Problem customer accepted installation on Friday, now says color is wrong, etc..

[TimToad]

Hey all, I have been dealing with this client from hell for two months now on a wall graphic project. The entire project has been done under a highly adversarial dynamic that she has projected and as a new business owner here, I was blindsided by. She went to college with the previous owner's daughter here at the shop, so I assumed at least some friendliness might prevail.

I've since found out from other local colleagues that she deals with everybody like this and most refuse to do business with her company.

They provided the artwork, have revised it multiple times, monkeyed with layer after layer, adjusted colors, etc. and we've provided proof after proof after proof, etc. all in good faith. The contract allowed for a few rounds of 24" x 48" proofs, color profile adjustments, but no reprints. We've already reprinted at full size once, printed the equivalent of another full set in proofs and went and installed what was verbally signed off as the final approved version on Friday.

We laid out the entire print on the floor, she said it looked great, we went about our business installing and throughout the 3 hour process she kept affirming how great it looked. It was a tough install because part of the wall is curved inward and the bottom part is flat. Plus, she wanted as few seams as possible and we did one horizontal seam on the upper panel. After we finished the install, she and all the other employees all raved about it and she told me to send her the invoice, which I take as an implicit "approval" of the finished work.

Now, she says the color doesn't match the proof she physically "signed off" on which was two sets of proofs ago, but she verbally approved the last set of proofs, just so we could "get this thing done and they could move on". She also says the continents don't line up between the upper and lower panel and we explained to her in the beginning that spanning a flat and a curved wall like that with a 2.5" wood shelf between the two would never fully align. when you stand directly in front of the wall, they line up.

My question is, can I just walk away from this pig? I don't even care anymore about getting paid the balance due? And I'm not about to return their deposit like they are now asking for.

I feel like we've done everything in our power to get a good print up there and if allowed to do so, she'd continue this forever. As things started going south, I tried to incorporate a clause into one of the proof approval sets making them at least partially responsible for the cost of any further reprints and they refuse to sign it.

Her bad mojo is infecting my shop and we need to move on to more reasonable customers.

Any thoughts or similar experiences I can relate to in order to find a solution?

 

[Christian @ 2CT Media]

The lesson to learn here that we all learn eventually is if it isn't in writing it isn't happening.

Any Client that has an issue signing for things they want, has then intention of finding a way out. If I were you I'd negotiate a solution or just move on, every minute costs you money so you have to have a point were you just walk away.

 

[eahicks]

In her defense, that bottom portion does not line up whatsoever. I expected a small discrepancy before opening the image, but WOW! That's one of those things you have to plan for.
But I do feel for you, and can't recommend a solution other than redoing that bottom section. Color wise, if she signed off on proofs then that's on her.

 

[Christian @ 2CT Media]

In her defense, that bottom portion does not line up whatsoever. I expected a small discrepancy before opening the image, but WOW! That's one of those things you have to plan for.
But I do feel for you, and can't recommend a solution other than redoing that bottom section. Color wise, if she signed off on proofs then that's on her.

You do realize the top wall is con-caved right? If that was a straight on shot it would probably line up.

 

[Kottwitz-Graphics]

http://creativemornings.com/talks/mike-monteiro--2/1

hope the link works. If not search mike monteiro. 4 work sum it up. .. f&$! you, pay me.

 

[TimToad]

Thanks, I was at the walking away point before bypassing her and trying to deal only with the company's owner. He had been on a multiple week vacation and our phone conversations during that time along with his assurances about "its only a simple wall graphic", "do the best you can and we will accept it", seem to have gone by the wayside due to her influence now that he's back in town.

I'm at ease with eating the balance, learning the lesson and living with the fact that they will probably leave it up there anyway and have found a way to get away without fully paying for it.

 

[eahicks]

You do realize the top wall is con-caved right? If that was a straight on shot it would probably line up.

The word is CONCAVE. And yes I saw that. I never saw a straight on shot, did you? It may or may not look better straight on, I don't know.
The whole thing should have been designed with the entire map ABOVE the shelf, and something else underneath. This is bad from design standpoint, like I said, planning for this problem ahead of time. This equates to someone wanting a full car wrap with many design elements that basically "fall off" the design space due to windows, wheel wells, etc....not planning accordingly.

