These people give signs a bad name

[equippaint]

The guy did respond as you said in your first post. He told the customer he was having printer problems so at that point, he responded and it looks like the customer was OK with that or he would have cancelled the job. The bad mouthing was you saying "WOW". The low balling was knowing what he bid and under bidding that.

The guy deserves to be badmouthed. Taking money, making lame excuses and disappearing is what pill heads do. Low balling isn't being less than someone else either. Maybe the other guy was trying to scam all that he could and shot really high?

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

THE OFFICIAL DOSSIER for GINO! (Email address and names blanked) Litterly nothing else has been said between us. No calls, and the "facebook" communication was him asking me if I had a position open to which I ignored and didn't respond

-----------
i told him i’d bring him the faces and he can contact you
or whoever he wants to put them in..
good luck..


On Apr 30, 2018, at 6:53 PM, ****signco@yahoo.com> wrote:

Question... how am I supposed to know who your customer was?




On Monday, April 30, 2018, 6:44:21 PM CDT, r***2<***> wrote:
Wow man! Really? I can’t believe you would go behind my back and try to underbid me on a job that I already have. I called you about helping me do the install and then you sneak around behind my back and under bid me? You know I was hoping you weren’t a backstabber like most of the other companies here in Tyler but after that man I just don’t know.
you know if you had called me to help you with an install or to print some graphics for you, I would’ve never done that to you.
If that’s how you conduct business then I sure don’t want to come work for you.
You don’t have to reply back. Thanks
***



On Fri, Mar 16, 2018 at 5:15 PM ****signco@yahoo.com> wrote:
Hey, I called and left a message earlier...I may be looking for some help. You can call back Monday anytime between 7:30 and 5
Cost to swap out two 4x8 poly's would be $675.



On Friday, March 16, 2018, 3:57:54 PM CDT, r**2 ***> wrote:
my name is ****.. i spoke to you a little while back on facebook messenger
to see if you were needing any help..
still interested in talking to you about that if you’re needing someone..
also, what would you charge me to remove TWO 4’x8’ ploy sign faces and slide in TWO new ones??
the top of the lighted sign box is about 15 feet off the ground..
thanks,
***
903-*****

 

[Gino]

What are the holes in the story? I think the problem is reading comprehension.

It seems pretty straightforward. Texas called on a customer. Customer says he already has somebody working on the signs. Texas tells him that's a long time to wait, tells the guy what he would have charged and how quickly he'd have it done. Customer says he paid more than that, asks for a quote. Texas gives him one.

This isn't Finnegan's Wake or Infinite Jest, it's a pretty easy story line to follow.

Yeah, that's why it's so hard for you to follow. This same scenario happens all the time..... and it's always the same kinda dude behind the storyline.

Like I said, I could care less how or what he does........ all this crap coming from a rattle can painter and bottom-of-the-barrel feeder.

Bragging about this whole story is ridiculous, if it was real, but to make so many parts up...... for what ?? To make it a little more believable ??

Ahhh, I didn't know the uh other guy had me quote on this umm sign. He told me enough ya know information to quote, but not ahh where it was or for who ?? But I uhh could quote it anyway. So, I uhh ate at this here place the other ahh night and talked to the manager on the spot all about his umm sign and found out all this uhh information and was able to underbid the other guy by about uhh half.

Give me a frickin' break, dudes..... and dudettes.​

​

Did you know there isn't an Easter Bunny ??​

 

[StarSign]

I am curious as to how busy are you if it's common to take 90 days to produce a sign.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

Yeah, that's why it's so hard for you to follow. This same scenario happens all the time..... and it's always the same kinda dude behind the storyline.

Like I said, I could care less how or what he does........ all this crap coming from a rattle can painter and bottom-of-the-barrel feeder.

Bragging about this whole story is ridiculous, if it was real, but to make so many parts up...... for what ?? To make it a little more believable ??

Ahhh, I didn't know the uh other guy had me quote on this umm sign. He told me enough ya know information to quote, but not ahh where it was or for who ?? But I uhh could quote it anyway. So, I uhh ate at this here place the other ahh night and talked to the manager on the spot all about his umm sign and found out all this uhh information and was able to underbid the other guy by about uhh half.

