Would your shop take this wrap job?

[Dr. Decal]

A member of our sales team brought me a order for a wrap last week.

Full cab wrap on 2017 Dodge Ram, leaving the bed of the truck white.

All art is to be designed from scratch, nothing was provided, and the following is the customers request:

"A tribute to the Appalachian area. Please include a mountain range, with a moonshine still, a moonshine jug, a rustic log cabin with smoke coming out of the chimney, an old dirt road, and a crazy old hillbilly that looks like he is driving the truck, and a logo for his transport business in there somewhere."

He wants it all to be real photos, non of that cartoony looking stuff (Vector). He also wants the hillbilly to be a real person that looks like his friend, but has no pictures of this friend.

In my opinion, this is something MOST shops would turn down. I came up with a proof of what could work from his idea, and was "nowhere close".

My question is, is this order something your shop would even attempt?

My wrap design and experience for the most part are abstract graphic backgrounds with incorporated logos. This job seems to be more of a commissioned painting than something that would ever work as a wrap design.

 

[Starter]

We would take on the job if the customer paid us for our design time upfront....4 hours at $65 per session. After the initial 4 hours the customer can choose to pay an additional 4hrs or leave with what they paid for.
It sounds like it will be a $2500.00 wrap with a $5000.00 design fee.

 

[r2prints]

Everything has a price, but it seems like too much legwork to keep it priced realistically. The only ways you could do it are 1. buy licensing to stock photos and spend countless hours on Photoshop work.

2. Hire a photographer to get everything you need, and again spend countless hours on Photoshop work.

Based on his initial reaction to your proof, unfortunately it seems like he has his mind set on his vision and will take nothing less. Good luck!

 

[Dr. Decal]

I went the stock photo route with my first proof, but could not wrap my mind around how to show a panoramic mountain range, while at the same time showing a cabin and small things such as a moonshine jug. Vastly different perspectives combined into one coherent image. I'm the only employee of the graphics department, i'm responsible for all quotes/art/production/installation, and I do believe this one is over my head. I specialize in vector work, I'm efficient in photoshop but by no means a master of it. Pretty sure I could work on this for 100+ hours and still be nowhere close to this customers imagination. He also doesn't want to pay more than $3000 total. I've tried telling the sales person this is not possible,especially on that budget, but they "believe in me".

 

[ddarlak]

this is just silly, what he wants cannot be done for $3000, so why even go down that path.

spinnin your wheels

 

[hcardwell93]

For $3000 run away! 85 proofs later he will go somewhere "that gets him" and you wont get a dime.

 

[Billct2]

No

 

[eahicks]

In a word, No.

 

[GAC05]

The next proof you should send him would be a rendering of a large "NO" in bold black lettering on a clean white background.

 

[Bly]

People like this I send to a local design company.
They can deal with him, see if he has any money then send him back with ready to print art.

 

[GaSouthpaw]

Your salesperson must have been a great date- what with their inability to say no to such a ridiculous request.
Skip them, go straight to the boss/owner and explain that the work is beyond your ability (absolutely no shame in that- the guy wants a commissioned piece of art). If the top dog barks at that, explain how many hours you've already spent on a rejected design and assume that you can at least quadruple that number- all the while not getting any of your other duties accomplished.
An owner with some common should would recognize that this job is going to lose money, and what the customer expects for their $3000 budget is unrealistic, at best.

 

[WrapYourCar]

Give. Him a vague estimate on cost.. approx. $1000 - $15000

 

[bannertime]

Give. Him a vague estimate on cost.. approx. $1000 - $15000

And a turn-around time of 1-6 months.

 

[fresh]

I would point him to a few stock websites, tell him to do his own photo research, making a lightbox with multiple images that he thinks might work. If he can find suitable pictures, MAYBE you can do a quick design.

I have someone who wants custom printed canvas fabric for a reupholstery project. if you've ever bought upholstery fabric, you know its expensive for the cheap stuff! Anyway, she wants some crazy custom pop art design, 5 yards of fabric, all for a "very low budget". I haven't called her back.

 

[Gino]

Here's a problem when the salespeople have no idea of what they're talking about or capable of producing. If they don't know what you can or cannot do, they're gonna go on pricing stuff like this in the future. You should talk to the owners and have a meeting about your ability in something you're not comfortable with doing or producing. Since the sales department already accepted the job and deposit, your company might hafta eat this one, til it's all done.

Be honest and upfront with your own people. Explain how this must be addressed and what should've taken place before taking on a $3,000. you can't cough up.

I believe your salespeople need a talking to more than anything. They can't promise the moon and expect you to perform miracles.

 

[Pauly]

People like this I send to a local design company.
They can deal with him, see if he has any money then send him back with ready to print art.

So i wont send them to you? because then he'll get F****d around more then i would?

In all seriousness. Even though i don't do wraps. I'd give him double or even triple the usual price. if he says yes because no one else will do it. I'll be asking for 50% upfront. Then i'll outsource the design work. the upfront cost will pay for any design work needed.
If he pulls out. we keep the upfront fees.

 

[AKwrapguy]

Faith in you or not, sales people need to appreciate the time and talent it would take to create something like this. With a budget of $3000 adn the client has a very specific vision, the sales person needs to explain that either he needs to changes his expectations or he needs to increase his budget. I agree with everyone here that if you do take on the job you need to get money down and even perhaps a CC and send him updated proofs with the number of hours and current cost so that he's aware. Also explain to him that if he wants an image of his friend than he needs to supply it.

Also be aware that this is also the type of client that will show up every time there is something wrong. If there is one little issue he'll want it redone or a discount. If you do take on this job it might not be a bad idea to have him sign some sort of contract releasing you from any and all liability/damage to the vehicle.

But I would pass on the job.

 

[Bly]

So i wont send them to you? because then he'll get F****d around more then i would?

In all seriousness. Even though i don't do wraps. I'd give him double or even triple the usual price. if he says yes because no one else will do it. I'll be asking for 50% upfront. Then i'll outsource the design work. the upfront cost will pay for any design work needed.
If he pulls out. we keep the upfront fees.

I just tell them we aren't trained designers and most sign shops aren't either so they'll get a much better result if they go to the people I recommend.
Sure I can usually cobble something together but don't usually have the time or patience to deal with design, especially for onesies and twosies.
I know the designers well and they always send the contact back to us for the print and install.

 

[Dr. Decal]

Thanks for all the replies. I spoke to the owner about the issue, and he decided to turn down the job. I don't mind a challenge, but some ideas are just too ridiculous to attempt.

I'm the only one that really has any experience with vehicle graphics in general, and I have wrote a few checklists and guidelines to no avail.

I once had to go to the owner to turn down a customer requesting her toyota camry be wrapped to look like a wine barrel. She was the owner of a "Wine Tasting" bar. I saw red flags everywhere, especially since it was sent to us from another wrap shop. Sometimes people in sales will promise the moon just to make the sale, and expect me to pixie dust f art it into existence.

 

[KingofProcrasta]

A member of our sales team brought me a order for a wrap last week.

So price the customer on what you do best...the wrap. Then communicate to him the vision he has is 'complicated' and in order for you to produce the wrap it's up to the customer to provide art. Simple easy peasy.

Wrap and Art are two different commodities that have separate values. Just be careful if the customer does bring you art that it's not copyrighted, you would be liable for using it and disclaimers are not necessarily bullet proof.

Good luck!