What's your biggest signmaking mistake

[tsgstl]

I was reminded of one today and there's no way I'm alone.... hopefully

I actually have 2 noteworthy mistakes:

In 1998 when Mark McGwire was chasing Roger Maris's homerun record we made a banner that must of been 15'x75' and it had big # banners so they could change it as he hit more. It was on a highrise about a block away from the Busch Stadium. I spelt his name Mcuire and they didn't catch it till it was mounted. I felt pretty cool meeting with the maintenance guys to fix it in their boiler room.

Not that long ago I got a order to install a banner on the side of a house (converted into a business) they wanted me to drill it directly into the siding. I always hate doing this, it is the last possible option imo. After going back and forth I told them to print out a pic of the property and show me directly where to put it so there was no excuse after it was done. I had pics of all sides of the house and directions on how to get there. It was very obvious when I pulled up. Archway front door, shudders, siding whatnot. I call him one last time because there seemed to be nobody there and the sideing was brand spanking new. I get the OK so I start drilling and install the banner. I start loading up and look down the street to the next house down, same side of the road but across another side street. It looked EXACTLY the same. So I check the address and you can finish the story from here. I get it down and someone comes walking out the front door. Needless to say they were not very happy. We swap info and I go on my way not hearing from him for 2 months. He calls me to install a graphics package he got from corporate. He actually wanted to pay me, I did it for free.

 

[John Butto]

My big mistake is getting on Signs101 and posting. Feel like a crackhead in line buying a hotdog and cigs at 7-11.

 

[ChicagoGraphics]

My big mistake was getting into the sign business altogether

 

[tsgstl]

My big mistake is getting on Signs101 and posting. Feel like a crackhead in line buying a hotdog and cigs at 7-11.

don't knock it til you try it

 

[skyhigh]

My big mistake is getting on Signs101 and posting. Feel like a crackhead in line buying a hotdog and cigs at 7-11.

We all share your pain.





Almost forgot...... I don't make mistakes.
ahhhhh er, well.....there was this one time....

 

[anotherdog]

mine is a print one... business forms for a big company in Birmingham, UK. Misspelled it as Bumingham. I swear it was proofed by 10 people.
When it was thrown away it filled an entire builders skip with waste paper... Glad I was working for someone else then, and with so many people (including the customer) looking at it they could hardly fire me.

 

[visual800]

Oh wow this could take all day. Back in early years.

First off dealing with low end roundtrackers. Dealing and trying to please those that "need it now" or fall for the "Bruce, your the man and I know you can get this done for us" yeah, I dont fall for that crap anymore. Back in the day I pleased every human that called me, now not so much. Its all about learning

 

[DizzyMarkus]

Desert instead of DESSERT-- proofed and spell checked :0) Of course already installed and hanging on the wall :0)

I am fairly new -- I got lots lol


Markus

 

[klingsdesigns]

message - massage... Was proofed by the customer and her company too!

 

[Fred Weiss]

Back in the days before printed decals we cut and weeded 100 decals in a font named Slipstream without first quoting it because the client said he didn't need a quote. We went along because the guy had been referred to us by one of our best customers. The job took two employees all day and was priced accordingly.

When the client was called he was given the price which was the last time anyone ever saw him. It was the first job we ever ate and the last time we ever produced work without a quote.

 

[weaselboogie]

Used MDO for 2 consecutive signs that I thought was exterior. Turns out it wasn't exterior MDO and started to delaminate after a year. Ate em both.

 

[Mosh]

Lettered a truck for a good customer, white Ford ranger behind his shop....turns out
he was delayed getting it there, but, there was a white ford ranger back there....I had one door lettered when the lady came out. Embarrassing! WRONG TRUCK!!!!
\

 

[Gino]

Staying with Fred's example of written contracts/quotes or lack of...... many years ago we had a customer who contracted us to do quite a few electric signs for a building. Had all the quotes signed and received deposits for 1/2 up front. Went to work on them and a few weeks later called to make arrangements for installing the signs and were informed the electricians still hadn't run the dedicated lines for all these boxes.

No problem, we'll just install the sign cabinets and the electricians can punch through and wire them in.

Wrong. They had hired union electricians and they said they would walk off the job if we got or had anything in their way, so the customer asked me to hold up a week or two. So we asked for a partial balance which everyone agreed to 1/2 of the remaining half. We then deposited that and waited.

Turned out to be almost four weeks, I believe. We installed the signs and sent them the balance for the remaining 1/4 amount.

Didn't get it, didn't get it, didn't get it and finally called them about the final payment. They said we were four weeks late installing their signs and they are deducting that from our bill.

WTF ??

We argued.... and they ignored us. Then, one day, they asked us to look at the stub. It said in the memo line, 'FINAL PAYMENT'

No where in the land will a judge or court find in your favor if you deposited a check that states 'FINAL PAYMENT'....... if it doesn't meet your demand. Simply depositing that check changed the original agreements of the said amount and we were now accepting this as the new agreed upon final amount.

Our lawyer said, always check out the check and make sure you never get swindled like this again.

Evidently, this is an old trick and we were still new to the party.

​

 

[niksagkram]

10,000 die cut fridge magnets for a liquor store...... but liquor was spelt liqOUr! Proofed by at least 5 people too.

 

[petesign]

Back where I used to work, we would outsource a lot of big banners for the featherlite nascar series. I designed a victory lane banner at 1" = 1' and sent it off. A month later we get a call asking what the deal was with their banner, and get a photo of the race winner holding up his victory lane backdrop banner (which was about 18"x24") and his trophy.

Most embarrassing phone call ever. Biggest mistake was not verifying the size with them before it drop shipped.

 

[mrchips]

Most of these are mistakes.......wrong spelling, wrong color, wrong gild etc.

That's why I'm in the sign business.......I have so many mistakes in my stock boxes that it's some much easier than coming up with 20 or 25 original carvings to sell.



Joe,

Makin Chip$ and Havin Fun!

 

[JgS]

Left the r out of shirts. Didn't get caught until we were hanging the banner up.

 

[Speedsterbeast]

Can't remember ever making any.





(tongue placed firmly in cheek)

 

[J Hill Designs]

cant remember any huge ones off the top of my head, but plenty of classic measure once cut twice problems

edit: really need to invest in one of them board stretchers I've heard about =)

 

[nashvillesigns]

worked for one company, had a BIG customer that wanted 200 screen prints on red poly of the word "Vaccuum" Needless to say, even after proofing it, i spelled it wrong. twenty years later, my ears still ring every once in a while..