What is wrong with customers!!

[heyskull]

I have had this client for the last 10 years, who has a little business which he runs round in a car derived van offering his services to local garages and bodyshops.
He came into our shop on about October last year with a new car derived van and wanted a new idea...... but it had to incorporate his original logo kind off!

He has been in and out of our shop maybe 12 times with ideas which are completely unuseable. But to humour him I have shown it applied to his vehicle.
Now to say I have gave him too much design time is an understatement. I now have 15 different ideas floating!

Well two weeks ago he comes in saying "he likes the design on someone elses vehicle and could we incorporate something similair onto his van. Well I would normally oblige to the design, but this was of a guy who is offering the same service as my customer!!! Why you would want to look like someone else I have no idea?!

Well after almost 4 months and about maybe 16+ hours designing with no confirmation of layout I had enough with this job. Believe me I normally get bored after three designs but I put a lot of effort into as he was a repeat customer of many years.

I passed his van all lettered up in basically what was on it before.............. What a utter total, utter total *&&*&!£&&*£****.

I think people like this need beaten to a pulp....

What is more infuriating it has only took someone 2 weeks to copy his original design!

Is their anyway of making people understand what they are doing to me.

As from yesterday their is a polite notice now explaining charges and input required from them for design work.

SC

P.S.
Sorry for the rant but this guy takes the biscuit.... in fact he takes the whole packet.

 

[Dave Drane]

Don't panic, I know the feeling well. I have a saying that goes "your customer is only your customer while you are doing his work" When $$s come into it they will desert you in droves!

 

[Craig Sjoquist]

From what I got from this is you have bent over backwards trying help him design a logo for eons and then he gets it done else where without your help ....lol lol figures ..

Why I do not help design stuff for possible customers, example other day one came in with one all printed out to size, figured some sign or print shop did it, but it was a POOR layout.
Customer was recommended to me by another, I look at the layout quoted price of doing work as is then showing him some simple changes I'll do just pointed out with finger, sold the job.
They see your work in pictures or real signs, they already like it or don't, there is no need to do the job for them, just to get the job.

 

[Jillbeans]

I feel your pain yet....did you get a deposit first?
Even if he's an old customer he's obviously not a loyal one.
Send him a bill for all your design time along with a note mentioning he'd had your design copied.
Maybe he'll pay, but he probably won't.
Let it be a lesson.
Don't even turn on your computer without a deposit, and do tell your client that their deposit gets them X amount of design time.
Love....Jill

 

[heyskull]

The Design was made years ago he just wanted it updated.

Only to go and have the usual stuff he gets put on it.

SC

 

[LKent]

this is an issue across the board and you are far from alone on it. you just did work for free...thats why you never play around with designs beforehand with customers, they either pay for you to design it upfront or they bring it in themselves. if they dont like that then they an go annoy someone else. if they are serious about buying they would pay upfront no problem. thats how you weed out those useless customers that like to steal your time.

remember you can never please all customers, and you have to protect your time and business. dont go designing stuff for people to have them steal it and go to some shmoe up the street. designing is a creative process that should be commissioned (paid upfront to start the work).

 

[Mike Paul]

Let me guess... Customer said "play around with it and see what you can come up with" ... and you bit?

Lesson learned the hard way.

 

[njshorts]

Always charge for your work. If you don't place a cost on it and collect, it will have no value.

Hard to live by, but totally worth it!