"One of those" Customers.

[Design it Graphics]

Dealing with the wife in a family business...They handle all the lawn care for my business partner and my residence, the Husband is a hard worker, stand up guy and would give you the shirt off his own back.

So I decided to help them out with a trailer wrap as they said they were in the market for wrapping their 7' x 16' enclosed trailer, and waived the art charge as I figured it would be simple. WRONG

Any how.

Original Trailer done with calendered, it looks horrendous in person.



They then proceed to complain about my pricing for the wrap, that they could not afford it etc. I figured up how many impressions at the rate I was charging for this trailer wrap (basically giving it away) they'd only need new jobs to cover the entire expense. Which honestly my area lawn care is a great market and very lucrative for many many companies.

First design
(it won't load sadly)

Too expensive, go to lettering Just like our last trailer but make it more legible.... Hated even doing this one but trying to "do what customer wants"

2nd design


Then some how customer has " the specific art work in a AI/EPS file" So we set that up. Their logo makes it hard to really come up with anything than a boring design such as this. I felt ok with this Its boring but FAR nicer than their original design.

3rd design


Then she wanted some other changes making the text smaller. I started to send an email about how I suggest against modifying the design as the text is really legible and what she is seeing is how the trailer will look about 15-20 ft away. And that now day's most people search businesses via google, and the name / services would stick longer than her phone number. I went to back up that statement by searching key words for the area and they rank REALLY high. But instead I figured I'd give her want she wants as it seems I can't convince this woman of anything. Ready to just finish this job collect the cash and never see her again. Its funny somewhat as I generally never start a job without a design charge, or deposit for anything larger than $150. Never did I think this particular job would be such a headache.


End result : I wish they had a different logo So I could move things around some but at this point I'm not really putting much effort into making it look nice as every attempt to make it more visually appealing she has just shot down with some stupid reason. I tried at the start of all this to remove her tree's and recreate her logo, but yea she shot that down real fast.





If only all my customers were like some of my repeat clients. I currently maintain 3 Caymans and soon to have 2 more. Charged almost 4 grand for each wrap and about $10 a sq ft for repairs. I just send them the bill and they don't question it.

 

[Gino]

Ya win some..... ya lose some. Perhaps you could lose this lady behind the woodshed for a summer or two.

Get paid and move forward. Some things should never be looked back upon.

 

[Marlene]

just love these kinds of customers! love it when they help...not remind her that the name of her company is beautiful lawn (I think that is what it said thru the trees) and not blaa blaa tree service as with the trees in any form, that is the message people will see. once they decide, slap it on and tell no one you did it

 

[Design it Graphics]

Yea my business partner (who is VERY successful, sold his business to clorox for some where in the high millions)

Told me to stop being so stubborn, just give her what she wants, that I'll never change her. I just want it to look good!



But yea Marlene... I said the same thing I tried to make a cartoon guy mowing the grass in her logo, it was sorta cool made it a bit better, that was shot down by "today we got our trailer, and a guy 100miles away remembered our business because of the tree's, its just "US" and we want to keep that image"


From that point on I just stopped trying. Lol I had to vent somewhere Figured I'd give you guys a laugh.

Back to listening to angry music to calm my nerves for the day!

 

[SignManiac]

It's simple. They do what I say or I say no. Works every time. Trying to help "some" people is more work than it's worth. Let the ignorant remain forever blissful in their own sea of delusion.

 

[Marlene]

But yea Marlene... I said the same thing I tried to make a cartoon guy mowing the grass in her logo, it was sorta cool made it a bit better, that was shot down by "today we got our trailer, and a guy 100miles away remembered our business because of the tree's, its just "US" and we want to keep that image"

I so feel your pain. I did a sign for a wood worker. he does beautiful work and rally high end stuff. his business name is not high end, it's Swamp (his name). with a name like that, I did a design with cattails and a nice font, done in copper, wrough iron and wood. nope, he wanted it to look more "country". I'm thinking like stuff like you see in "Country Living" magazine, nope he means hillbilly kind of country. he sent a photo of a font he loved, PT Barnum. I gave up did the job and will NEVER tell anyone I had anything to do with it. when they help it usually ends up looking horrid and they love it

 

[Design it Graphics]

Yea It won't ever happen again, after this particular order. I already even 2 months in as a business do not allow customers to bully me, I just felt like for some reason this job would have been simple. But of course it was far from.


We are near the end of finishing this fiasco I just want to collect and I will not claim that trailer or post it on any of my stuff unless someone directly asked me. Its going to look like someone from craigslist did the artwork lol.

 

[anotherdog]

When they come to cut the grass you should shout instructions.

 

[Design it Graphics]

That is pretty much what I told them about our pricing. They had the prior install done for $250 bucks, I laughed and was like yea I figured it wasn't much, explained further that I will never use a Calendered film for a trailer and that is what they had got on the prior install. I told them in the 2 years you've cut our grass have you been asked to lower your pricing for us?

I was nearly finished with my rage and got a response from them again.


"Hi Brent,
There should be a comma between Professional, Affordable….BEAUTIFUL (which should be italicized).
Also, can we have a comma after landscape (as in complete lawn, landscape, and irrigation)
I will show this to Tom when he gets in and get his approval and then we will be ready to roll, if he is good with it. Thank you."

.....


