What would you do?

[CanuckSigns]

One of our customers is a local hospital, we deal with about 5 different people within the hospital (different departments) a few of these people are great to deal with, place pretty large orders and are pretty down to earth.

However there is one lady there that constantly makes us jump through hoops to do her small jobs. Expecting us to do on-site visits for free to make a $50 sign

she asks for artwork proofs and I explain that we don't design without a Purchase Order in hand, she said that she will get one made up but it will take a few days, so why can't we "whip something up" in the meantime.

we are currently on the 3rd revision for an extremely simple layout of single colour cut vinyl decals, she still has not gotten me a purchase order yet.

How would you go about standing up for yourself to this customer without alienating the other buyers at the hospital?

 

[cdiesel]

Just stick to your guns. Require PO's before starting anything, and charge for your artwork.

 

[Gino]

What have you done so far to express your thoughts on this matter to her ??

It's a good thing to know what preventive measures you've taken to this point, so we don't repeat any of your already failed methods.

 

[Pat Whatley]

Finish the job you're doing for her right now, when you go to deliver it just man up and tell her how future orders are going to have to be handled. Tell her up-front you can't design without a purchase order, tell her that her first layout is included in the price and set up a pricing structure for revisions. Tell her that you will glad to make on-site visits but on orders under $500 you have to add a $45 trip charge to cover the time involved.

Seriously, just man up and tell her the truth. Customers like that are typically treating you like that because they think it's okay and it's the way your business operates. They're not out to be pains in the ass, they just don't know better....especially since you've gone along with it. Be nice about it, explain your side of it, and you'll be surprised how easily most people change how they deal with you.

 

[Joe3]

Stand up to her. I"m sure the other buyers already know she's hard to deal with.

 

[AUTO-FX]

yup, i would just explain it. you're in this to earn a living, and if you have to make trips and redo designs you're not making anything on the job - you'll need to raise the price above reasonable for what she's getting you to produce. appeal to common sense- it works- mostly.

 

[Letterbox Mike]

Pat's method is 100% correct. We had a hospital client like this a few years back. They would expect a site visit to change a 1" vinyl name on a directory sign. There's something about the healthcare industry that makes them think this is standard operating procedure... they love their site visits. Just make very clear to them for smaller orders you cannot justify a site visit.

We ended up buying our client a cheap digital camera so they could send us pictures of things that we couldn't justify a site visit for, worked great and was a worthwhile $100 investment, They were happy and we were happy. Consider that, as well as some sort of semi-standardized order form or a .pdf fill-in form. That way they can email you the photo and the order form, if streamlines everything, makes their job easier, your job easier, and in the end the job is done quicker, better and more cost effectively for them.

Unfortunately, the person we dealt with at the hospital retired and the new guy was computer illiterate and demanded free site visits or no order and wasn't willing to budge on our procedures we had set up. He found some other sucker to drive up there and spend an hour or two traipsing around a huge campus for a $45 order. Fine with me, even though they ordered alot, without following those procedures, they were a money loser.

 

[CheapVehicleWrap]

Print this thread out, leave on her desk.

 

[TXGraphix24]

Tell her that she has to have a design in hand, that she likes. You will give her a proof of what it will look like completed, but make sure she knows she cant keep changing her mind. espcially for 50 bucks. I wouldnt get out of bed.

 

[Sign Works]

Tell her it's equal to expecting to get medical treatment without medical insurance, maybe she will be able to relate to that.

 

[skyhigh]

Explain that when your sick, the hospital dosen't make site visits. They also charge for every visit or procedure, even when their first attempt to cure you didn't work.

Then expect to lose a customer. Its not that she thinks that's the way your business operates, rather she likes to have her ass kissed.

My advice is to suck it up. If not for the other 4 buyers, I would tell her to pound a stethoscope

 

[royster13]

Make sure the art charge shows up on every proof you send and a note that the minimum charge for a change is .50 of an hour.....

 

[CanuckSigns]

Thanks for the replys! I guess i knew the answer myself all along, just good to hear it from someone else to re-assure myself i'm not just going crazy! :U Rock:

Tell her it's equal to expecting to get medical treatment without medical insurance, maybe she will be able to relate to that.

 

[john1]

Start no job until at least 50% is down, if they are a true customer they will understand that your time is valuable.

I used to fall into this trap when i first started but am now better off not jumping through hoops because someone calls me. Alot seem to think i'm cocky or don't want the work but they are customers i don't want anyway and only give me a few hundred dollars MAYBE every few years.

Unless your right up the road (1 miles tops) or a few hundred/thousand dollar job, i'm not giving a on site visit for free.