Give me a frickin' break, dudes..... and dudettes.​

Did you know there isn't an Easter Bunny ??​

Sorry I didn't post a typical "guy got screwed" story... this one had a little twist when I realized the guy that was screwing the customer had some communication with me in the past and he sends me this stupid email about how I screwed him and I point out to him I never knew who the customer was in the first place... pretty clear in the email chain. Otherwise I wouldn't of wasted my time telling the story.

Another example of someone jumping to conclusions without thinking... like a few on this thread have already done. You wana complain about young people using umm too much? Why not complain about people commenting without knowing their ass from the head.

Why you so hung up on me saying business is good and I'm turning down work...yet I stopped in a pitched a sign? I'm thankful that I can turn down some jobs. I also said in that same post I am turning down jobs too big for me to comfortably do, I'm focusing on medium sized ones that I can easily do myself. Hence why I stopped on on some 4x8's. Decent profit for a one-man job. You upset I turn down vehicle magnets to focus on 4x8's? I have my area of the sign world that I fit in and I'm glad it's moving away from Magnets and banners.

Maybe you'd rather talk about how the youngin's are saying umm too much, would you like me to post threads like that? Or maybe about old men using emogies too much.

 

[TimToad]

Texas Sign.....Weren't you the one a while back in a post who said they do a set of magnetics for like $35 bucks all day long because they are "temporary,"
and people like me are nuts for trying to get paid for them?

Now here you are on your hands and knees begging this restaurant owner to let you do his signs, (for less money of course). You were told a deposit
was already paid and in process for the signs and yet you still try to slither your way in the door.

On top of that you are now degrading this fellow sign person because you feel everyone should be Johnny on the spot like you. Well I got news for you.
Someday if you do ever get busy, 90 days on production and completion is not out of the question in a good sign shop.

Sounds to me like the new guy is busier than you, and is on track with sign Industry pricing. You should take note and not burn bridges because
someday you may just be working for him.

Johnny best... you hit the nail on the head.

Unless it is an electric sign cabinet needing to be designed, permitted and built or a super involved, multimedia sign with layers of complex production tasks, your average couple of plex faces should NOT take anybody 90 days. A 'good" sign company does its utmost to keep production moving along and not taking on more work than they can handle in a timely fashion. Being good doesn't give us license to back burner jobs to the point where its three months of waiting for a new sign. New businesses rarely are "woke" enough to order their signs months and months in advance of opening their doors.

I'm not siding with Texas Signmaker, just adding some context. He couldn't have known what the situation was up front and for all we know the business owner was equally complicit by complaining about the first vendor and giving the impression that he had run out of patience.

 

[DerbyCitySignGuy]

Yeah, that's why it's so hard for you to follow. This same scenario happens all the time..... and it's always the same kinda dude behind the storyline.

Like I said, I could care less how or what he does........ all this crap coming from a rattle can painter and bottom-of-the-barrel feeder.

Bragging about this whole story is ridiculous, if it was real, but to make so many parts up...... for what ?? To make it a little more believable ??

Ahhh, I didn't know the uh other guy had me quote on this umm sign. He told me enough ya know information to quote, but not ahh where it was or for who ?? But I uhh could quote it anyway. So, I uhh ate at this here place the other ahh night and talked to the manager on the spot all about his umm sign and found out all this uhh information and was able to underbid the other guy by about uhh half.

Give me a frickin' break, dudes..... and dudettes.​

Did you know there isn't an Easter Bunny ??​

Okay, Gino. Whatever you say. Sorry people are disagreeing with you, your highness, time for you to start throwing around the insults because everybody isn't kissing your feet and agreeing with you.

I understand his post was difficult for you to follow. Maybe he should have included a lot more ellipses and emojis so you could follow along.

 

[papabud]

i guess i side with texas on this, his eating habits had no bearing on what the other sign shop did.
he saw a bad sign and inquired about fixing it.
found out later that the install he quoted was for that very sign that the other shop dropped the ball on.
not sure who finished the job. but i am sure the sign owner was frustrated on ordering a sign and not getting one.
must of called the first shop as a not happy customer demanding results.
the first shop produced the faces quick but refused to install them for what ever reason.

