Interaction I just had with a tire kicker.

[TheSnowman]

Customer: I need a window sticker.

Me: Ok? Is it for a business, or what is it for?

Customer: Can you make me a sticker that says "doesn't play well with others"?

Me: Well, I can, but I have a $75 minimum (normally $50, but I jack it up a little for "car projects"), and I'm assuming you aren't wanting to spend that kind of money on it.

Customer: Nope.

Me: Ok, well, tell ya what, why don't ya go check w/ the guys around the corner (they have a ridiculous name that no one can pronounce or understands).

Customer: Who?

Me: It's (insert company name here) something, up the street over here, go check with them. I'd recommend getting it online, but you can check with them.

Customer: Ok, what's their name…?

Me: Just look for a sign shop about a block away, you'll find them.

Customer: Ok, thanks.

I've learned over the years it's never ever worth it to spend any amount of time with these people. You just gotta throw down a large number right from the git go and smash their hope, otherwise they'll keep bugging you about it and thinking you are interested in their little project. Never worth it. Thanks for the guys here for teaching me about the shop minimum rule and enforcing it years ago!

Does anyone have something in their showroom that says "we don't make pet project window stickers" or something along those lines? I don't mind running 100 of them, but I'm trying to figure out how to keep these kind of people from even stopping by, because I couldn't care less about the attitude of their cars. Generally they are the ones that have something inappropriate on their car that I always get to explain to my 6 year old, so that's always nice too.

 

[Trip59]

Me: go to ___________(Free font website) and pick a font, then tell me how big. $(shop minimum). Or we can design it, $(design min + shop min).

Don't care if it's one or 50, if it's just typing a few lines of text, cutting and taping, you're what, $1.00 invested and made shop minimum on a 10 minute job.

 

[player]

Car people are major pud knockers.

I think most of them are lonely and just want to show their car to someone.

 

[guitarguy69]

I have a pretty cool car, not many friends, and I need a sticker fast!

 

[TheSnowman]

Personally, I have yet to ever have one of these that's 10 minutes, even in the discussion unless I throw out a big number. The actual cut time, yes, 10 minutes to make the job, but they'll want to see it 10 different ways, and it's always a pain in the butt. Just makes me nuts and trying to figure out how to have them know I am not interested right out of the gate. Maybe I just need to put up a shop minimum sign and then they'd be able to figure that out on their own.

Me: go to ___________(Free font website) and pick a font, then tell me how big. $(shop minimum). Or we can design it, $(design min + shop min).

Don't care if it's one or 50, if it's just typing a few lines of text, cutting and taping, you're what, $1.00 invested and made shop minimum on a 10 minute job.

 

[heyskull]

Yes I used to reserve Saturday mornings for the boy racer brigade, I have long since lost interest their is better time to be drinking beer over the weekend.
I remember when the fast and furious films first came out I would get at least two a day wanting the same graphics up the side of their cr**py car.
They soon changed their mind when they found the price it would cost in them days to reproduce these graphics (all vinyl no printing).
I still get the odd racer but it is thinning out.
I guess it has swung round to full wraps on the racers cars but once again it is so hard to educate them that vinyl graphics will not stick to rust and it won't cover dints and scrapes!
When they hear the cost to wrap a car I normally get the return "It's only sticky back plastic. How hard can it be"

Oh happy days.

SC

 

[S'N'S]

I used to send them to the guy down the road, now its a cash job for beer money (my case Jim Beam).

 

[Desert_Signs]

I had one come in today. Wanted a small menu board, some 3" tall cut letters, and 4 images of hot dogs printed. She said she would provide the hot dog art. She gave me her email address, said she would send me the pictures she wanted (promised they were high quality) and for me to quote the job and email her the quote.

She emailed 4 watermarked stock images off of google.

I put together a quote for purchasing the images she wanted, creating and printing the vinyl and menu board. It was close to $400.

She doesn't call all day. 30 minutes ago (at SEVEN in the evening) I get an email saying she's been trying to call since 6pm and doesn't understand why I'm not answering. (Hint, I'm at HOME). She goes on a rant about how dare I not answer the phone, and why was I trying to rip her off so bad, she didn't plan on spending more than $40. AND what is she going to do now, since she needs the stuff at 8am tomorrow morning.

Would have been nice if she mentioned all of this when I was speaking to her at noon. Needless to say, I'm pretty sure I won't be getting this job. :Big Laugh

 

[k.a.s.]

I know you can waste a lot of time with the "sticker" guys but I try and do what I can. 10 years ago in the "fast n furious" days I made tons of money on these guys, it was great.

Don't always discount the kid who wants a sticker, more than a few of those "kids" started businesses and have become great real customers.

Kevin