn other cultures, learn other languages and take that business when it comes in the door. Even more than that, I will go and find that business knowing full well half the people here dont want it and I do. You can live in a hole and lob out grenades if you want, I wont.

 

[GAC05]

Is this an example of those often sited “1st World Problems”?
Life is so good we have time and energy to get enraged over something posted on a sign forum by someone we do not know?
Hard to keep score now days on what we are supposed to get upset about.

wayne k
guam usa

 

[visual800]

damn! All I did was make a blanketed comment about not dealing with Indians because they are difficult. Damn shame you cant speak your mind any longer and speak the truth without someone getting butthurt. If you wanna deal with them, have at it and enjoy it. When 98% of a certain race ends up being a PITA that 2% has got to pay. Thats just the way it is.

Now Im labeled as racist or bigot because I dont deal with them? Screw you, you dont run my business, I run it and I run it the best way I know how. One certain goal of all of us is to "avoid" the time wasters and PITA customers. And just so you know when whitey calls me about Little Susies birthday banner I refer him to someone else because I dont deal with that. I guess Im a birthday bigot also.

 

[Gino]

This escalated quickly!

DIDN'T YOU HEAR......??? IT'S 2017. Almost 2.5 months now, c'mon, get with it...........

 

[Gino]

damn! All I did was make a blanketed comment about not dealing with Indians because they are difficult. Damn shame you cant speak your mind any longer and speak the truth without someone getting butthurt. If you wanna deal with them, have at it and enjoy it. When 98% of a certain race ends up being a PITA that 2% has got to pay. Thats just the way it is.

Now Im labeled as racist or bigot because I dont deal with them? Screw you, you dont run my business, I run it and I run it the best way I know how. One certain goal of all of us is to "avoid" the time wasters and PITA customers. And just so you know when whitey calls me about Little Susies birthday banner I refer him to someone else because I dont deal with that. I guess Im a birthday bigot also.

While I don't agree with alot you say..... mostly how you say it, I agree that you have the right to live, act and run your life, business and family as you see fit.

I think what is being said is..... we all have that right to do what we feel best. If it doesn't harm others or hurt them, but you deal how you see fit, in a normal manner. The people coming to this country.... our country....... can also act how they see fit..... if it doesn't fair well, so be it. Walk away, rather than create a disturbance, but I am not gonna lose my shirt, if someone wants to badger me or play ridiculous games cause they don't wanna participate in OUR customs.

Ever notice, how they can't talk when negotiating, but they sure know the value and how to count our money ?? That's ALL of them. I ain't predjiduced.

 

[Johnny Best]

On the roads again...

 

[heyskull]

I manufactured a pole sign for an Indian Restaurant and on the day of installation the owner insisted he wanted a 10 year guarantee on the sign and electrics.
I had to get a lawyer involved to make them understand that such a long guarantee of an item was not possible.
It took nearly a year for full payment.
Sadly now all Takeaways and Restaurants regardless of type have to pay in full before works starts and stated their is a limited warranty on all items.

SC

 

[Pauly]

Woah everyone needs to settle down.

Everyone will get those customers who want the ridiculous. Usually the ones who don't understand how the industry works, they think they can bargain because they don't want to spend much. Complain that the quality is poor when it's their poor quality image, or there's a dot in their image because that's just the nature of printing.
Or they think and assume there's a life time guarantee on the product.

It's your job to outline all these things to everyone who walks in i.e image quality, print life time under different conditions and media. ect. You need to be prepared for these people.
A simple "sorry our prices are fixed and not negotiable"
if they're hard on you, simple tell them how it is straight up "We're not going to lose money to cut our prices for you"
don't be afraid to tell them "sorry we don't want to do business with you" if they push you to the point.

I get idiots who walk though the door asking for bargains all the time. or just want to tell me how to do my job.. for something simple as a poster. Just need to know how to deal with them and move on.

