No More Gemini For Us

[Gino]

After seeing those pictures..... I, also think you have a solid case for replacements. I don't know about the whole job, but here's hoping they can match the old ones. I would imagine, their position would be not to take them back, until they see what really took place.
Unless their instructions explain you cannot do it in the fashion you did with tape, they are responsible for poor quality control. If a piece of tape destroys something like that, what will other things do to them ??
I would ask them, why they didn't tell you these letters were so delicate ?? Gemini is usually thorough to the point of being obnoxious, but that's a good thing for you/anyone.
I would contact tnem again and ask for a supervisor with authority to make ethical decisions. E-mail the pictures and tell them you want to know how they are going to give you a set of matching letters....... and this time with a working pattern ??

If they tell you , that you are not supposed to use tape, ask them where that is written, as it was never conveyed to you, along with the pattern.

Don't make threats or get bent outta shape. Keep emotions out of it and keep it all business.

Good luck.........​

 

[RyanFelty]

OK after seeing the photos I take back my previous comments, they should be replacing those no questions asked.

Do you have a sales rep or are you just speaking to whoever answers the phone? We have a single contact person at Gemini who knows us and our orders inside out and has bent over backwards to make things right in the past.

I was speaking to whoever answers the phone. Took them until end of the next day to tell me what they could do, nothing. Told me to try to oxidize it myself or i could send them back and pay them to do it. Finding our rep is my next step. We used to have one that stopped in once and a while but for the life of me I do not remember who it was. I will have to figure that out. Thanks Watson

 

[Gino]

I just realized, you're just up the road from us, so your rep used to be Dick. He was great. I too, have no idea who my new rep is. Dick retired and is bartending in Philly. I'd call customer service and ask them for your outside sales rep. Or try to fix it with someone higher up that the lady answering the phone.

 

[tbullo]

We use Gemini mostly here, but have used Matthews letters a time or two. They will send you samples too.

 

[RyanFelty]

After seeing those pictures..... I, also think you have a solid case for replacements. I don't know about the whole job, but here's hoping they can match the old ones. I would imagine, their position would be not to take them back, until they see what really took place.
Unless their instructions explain you cannot do it in the fashion you did with tape, they are responsible for poor quality control. If a piece of tape destroys something like that, what will other things do to them ??
I would ask them, why they didn't tell you these letters were so delicate ?? Gemini is usually thorough to the point of being obnoxious, but that's a good thing for you/anyone.
I would contact tnem again and ask for a supervisor with authority to make ethical decisions. E-mail the pictures and tell them you want to know how they are going to give you a set of matching letters....... and this time with a working pattern ??

If they tell you , that you are not supposed to use tape, ask them where that is written, as it was never conveyed to you, along with the pattern.

Don't make threats or get bent outta shape. Keep emotions out of it and keep it all business.

Good luck.........​

Thanks Gino all good advise. I was definitely bent out of shape yesterday. And yeah no where did it say don't use tape or anything of that sort. I never thought twice since it was so low tack and I tested it on a non-noticeable spot on the first letter. Hope you're ready for some snow!

 

[ams]

I just realized, you're just up the road from us, so your rep used to be Dick. He was great. I too, have no idea who my new rep is. Dick retired and is bartending in Philly. I'd call customer service and ask them for your outside sales rep. Or try to fix it with someone higher up that the lady answering the phone.

No wonder Dick wouldn't get back to me.

 

[rossmosh]

Because it saves having to go to Kinkos or call a friend, then having to waste an hour marking the stud holes. I agree, certain Gemini options and services are expensive but having a perfect (most of the time, if not ordered on a Friday or Monday) template made to match their product saves hours of work.

Unpack box, roll out template. Unpack letters, check positioning on template. Mount pins, pack up box and silicone, go install.

If you have to do it yourself, you're adding at least 1-2 hours of fiddling to get it done properly. And I don't trust most roll to roll printers to produce that accurate of a template as Gemini provides.

Just sayin'. To each their own, but I've thought about it then realized, why complicate something that saves you a ton of time and the cost just gets rolled into the job.

I wouldn't call it a waste of an hour. I know I can make a template myself and justify it. I charge a similar amount as Gemini, do it myself, pay myself, and come out ahead. To be honest, their process baffles me a little bit as I just don't understand why they don't use their equipment to mark where the studs go. I do several of the same things Gemini does and hand laying out each stud baffles me.

As for the problem, your sales rep should be Sean O'Boyle. He's very easy to work with.

 

[soundhound]

Sorry- Gemini NEEDS to do the right thing!

If they need to send a pickup order for the letters, bring them back and make your template, then that is exactly what they need to do.

They bull****ted me once saying that they couldn't assemble my template because some of the letters came from a different plant.

I told them to ship them from plant-to-plant and give me what was confirmed on my order... and that if it was a real pain in the ***, well, that was their problem not mine.

Once they sent me letters with screw in studs so poorly mounted that they broke off just trying to hand screw-in the studs they sent.

I made them replace everything.

These guys are a virtual monopoly, and they are claiming quality and reliability. Let's hold them to it!

of course, when UV fades all those "lifetime" letters, you can be sure that the "lifetime" will be of the warranty and not the letters.

 

[RyanFelty]

So Here is my update. I talked to a rep (that a friend in the industry uses) from Gemini. He was very apologetic and was surprised to hear what I went through and also that they would not replace them. He also told me that Gemini has changed the way their sales system works. They no longer assign outside sales reps to customers unless it was an existing customer the rep has already worked with. They now have brought all the sales inside rather than sending reps to locations. From what I was understanding, there are teams in house that now work with customers instead of face to face service. Kind of odd and we have done enough business with them to warrant a rep stopping by now and then. Sean Boyle was who I had spoken with and he was a good guy. My problem though was not solved so I had to figure it out on my own so I could get the job done. A mixture of oxidizing myself, using waste ink form the flatbed, and UV curing did the trick....don's ask me how it got to this point but it worked ha. Pics are below

 

[Gino]

There's always more than one way to skin a cat......................


I would seriously show someone higher up at Gemini, how you were left to fend for yourself, how you fixed it and proceeded after Gemini dropping the ball on several counts. I would tell them you expect a discount on your next order and want it in writing, that a $200 or $300 dollar credit is due on your account. Tell them, you will not charge them for providing your own template, which they forgot.

 

[DerbyCitySignGuy]

So Here is my update. I talked to a rep (that a friend in the industry uses) from Gemini. He was very apologetic and was surprised to hear what I went through and also that they would not replace them. He also told me that Gemini has changed the way their sales system works. They no longer assign outside sales reps to customers unless it was an existing customer the rep has already worked with. They now have brought all the sales inside rather than sending reps to locations. From what I was understanding, there are teams in house that now work with customers instead of face to face service. Kind of odd and we have done enough business with them to warrant a rep stopping by now and then. Sean Boyle was who I had spoken with and he was a good guy. My problem though was not solved so I had to figure it out on my own so I could get the job done. A mixture of oxidizing myself, using waste ink form the flatbed, and UV curing did the trick....don's ask me how it got to this point but it worked ha. Pics are below

Your work around looks great though!