Honestly this woman is so picky and ignorant that I'm going to let this go through and not show a single soul that I did it. Collect my $8 a sq and call it a day.

 

[Jillbeans]

They're all pretty ugly. The last one is the least ugly.
Corny biz name, goofy trees, meh tagline, too much copy too many fonts.
Make it, never admit to making it, never put it in your portfolio, and never design for free again.

I still get customers like this even after 28 years, but I'm more like Sign Maniac, if they won't listen to reason, I let them walk or I charge them enough that I don't feel so ashamed.

Absolutely despise working with most women. Unfortunately, we women all think we're right even if we don't know sh!t, and most women's taste is in their mouths.
Love.....Jill

 

[GAC05]

The tree clip art looks like something growing on the Serengeti, throw some giraffes in there to tie it all together and you should be good to go......


wayne k
guam usa

 

[Craig Sjoquist]

Ok NOT to be rude or anything like that or intent, please do not assume this.

4th one looks best of ...& ANYTHING would have worked better then what they have, ...that is what I see here in Orlando alot

But in real...The reason you are having difficult time with designing a layout & they liking it is simple.. You are not creating a layout that has NATURAL APPEAL.

I myself has a hard time with it. ..& the reason I re-read alot ..Mike Stevens ..Mastering layout ....which you have not at all.

If you read the book all of it .... your questions will be answered & sales & layouts will be easy.


PS ..I am done of reviling this simple secret to layout ... I went to school for sign painting 38 years ago & learned this, then bought the book when it came out several years later, learned it even more, in fact seeing in print really made sense, re-reading it really helps me more & put it together even more.... Has no idea why I try to help you people when all ya know how to do is push buttons & refuse to learn how to do it somewhat correctly. ( only about 40% of ya in here )

..Excuse the rant but geez here in Orlando competing with the vinyl jocks since 1985 & prices dropped like a rock in water & what is worse 95% of them have no idea what appeals to advertising or what it is. & after 28 years here not much has changed.

If I offended anybody ...TO BAD go to school & learn.

 

[yahhoo123]

NEVER seen a comma before the word" and"......that's a rule in english.

That is pretty much what I told them about our pricing. They had the prior install done for $250 bucks, I laughed and was like yea I figured it wasn't much, explained further that I will never use a Calendered film for a trailer and that is what they had got on the prior install. I told them in the 2 years you've cut our grass have you been asked to lower your pricing for us?

I was nearly finished with my rage and got a response from them again.


"Hi Brent,
There should be a comma between Professional, Affordable….BEAUTIFUL (which should be italicized).
Also, can we have a comma after landscape (as in complete lawn, landscape, and irrigation)
I will show this to Tom when he gets in and get his approval and then we will be ready to roll, if he is good with it. Thank you."

.....


Honestly this woman is so picky and ignorant that I'm going to let this go through and not show a single soul that I did it. Collect my $8 a sq and call it a day.

I saw a "greasy spoon's' sandwich board....it was so old filthy and falling apart...must have been 20 years old.
I went and gave the friendly asian gentleman my card.....he said "oh no...we like it like it is....very lucky"...
I guess so...but i think it reflects how dirty the kitchen and washroom probably are?
some guys just don't get it.

 

[Design it Graphics]

Thanks Craig, I understand 100% The design is terrible but honestly the customer never allowed for any form of expression or natural flow.

I will give your book a read, I am only 24 years old, I learned everything I know from working at Speedysigns for several years in the production and graphics field but there is ALWAYS more to learn. I do lack experience and skills especially in the graphic design category. But my install's are not hack so I have that to start with. I do source out a lot of my design.

So craig, I really do understand what you are saying I took no offense to your rant as really what you are getting at is part of my frustration. I do not even want to install this job for the sheer fact I hate the design and everything about it. Now the customer wants improper grammar on it as well? Hell I'm not the best at english but the case of you using a comma between a word + and is few and far between. It is redundant. I think to a degree Craig I'm on the same page with you. I have no plans long term to be the designer of the company. I love the labor side of things and that is where I shine.

2 months In I am pulling positive numbers and paying my bills. Honest work hard work has gotten me there.



Next time I'm in Orlando I'll come say hey, and check out your set up.

 

[Jillbeans]

You sound like one of the "good" newbies, not a hack. That's refreshing.

 

[Design it Graphics]

Thanks Jill,

Means A-lot!

All of those cayman wraps were done by hand I knifeless taped everythign since I had no equipment at the time.... The yellow cayman was EXTREMELY hard to get identical on both sides. This was before the guy with the green cayman offered me a business opportunity I could not refuse. I had no job (previous employer did not understand my wifes anxiety disorder and fired her and was trying to get into my personal life so I left).

I was living out of a hotel doing contract work for race car wraps at the time..... Bill owned a business called health link and he sold it for some crazy high amount (He doesn't need to work at all but chooses to). He said no one gave him a chance and he saw good in me, so we are in business together 50/50. His money and knowledge with my young backbone and muscle, hoping for the best.


I plan on going to avery and hexis(only because the installer is really good) training to pick up the things I'm certain I lack as I taught my self EVERYTHING I know about wrapping.

5 year plan is to go after larger contracts with fleets and retail / local work would be my icing on the cake.


Oh and I will never do another trailer like this again. I hate this thing.