 

[ams]

A couple weeks ago I had a guy from maybe Haiti or somewhere close to that area. Very poor English. He had a taxi company and needed lettering, vehicle number, etc. So he could be legal and start using it. So he comes in at 5pm and says he wants it done today. I said it's one hour to closing and I am the only one in the shop, that isn't happening. He asks how much, I said $225, he said no you do for $150. I said no I have have $9,000 in bills every month, I can't do it that cheap. He says when can you do it? I said come back tomorrow earlier so we can get measurements. He comes back at like 3pm for measurements. He then proceeds to tell my other employees that I said that we would do it today. I said no I said come in for measurements. I said if you want it done, bring it by at 11am tomorrow. He said no he is working he will come at 5pm. I said NO! It must be earlier and he thought we were being rude because he wanted it on his time table. He said how about 4pm? I said make it 3pm. So that day he shows up at about 3;45 and carefully watched my guys put it on and made lots of comments during it.

But why do some people think they can tell us how much we are going to charge, when we will do it, how we will do it, etc? Next time him or someone else comes in, I am going to say "This is America, we don't bargain or demand things"

 

[Johnny Best]

A couple weeks ago I had a guy from maybe Haiti or somewhere close to that area. Very poor English. He had a taxi company and needed lettering, vehicle number, etc. So he could be legal and start using it. So he comes in at 5pm and says he wants it done today. I said it's one hour to closing and I am the only one in the shop, that isn't happening. He asks how much, I said $225, he said no you do for $150. I said no I have have $9,000 in bills every month, I can't do it that cheap. He says when can you do it? I said come back tomorrow earlier so we can get measurements. He comes back at like 3pm for measurements. He then proceeds to tell my other employees that I said that we would do it today. I said no I said come in for measurements. I said if you want it done, bring it by at 11am tomorrow. He said no he is working he will come at 5pm. I said NO! It must be earlier and he thought we were being rude because he wanted it on his time table. He said how about 4pm? I said make it 3pm. So that day he shows up at about 3;45 and carefully watched my guys put it on and made lots of comments during it.

But why do some people think they can tell us how much we are going to charge, when we will do it, how we will do it, etc? Next time him or someone else comes in, I am going to say "This is America, we don't bargain or demand things"

1. I think you should take Tim Toad's advice and move to Iowa.
2. And read Gino's post #6 again about you having such bad customers and moving out of your area.
3. It is also bad form to try to start up this rhetoric again, not everyone will agree with it and you could keep it going by picking every country in the world your having a problem with.

 

[Gino]

Ya know, this guy came in the other day. I think he was a Lutheran. You could tell by some of the words he said. Believe it or not, he wanted to order a sign. Get that.... a sign in a sign shop. How novel. He had the audacity to ask me what some of the materials are that we use, cause he said, he's been to 2 other places and got confused because of all the mumbo-jumbo sign jargon the people used. All they did was talk about things in code, he said. ACM, 3M, RTG, LEDs, 5600, Flexface, CS6, UV, CMYK and the one guy said LtM, LtC and LtB. He also said they wanted nothing to do with installing it or getting the permits. I hadda do just about everything. I told him to relax and answer all of his questions, but first, he hadda give me dental impressions, $25,000 and his first male born in order for me to explain our highly hidden industry. He said, I guess I'll just do without a sign. I told him he hasta advertise or he'll go out-a-business in a month. He turned to go out the door and I told him he was impolite to just turn and leave without saying good-bye. He waved and walked out. He hadda be a Lutheran or a Hungarian. Who else would behave as such ??

Dealing with people has become so mind-blowing these days. I mean with all these undesirables pouring across our borders..... ya never know what or who you're gonna deal with. In fact, a week ago, I had a Democrat in here. Can you believe that ??

 

[reQ]

Dealing with people has become so mind-blowing these days. I mean with all these undesirables pouring across our borders..... ya never know what or who you're gonna deal with.

If you do not want them, they always are welcome in Canada!!! At least or dumb PM sent that message out... Canada already turned into crap. I am thinking of moving to North Carolina in 2020

 

[GAC05]

ya never know what or who you're gonna deal with. In fact, a week ago, I had a Democrat in here. Can you believe that ??

I didn't know you ran a union shop Gino.....

wayne k
guam usa

 

[AKwrapguy]

damn! All I did was make a blanketed comment about not dealing with Indians because they are difficult. Damn shame you cant speak your mind any longer and speak the truth without someone getting butthurt. If you wanna deal with them, have at it and enjoy it. When 98% of a certain race ends up being a PITA that 2% has got to pay. Thats just the way it is.

