Screw you 3M.

[Sergio DeSoto]

My two cents and take this for what its worth.

I saw this coming 2 years ago and spoke with 3M in detail for about 3 hours about the ramifications of competing with your customers.

When I worked at Fellers, Frank was adamant about NOT competing with his customers. So adamant he would not wrap his brothers truck at the training center as to not create any misconceptions that he was competing in any way shape or form.

Its obvious what is happening and if you own a shop this will and probably has effected you. To think it won't is naive. Some shops have been positively effected by beating the Original wraps price and taking the fleet work themselves.

I personally know and respect many of the people at 3M including Jason Amidon however this is in my opinion a very very very poor business decision on their part and Im sure market share is shifting.

Perception is reality and you vote with your wallets.

This would be my annual appearance here. Wish you all the best.

Sergio

 

[mopar691]

I always like to hear from Sergio. Great Post!!!

 

[HulkSmash]

So funny we're talking about this.
This morning, another customer of mine brings in his van that he got done at the Nissan dealership. He wasn't happy about his experience. Apparently 3M had a table at the dealership wooing customers over to wrap their new vehicles. They explained that he had to use them, and they could throw it into their lease. Use their prints and their installers.. again, I was requested, and again he was told our company was not qualified.

He explained to me that he was suppose to get massive logos on the side of his vans, the back, and the hood. After about 6 weeks of waiting.. he finally got them done, they've been on for about 3 weeks now. 3M didn't do the hoods as he requested, and expected...Also I was less then impressed with the install job. See the attached, you tell me if this install is acceptable. Those cuts were beyond awful...


Keep going on like this, and 3M will ruin their own reputation.

yet another stolen customer. Again, screw you 3M.

 

[CES020]

Holy mackerel. I guess I could be a 3M wrap guy after seeing that. I've never wrapped anything, but I'm about 99% certain I can do better than that on my first go at it.

 

[Gino]

Color.... that is pathetic and I don't care who is behind it.... that's pure unadulterated bullsh!t on 3M's part to push the envelope any further without looking into their already authorized installers. I could understand one of those hic-ups or maybe even two, but so many on one vehicle alone ??

Well, you know what they all say around here.......... ya gotta start somewhere. :ROFLMAO:​

 

[Baz]

That looks like a case where maybee the owner or a top employee was trained and certified ... But once a job goes into production who's to say that the employee doing the work was actually trained him/herself?

 

[Bigdawg]

I've been following this as a guest... and had to log in to see the pix Adam just posted. Holy smokes! I'd fire my installer if he even tried to send that out as a finished job. If that is representational of a 3M Certified wrapper - well my opinion of their certification program is not real good at this point.

We wrap a couple fleets, so potentially this could affect us too. But we will continue to buy 3M products. That is what our customers ask for and that is what we will give them. While I don't think real highly of the practice of competing against the shops you sell to, this has been going on for a while and as the market gets more aggressive things like this will become more prevalent - and not just in the wrap area of signs. For us at this point, not using 3M is like cutting off our nose to spite our face.

Adam - pictures like this are your biggest selling tool. This is not an apples to apples wrap program... it's an apple to really rotten oranges comparison. For customers who care, I would hope they can see the value in quality work paid for now as opposed to paying over time for a crappy job. But it's the Fingerhut mentality you have to overcome with them - you only have to pay a little each month, but what they end up with is junk.

And I can certainly understand why you are mad!

 

[TyrantDesigner]

So funny we're talking about this.
This morning, another customer of mine brings in his van that he got done at the Nissan dealership. He wasn't happy about his experience. Apparently 3M had a table at the dealership wooing customers over to wrap their new vehicles. They explained that he had to use them, and they could throw it into their lease. Use their prints and their installers.. again, I was requested, and again he was told our company was not qualified.

He explained to me that he was suppose to get massive logos on the side of his vans, the back, and the hood. After about 6 weeks of waiting.. he finally got them done, they've been on for about 3 weeks now. 3M didn't do the hoods as he requested, and expected...Also I was less then impressed with the install job. See the attached, you tell me if this install is acceptable. Those cuts were beyond awful...


Keep going on like this, and 3M will ruin their own reputation.

yet another stolen customer. Again, screw you 3M.

Someone as a certified installer forgot the 3m edge prep, and the 3m edge sealer. ... and the skill to install it.

 

[2B]

@ Merritt & Sergio
Very good posts and insights

@ Color
HOLY SMOKES BATMAN!!! and I'm guessing there is no redo with the dealer. sad indeed

 

[HulkSmash]

I get to redo this one, and the hoods as he originally wanted and didn't get.
He told me when he goes back to buy them he'll take me with him.

This wasn't a massive fleet.. just 6 vehicles i believe.. but still something that i do all the time for this customer taken away from me by 3m, and not giving my customer the choice of who did it.

I forgot to mention, he never met the printer, never met the installer.. he is in the dark on the whole process. What does this do for companies like us?....If this was a potential new customer.. i'll never get .. because 3M isn't competing and out there farming customers, and it also eliminates any repeat business because they have no idea who to go to get more work done.



Good thing 3M isn't out there being my competition.

 

[cdiesel]

I just want to make something very clear here. The installers that are participating in the 3M Original Wraps program are not necessarily "3M Certified".