 

[JR's]

What the heck guys,
someone post some nice-looking signs so I could have something to look at.

Carry-on

 

[eahicks]

Wonder what the other shops in town think of me? I needed a new PC and walked into the local store. Owner came out and asked what I needed. I told him and he said: "Signs huh, want to do my windows"? I said: "Yes." He asks: "When can you have it done"? "Last shop was here months ago, took measurements, sent a quote and never showed up. Latest one did the same thing and it's been nearly six weeks with zero contact."

I did all the windows the following week in exchange for a stupid fast computer.

Lesson for the Day: If the guy in the OP's story would have handled his sh!t there wouldn't be anything to whine about.

BOOM!

 

[TimToad]

I know my eating is bad



Wow, are we talking about the same post? You really missed the reality of what went on...maybe re-read.




I said this??



Maybe he is better at pricing. He got the customer to agree to $2300 for two 4x8's when I priced them at $1500 (White background, three lines of black text, installed on a ground level monument.) Figured After labor and materials it would be 1k profit for about a half day of work for one guy... I must be thinking too cheaply.



Highly doubt this.. He twice emailed me about want to work for us. I guess you missed that too.



Update: The customer talked to the guy and he said he's had the signs done and that he cant install them. He told the customer he can pick them up for $500 and find someone to do it. (As a side note: I quoted him the install 2 months ago and told him I require payment upfront.. maybe he got in a jam and couldn't pay to have it put up)

$36.00 per square foot for uninstalled plex or poly faces with some diecut trans vinyl on them? As much as I love Cali, I'm packing my shop up and moving to Texas. Around here, Texas Signmaker's price is about average. We get about $20 per square foot for Lexan plus installation and still usually have a 25-35% profit margin.

According to my primary supplier's pricing he's into it for about $350 in Lexan and another couple hundred in vinyl at the most. Not bad money if you can find enough pigeons willing to pay it.

Things aren't adding up and the more of the story comes out, the less clear any of it is. What is clear is the first guy was gouging the client AND taking forever to complete the project. I don't subscribe to the "take whatever you can get" theory of economics. Our trade is woefully out of touch compared to how other skilled trades cooperate, respect and maintain certain minimum standards for pricing levels. If you call 10 plumbers, electricians, auto repair, etc. you will find far more consistency in their shop rates than if you called 10 sign companies.

What is the extra $500 for? The privilege of picking up exorbitantly priced sign faces that have taken over 90 days to complete and can't be installed at ground level by the vendor? What is he disabled?

FFS, my wife is 5'4" and I've seen her and our other female employee who is about the same size slide faces that big into ground level monuments in about 5 minutes time.

 

[mpn]

Oldie but goodie for JR

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

$36.00 per square foot for uninstalled plex or poly faces with some diecut trans vinyl on them? As much as I love Cali, I'm packing my shop up and moving to Texas. Around here, Texas Signmaker's price is about average. We get about $20 per square foot for Lexan plus installation and still usually have a 25-35% profit margin.

According to my primary supplier's pricing he's into it for about $350 in Lexan and another couple hundred in vinyl at the most. Not bad money if you can find enough pigeons willing to pay it.

Things aren't adding up and the more of the story comes out, the less clear any of it is. What is clear is the first guy was gouging the client AND taking forever to complete the project. I don't subscribe to the "take whatever you can get" theory of economics. Our trade is woefully out of touch compared to how other skilled trades cooperate, respect and maintain certain minimum standards for pricing levels. If you call 10 plumbers, electricians, auto repair, etc. you will find far more consistency in their shop rates than if you called 10 sign companies.

What is the extra $500 for? The privilege of picking up exorbitantly priced sign faces that have taken over 90 days to complete and can't be installed at ground level by the vendor? What is he disabled?

FFS, my wife is 5'4" and I've seen her and our other female employee who is about the same size slide faces that big into ground level monuments in about 5 minutes time.

You confusion about the story not adding up is right, hopefully not on my part bbt rather the flake of a "sign person" who is making this a weird story. The customer got an email back from them this morning saying the signs were actually now ready... and that if he wanted to pick them up and have whoever install them then he needs to pay $500 more. Yes, that doesn't match what the customer thought was the hold up (the broken printer) Maybe the guy is lieing and changing stories for whatever reason. If it IS true, I too don't know why if the panels ARE ready why he can't install himself? Maybe he doesn't own a drill or have a way to transport a 4x8. Your guess is as good as mine.

