We recently had a new politician elected to our area. His "aide" e-mails us a photo of another politicians window lettering in another town and asks us to do "the same thing" on their new office window. OK. So I figure out what they want, send them a quote and wait to hear. He e-mails me several times, tells me he's on the road and is SOO busy but needs this done ASAP. He sets up an appointment to come in, but again, he is SOOO busy.
Then I get this....
"Hey Jane,
A couple of things. In the proof you sent us, I'm assuming you just put a random phone number on there. Ours is _________.
Is it also possible to get our e-mail address on there too?
Here's the other thing. I've been picking and poking at our budget...and I've only got about $75 to do this. Is there any way you can work with us?"
Now mind you that is about HALF of what I quoted him! So I responded:
"Yes we can add the e-mail address and of course the correct phone #.
And yes, as far as the cost, we can stay within your budget. We will just make the copy that much smaller and/or use white instead of gold metallic and/or not repeat the same info on the entry door. You can also get your own permit and save $5. Let us know what you want us to do.
P.S. As per our earlier correspondence, you also need to provide your own vinyl state seal, right?"
So a couple days later, I get:
"Hey Jane,
I'm ok with putting the lettering in white (if we have to, and can see a proof)...but I really don't want smaller lettering. I know we have a budget and you're trying to run a business, but we're trying to do this with as little cost to taxpayers as possible (and we don't have much of a budget.)
Let me know what you think."
REALLY, you REALLY WANT TO KNOW WHAT I THINK!?!?!?!
SO, by now we are all fuming and coming up with what we WANT to write back but here is what we said:
"Sorry, that's the best we can do.
Any additional spec work comes with additional charges and must be paid in advance. (We don't normally do sketches without a sketch fee.)"
AND in his wonderful style, he responds:
"Hold on, you're telling me you want to change the design to stay within our budget but you won't let us see the updated design?"
SO Now I'm thinking...you little weasel! SO, ONCE AGAIN....
"We wouldn't change the design. It would be the same, just smaller and white in order to stay with in your budget. However, you have stated that you don't want to go smaller. We would need to shrink the size of the lettering in order to get the price down to $75.00.
I'm sure in your position you are well aware of the struggles that small businesses deal with every day. We simply can't afford to do jobs at half price. That would barely cover OUR costs for doing this project. I'm assuming you are also well aware that time is money. We are simply unwilling to spend extra time needed to develop sketches and quote out hypothetical options, when it sounds as if we won't get the job due to our unwillingness to give you a discount.
We feel the price we originally gave you is more than fair for what you are asking us to do."
Now we wait....What a great representative for our area!!!! Looking forward to how he will "help small businesses out" if this is his attitude!!
Then I get this....
"Hey Jane,
A couple of things. In the proof you sent us, I'm assuming you just put a random phone number on there. Ours is _________.
Is it also possible to get our e-mail address on there too?
Here's the other thing. I've been picking and poking at our budget...and I've only got about $75 to do this. Is there any way you can work with us?"
Now mind you that is about HALF of what I quoted him! So I responded:
"Yes we can add the e-mail address and of course the correct phone #.
And yes, as far as the cost, we can stay within your budget. We will just make the copy that much smaller and/or use white instead of gold metallic and/or not repeat the same info on the entry door. You can also get your own permit and save $5. Let us know what you want us to do.
P.S. As per our earlier correspondence, you also need to provide your own vinyl state seal, right?"
So a couple days later, I get:
"Hey Jane,
I'm ok with putting the lettering in white (if we have to, and can see a proof)...but I really don't want smaller lettering. I know we have a budget and you're trying to run a business, but we're trying to do this with as little cost to taxpayers as possible (and we don't have much of a budget.)
Let me know what you think."
REALLY, you REALLY WANT TO KNOW WHAT I THINK!?!?!?!
SO, by now we are all fuming and coming up with what we WANT to write back but here is what we said:
"Sorry, that's the best we can do.
Any additional spec work comes with additional charges and must be paid in advance. (We don't normally do sketches without a sketch fee.)"
AND in his wonderful style, he responds:
"Hold on, you're telling me you want to change the design to stay within our budget but you won't let us see the updated design?"
SO Now I'm thinking...you little weasel! SO, ONCE AGAIN....
"We wouldn't change the design. It would be the same, just smaller and white in order to stay with in your budget. However, you have stated that you don't want to go smaller. We would need to shrink the size of the lettering in order to get the price down to $75.00.
I'm sure in your position you are well aware of the struggles that small businesses deal with every day. We simply can't afford to do jobs at half price. That would barely cover OUR costs for doing this project. I'm assuming you are also well aware that time is money. We are simply unwilling to spend extra time needed to develop sketches and quote out hypothetical options, when it sounds as if we won't get the job due to our unwillingness to give you a discount.
We feel the price we originally gave you is more than fair for what you are asking us to do."
Now we wait....What a great representative for our area!!!! Looking forward to how he will "help small businesses out" if this is his attitude!!
. Stacy if you want you can delete this if you think it's not appropriate for this section. She didn't know I posted it in NHB