3M Certified is a term reserved exclusively for company's that have passed the United Application Standards Group's (UASG) testing and qualification process.

3M Preferred is a term reserved exclusively for an individual that has passed 3M's Preferred Installer test.

The installers OW is using on this program are supposed to be qualified through their star rating program. I have no information whether or not the installers that are being used are actually on the star rating program or not.

In full disclosure, we employ a 3M Preferred Installer, and are a 3M Certified company (as well as PDAA Master Certified). We've also installed for OW. I just don't want to be lumped into the group of people putting work like that out!

 

[CheapVehicleWrap]

So funny we're talking about this.
This morning, another customer of mine brings in his van that he got done at the Nissan dealership. He wasn't happy about his experience. Apparently 3M had a table at the dealership wooing customers over to wrap their new vehicles. They explained that he had to use them, and they could throw it into their lease. Use their prints and their installers.. again, I was requested, and again he was told our company was not qualified.

He explained to me that he was suppose to get massive logos on the side of his vans, the back, and the hood. After about 6 weeks of waiting.. he finally got them done, they've been on for about 3 weeks now. 3M didn't do the hoods as he requested, and expected...Also I was less then impressed with the install job. See the attached, you tell me if this install is acceptable. Those cuts were beyond awful...


Keep going on like this, and 3M will ruin their own reputation.

yet another stolen customer. Again, screw you 3M.

LMFNO! This is whats to be expected. Looks like CVW work. May I borrow the pics Adam for.my site?

 

[HulkSmash]

12 guests viewing.

that's about 8 3M people who are afraid to log in and face this.

 

[HulkSmash]

I just want to make something very clear here. The installers that are participating in the 3M Original Wraps program are not necessarily "3M Certified".

3M Certified is a term reserved exclusively for company's that have passed the United Application Standards Group's (UASG) testing and qualification process.

3M Preferred is a term reserved exclusively for an individual that has passed 3M's Preferred Installer test.

The installers OW is using on this program are supposed to be qualified through their star rating program. I have no information whether or not the installers that are being used are actually on the star rating program or not.

In full disclosure, we employ a 3M Preferred Installer, and are a 3M Certified company (as well as PDAA Master Certified). We've also installed for OW. I just don't want to be lumped into the group of people putting work like that out!

You're right Chris... Last thing i want to do is stereotype 3m cert. installers.. I've seen some excellent ones. My whole point is the installer they're using is apparently more qualified than my company. I'll post the picture we install, since we're redoing this pile of junk.

 

[ProWraps]

eh... isnt there some serious deviation from the 3M tech bulletins on how that stuff is supposed to be installed?

arent those deep channels supposed to be cut and dropped per 3M?

the first wrap i ever installed looked better than that. no joke. that must be a mechanic install.

 

[HulkSmash]

eh... isnt there some serious deviation from the 3M tech bulletins on how that stuff is supposed to be installed?

arent those deep channels supposed to be cut and dropped per 3M?

the first wrap i ever installed looked better than that. no joke. that must be a mechanic install.

these Nissans aren't as deep as the regular sprinters. And sadly he was told it was a 3m certified installer. there's only like 2 or 3 here.. I think i know who.

 

[mudmedia]

You're right Chris... Last thing i want to do is stereotype 3m cert. installers.. I've seen some excellent ones. My whole point is the installer they're using is apparently more qualified than my company. I'll post the picture we install, since we're redoing this pile of junk.

After seeing those pictures I busted out laughing and shaked my head saying to myself "And they say Adam isnt qualified????"

Those are pathetic

 

[CanuckSigns]

So funny we're talking about this.
This morning, another customer of mine brings in his van that he got done at the Nissan dealership. He wasn't happy about his experience. Apparently 3M had a table at the dealership wooing customers over to wrap their new vehicles. They explained that he had to use them, and they could throw it into their lease. Use their prints and their installers.. again, I was requested, and again he was told our company was not qualified.

He explained to me that he was suppose to get massive logos on the side of his vans, the back, and the hood. After about 6 weeks of waiting.. he finally got them done, they've been on for about 3 weeks now. 3M didn't do the hoods as he requested, and expected...Also I was less then impressed with the install job. See the attached, you tell me if this install is acceptable. Those cuts were beyond awful...


Keep going on like this, and 3M will ruin their own reputation.

yet another stolen customer. Again, screw you 3M.

Wow!

I've never wrapped anything more than box trucks and trailers, but a few months ago I took the Avery wrap course with Justin Pate and I can tell you that the cargo van they had us wrap looked 100x better than this, and at least 75% of us had never wrapped anything with a curve!

 

[ProWraps]

you better beleive those insets on the sides are too deep to conform to. thats why you can see them lifting in the pics. those should have been cut an dropped. 3M would say that they used 380 which they didnt. regardless, ive used 380 it still wont stay down in those channels no matter what 3m spouts.

 

[mudmedia]

you better beleive those insets on the sides are too deep to conform to. thats why you can see them lifting in the pics. those should have been cut an dropped. 3M would say that they used 380 which they didnt. regardless, ive used 380 it still wont stay down in those channels no matter what 380 spouts.

And they cant say "oh the customer didn't want white showing" cause the client never ever talked or knew anything about the printer or installer. 3M if that is what you call a preferred installer ouch.