 

[the graphics co]

Unless you agree that the wall is unacceptable, there is no reason to walk away from getting paid for the work you completed.

 

[TimToad]

In her defense, that bottom portion does not line up whatsoever. I expected a small discrepancy before opening the image, but WOW! That's one of those things you have to plan for.
But I do feel for you, and can't recommend a solution other than redoing that bottom section. Color wise, if she signed off on proofs then that's on her.

As I stated in my original post, when you stand directly in front of the wall, they line up perfectly. If anybody out there can do the enormously complex math and print adjustments to get a flat plane image that is part of the upper concave image to match from all viewing angles, by all means throw it out there.

Given the history, I think she's trying to save face with the boss, follow her genetic background of beating down vendors at every step of the way and testing the water to see if her budget limitations can be satisfied on somebody elses back.

 

[Christian @ 2CT Media]

The word is CONCAVE. And yes I saw that. I never saw a straight on shot, did you? It may or may not look better straight on, I don't know.

I know its concave... and that's what I said, spell correct added the hyphen. I don't need a straight on shot to see that the closest edge to the point of view is in close alignment which only gets out of alignment due to the extreme differences in distance.

The only thing I would do to correct the whole wall is not put anything below the counter.

 

[the graphics co]

Or, offer to remove the graphic free of charge and tell her to stick it up her @$$

 

[fresh]

You should be paid the balance. If you accept partial payment, than you are admitting that you did not do a proper job. Also, why didn't you get a check before you left?

Also, GET IT IN WRITING. Seriously, I have clients who I will not do anything for unless they click the "approved" button in signvox. If there is a mistake or change, I have proof that they agreed to the design, etc.

 

[TimToad]

The word is CONCAVE. And yes I saw that. I never saw a straight on shot, did you? It may or may not look better straight on, I don't know.
The whole thing should have been designed with the entire map ABOVE the shelf, and something else underneath. This is bad from design standpoint, like I said, planning for this problem ahead of time. This equates to someone wanting a full car wrap with many design elements that basically "fall off" the design space due to windows, wheel wells, etc....not planning accordingly.

You can lay the "design" end of things squarely at her feet. Our engagement was strictly on a print and install basis only.

 

[a77]

The job is done. You can't be expected to redo it if she did approve the proof and understood the alignment issue.

I would suggest you not 'walk away'. Let them know very clearly that payment is due in full. You can't stop someone from making excuses and refusing to pay - but you can stop yourself from giving them an out.

 

[player]

Yes you need to get paid. Go above her, send a bill, offer to reprint and give a price, but GET PAID.

Do you have any witnesses to her approving the final layout?

 

[nashvillesigns]

getting closure

i am tired of hearing about things like this. they do NOT happen by accident. People, given the chance will railroad others to get huge markdowns or discounts. in the grand scheme of things, losing 2% of your total sales for the year sounds stupid and trivial BUT,
that 2% represents integrity and honesty.

i would demand payment. i would even take them to small claims court.

personally, i hate confrontation, but in the end, i would be confronting myself for inaction on this matter for a long time...

-christopher

 

[Mosh]

Get the balance, even if it cost you more in legal fees than you collect...

 

[TimToad]

fresh,

I'm not sure what your client base looks like or the size of the company you have, but in our case, most larger size companies we deal with have accounting and accounts payable departments and getting a check usually requires sending an invoice to those departments.

 

[J Hill Designs]

fresh,

I'm not sure what your client base looks like or the size of the company you have, but in our case, most larger size companies we deal with have accounting and accounts payable departments and getting a check usually requires sending an invoice to those departments.

send an invoice to A/P then

 

[StopSignGraphics]

Get the balance, even if it cost you more in legal fees than you collect...

Agreed. I'd rather pay a lawyer than give a client like that the satisfaction.

Paying my lawyer to write a letter on his stationary and sending it certified to a customer has almost always had the desired effect, it's cheaper to pay my bill than fight it in court.