Your right in saying things are not adding up, just be glad it's not you who spent the $1200 having to peice together the mess this guy made.

The customer told me he's considering not paying the extra $500, because there is no telling what the panels even look like. I told him I do not prefer to install others' panels. He'll prob. just have me do the whole thing so I can warranty it and everything.

 

[TimToad]

Lol, so if you get a deposit from a customer, your printer breaks and you don't respond for 3 months.. and another sign company sees your client's old sign getting dingy-er and pitches them, they are the unethical ones? Wow JX... I'm really surprised at your responses.

I'm surprised as well and it is perfectly clear that there is some bias there being blended in. If my printer breaks down and I've taken a substantial deposit on a highly profitable job, I'm sending files to a wholesale vendor in order to keep my word to the client and save face.

 

[TimToad]

The guy did respond as you said in your first post. He told the customer he was having printer problems so at that point, he responded and it looks like the customer was OK with that or he would have cancelled the job. The bad mouthing was you saying "WOW". The low balling was knowing what he bid and under bidding that.

What would your response have been to learn that another sign company was sitting on a deposit for three months, not staying in contact as the customer described, or didn't offer some other solution like getting the prints done by a colleague, wholesaler or cut out of diecut vinyl? "Gee, that all seems perfectly normal to me"?

 

[Johnny Best]

All I can tell you is that I am not eating salmon for a while.
The heading of this posts says "These people give signs a bad name" that was aptly put.

 

[TimToad]

You confusion about the story not adding up shouldn't be with me...rather the flake of a "sign person" who is making this a weird story. The customer got an email back from them this morning saying the signs were actually now ready... and that if he wanted to pick them up and have whoever install them then he needs to pay $500 more. Yes, that doesn't match what the customer thought was the hold up (the broken printer) Maybe the guy is lieing and changing stories for whatever reason. If it IS true, I too don't know why if the panels ARE ready why he can't install himself? Maybe he doesn't own a drill or have a way to transport a 4x8. Your guess is as good as mine.

Your right in saying things are not adding up, just be glad it's not you who spent the $1200 having to peice together the mess this guy made.

The customer told me he's considering not paying the extra $500, because there is no telling what the panels even look like. I told him I do not prefer to install others' panels. He'll prob. just have me do the whole thing so I can warranty it and everything.

Oh I know, mine or anyone else's confusion should be laid squarely at the feet of the other vendor who turned a perfectly simple job of a couple flat panel faces into a complicated mess along with all sorts of added off topic bonuses about your diet, bathroom habits, statements about how your business is doing, magnetic sign pricing, etc. thrown in here by your admirers. Most of whom unlike you have never shown a single work example, portfolio piece, asked for a critique or advice on how to actually make what they do look better, last longer, be more professional looking, etc. I can only imagine why most of the most negative and critical people on this board don't share their work here. It would expose them as the hypocritical, minimally talented hacks they probably are.

The other guy asked you to quote installing a couple of nondescript poly faces up about 15' off the ground. You had lunch and noticed some aged faces in a ground level monument sign and approached the owner. Gee, why didn't you have that sixth sense to know that these were the same faces the other signmaker was talking about? THREE MONTHS LATER AT THAT!

I really hope you'll share what these faces ended up looking like if and when they ever go up.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

Lol, maybe the thing about my lunch threw some people off. Thought I would throw in some info about my odd behavior of not wanting to eat in a restaurant to lighten the story up but that caused some people to flip. This all just happened yesterday and today so I will update!

 

[GAC05]

Lol, maybe the thing about my lunch threw some people off. Thought I would throw in some info about my odd behavior of not wanting to eat in a restaurant to lighten the story up but that caused some people to flip. This all just happened yesterday and today so I will update!

Don't forget to list what is on the menu for lunch today.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

Don't forget to list what is on the menu for lunch today.

Salad bar at Jason's Deli... did I do good Mr. Johnny Best and Gino? Can I get a check mark of dietary approval today?