Now Im labeled as racist or bigot because I dont deal with them? Screw you, you dont run my business, I run it and I run it the best way I know how. One certain goal of all of us is to "avoid" the time wasters and PITA customers. And just so you know when whitey calls me about Little Susies birthday banner I refer him to someone else because I dont deal with that. I guess Im a birthday bigot also.

What does PITA stand for?

 

[ikarasu]

What does PITA stand for?

Pain in the ass

 

[Signchief]

America is a melting pot with imigrants from all cultures and countries, as an American i feel it's my duty to show immigrants to this country what our customs are so they can learn to be American(assimilation) I feel to do less would be a disservice to these people. As a first generation American I know how important that is to immigrants trying to navigate the transition. If you turn a customer away because they have an accent you might be racist or you might be exercising your right as an American to be an a** hole( one of the few rights we still have in this country) if you don't want to negotiate with a customer that's not racist that's business. The point is that working with people from different cultures is part of doing business and it's important to understand the differences so you can be successful. That doesn't mean you should get bent into knots trying to do things their way but if you understand where people are coming from it makes it easier to deal with them. The free exchange of ideas is fundamental to our way of life and just because your offended doesn't mean you're right.

 

[rossmosh]

A couple weeks ago I had a guy from maybe Haiti or somewhere close to that area. Very poor English. He had a taxi company and needed lettering, vehicle number, etc. So he could be legal and start using it. So he comes in at 5pm and says he wants it done today. I said it's one hour to closing and I am the only one in the shop, that isn't happening. He asks how much, I said $225, he said no you do for $150. I said no I have have $9,000 in bills every month, I can't do it that cheap. He says when can you do it? I said come back tomorrow earlier so we can get measurements. He comes back at like 3pm for measurements. He then proceeds to tell my other employees that I said that we would do it today. I said no I said come in for measurements. I said if you want it done, bring it by at 11am tomorrow. He said no he is working he will come at 5pm. I said NO! It must be earlier and he thought we were being rude because he wanted it on his time table. He said how about 4pm? I said make it 3pm. So that day he shows up at about 3;45 and carefully watched my guys put it on and made lots of comments during it.

But why do some people think they can tell us how much we are going to charge, when we will do it, how we will do it, etc? Next time him or someone else comes in, I am going to say "This is America, we don't bargain or demand things"

Imagine if you moved to Haiti and had to do business there. Don't you think it would be a transition? I'm not saying that this guy was right (he wasn't) and I'm not saying you don't have the right to run your shop as you please (you do).

I'd recommend saying something like "This is not how I do business. If you choose to do business with me, you have to follow my rules. If you don't want to, that's not a problem. I'm sure you can find another shop to work with." You don't have to go the "This is America!!!!" route. It's not the best way to go and if you say it to the wrong person, you may end up getting labeled a bigot/racist even if it's not the truth.

 

[SignosaurusRex]

Ya know, this guy came in the other day. I think he was a Lutheran. You could tell by some of the words he said. Believe it or not, he wanted to order a sign. Get that.... a sign in a sign shop. How novel. He had the audacity to ask me what some of the materials are that we use, cause he said, he's been to 2 other places and got confused because of all the mumbo-jumbo sign jargon the people used. All they did was talk about things in code, he said. ACM, 3M, RTG, LEDs, 5600, Flexface, CS6, UV, CMYK and the one guy said LtM, LtC and LtB. He also said they wanted nothing to do with installing it or getting the permits. I hadda do just about everything. I told him to relax and answer all of his questions, but first, he hadda give me dental impressions, $25,000 and his first male born in order for me to explain our highly hidden industry. He said, I guess I'll just do without a sign. I told him he hasta advertise or he'll go out-a-business in a month. He turned to go out the door and I told him he was impolite to just turn and leave without saying good-bye. He waved and walked out. He hadda be a Lutheran or a Hungarian. Who else would behave as such ??

Dealing with people has become so mind-blowing these days. I mean with all these undesirables pouring across our borders..... ya never know what or who you're gonna deal with. In fact, a week ago, I had a Democrat in here. Can you believe that ??