Install sign off or approval processes?

[MGB_LE]

We have had a couple recent installs for a client come back on us for one issue or another. So far we sub out 100% of our installs.
Most recently, we subbed out the installation of a wall graphic, 10'wide x 3.5' tall in a retail location. A day later, according to our client contact the marketing director, the install was crooked, with a photo that showed it.

At the time, the installer says the store manager was fine with the work, but he's not the ultimate decision maker.

I'm looking to create some sort of customer acknowledgement/approval form to have signed after install, approving the work that was just completed.

Can anyone share their process for documenting customer approval/satisfaction with a completed install?

 

[Gino]

A waiver being signed will not compensate for a job that was evidently preformed wrong and is so crooked, you can see it in a photograph. That needs to be fixed by your sub. YOU need a line item in your quote/contract, that workmanship is performed to your specs. Nothing less will do and will need to be corrected. Otherwise, subject to replacement value of destroyed substrates and materials.

 

[Signscorp]

I'd say just try and do your own installs if possible. I don't know many small shops that succeed without installers. I'm sure there are people on this forum that disagree!

 

[MGB_LE]

A waiver being signed will not compensate for a job that was evidently preformed wrong and is so crooked, you can see it in a photograph. That needs to be fixed by your sub. YOU need a line item in your quote/contract, that workmanship is performed to your specs. Nothing less will do and will need to be corrected. Otherwise, subject to replacement value of destroyed substrates and materials.

Thanks fro the feedback. Sorry, I'm not being clear enough. I'm not wanting to get out of responsibility, I'm trying to ensure we're not leaving behind poor quality work without accountability. Did -someone- verify that the job was done to satisfaction before leaving the site? Did we please the correct person? This reduces "he said/she said" and flat out not completing the job. The sub will redo the install, but we printed the graphic, so we'll have to eat that part.

That said, when you folks leave an install job, does the client sign anything stating that the job is complete and to their satisfaction?

 

[MGB_LE]

I'd say just try and do your own installs if possible. I don't know many small shops that succeed without installers. I'm sure there are people on this forum that disagree!

We're trying to hire now and unless you're handing out NFL-style salary packages, the pickings are slim. I have a post on this forum looking for talent to for production help. Business is picking up, and we need more talented hands.

 

[Moze]

Out of all of my customers, I only have one sign company that uses a sign off sheet. That being said, the bulk of the page contains instructions on how to call in to their automated system once you arrive on site and then how to call in to indicate the job is complete, incomplete, etc. At the very bottom of the page, there's simply a line for the manager's signature of approval.

You could do something as simple as including a notes section and a sign-off line indicating the manager's approval at the bottom of the artwork. The installer could just get the signature upon completion, note any issues, etc.

 

[Billct2]

Keep it simple. Get the name of the responsible onsite person and have a simple sheet acknowledging the work was completed. Have the installer take photos to document the install.

 

[weyandsign]

Can we see how bad it looks?

 

[netsol]

Thanks fro the feedback. Sorry, I'm not being clear enough. I'm not wanting to get out of responsibility, I'm trying to ensure we're not leaving behind poor quality work without accountability. Did -someone- verify that the job was done to satisfaction before leaving the site? Did we please the correct person? This reduces "he said/she said" and flat out not completing the job. The sub will redo the install, but we printed the graphic, so we'll have to eat that part.

That said, when you folks leave an install job, does the client sign anything stating that the job is complete and to their satisfaction?

after almost 50 years experience (most of it NOT in the sign business) i am aware that many people on client sites IMAGINE that they have authority to approve or reject an installation. (this is almost always news to the person who is actually in charge)

before you sub out a job, one of the first questions you should ask is WHO DO WE REPORT TO & WHO APPROVES THE FINAL WORK

of course a crooked install is never acceptable, regardless of who said it was fine

 

[Notarealsignguy]

As already said, an approval will not trump a mistake or get you out of fixing it no matter who signed it. I don't think that was ever the intention of them either.

 

[MGB_LE]

This is the result. Not awful, but less than I'd expect. We were told all was well, until it wasn't.

 

[MGB_LE]

BTW, the extra unprinted vinyl was contested by me, but the client dictated the size. The reprint will be trimmed appropriately.

 

[Gino]

Even with the lousy picture, it looks to be off by at least an inch. Totally, unacceptable regardless of who signs off on it. Fire your sub...... NOW.

As for contesting the totally blank vinyl, that is on you for not explaining how dumb that looks. There is no reasoning on their part, you shouldn't be able to refute for having it. Just plain ugly and dumb.


Anyway, here's hoping they don't screw up the paint removing that vinyl.............. that'll be on you, too.

 

[Boudica]

Personally, I think it would look better as cut vinyl - with no background. You're never going to match the wall color precisely, and unless it's a nice compliment or contrast - it will look silly and not thought through.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

Cut vinyl would be hard at that size. I can't really see it crooked...but I'm looking on my phone screen.

I don't make anyone sign anything... It wouldn't mean anything anyway. If the customer is unhappy, I want to know and make it right.

The only reason I see having someone sign something is when you are delivering and need a record of who you hand it off to.

I think it's silly when I go into a Verizon store for a managers sign off...like he knows that I did anything. They don't come out the store and look to verify what I fixed or did... Completely useless.

 

[Boudica]

Cut vinyl would be hard at that size. I can't really see it crooked...but I'm looking on my phone screen.

No it wouldn't. We've done larger. Heh, I was going to jokingly suggest that picture was taken with your phone Tex...

 

[ikarasu]

having a customer sign a form is pretty much telling them if you did a bad job, you're not going to stand by your work.

I do tons of installs - 90% Of the time The person whos paying for the graphic is not the on site contact. The on site contact can be a security guard (Busy place where the install is after hours), a designer who has a boss to answer to, or just a random employee who happens to be there at the time. Most of the time theyre not someone whod be authorized to sign off on work. And even if they did... how would that go? front deskman signs off on shitty decal install, then the boss comes in and says why is this so crooked... And you say while the guy at the door said it was fine?

Thats the fastest way to make sure you never get any return customers. Even if thats not how you handle it... thats the way they are going to perceive it, that you're passing the buck on them. If you're hiting outside your shop, then maybe you should be the one to sign off on whether a job is done - make your contractors have an approval letter in their contract - Then follow up on every job after its done, sign off and pay them. Customer is none the wiser...and you make sure shoddy work isnt done.

The decals about 2" crooked...which is very eye catching. We'd have removed it and re-done it, either from seeing how bad it was by the installers photo... or by the customers.


And I agree...cut vinyl. The white portion looks to be about 10 FT when scaling the door to proper size... with like 4 FT of graphics 4 FT cut vinyl decals are easy..We regularly do 15-20 FT, all cut vinyl with small text decals -personally I find them easier to keep straight / aligned than a pure graphic...but maybe OP doesnt have a cutter... or maybe the customer argued it. We've done some truely ugly stuff as well... We usually take a photo and mock it up for the client as well as the way we believe it should be done - But theyre the ones paying the bills...so if they want a 10 FT wall decal thats going to cust twice as much as a proper looking 4FT Cut vinyl, thats up to them.

 

[CanuckSigns]

We've never had a client sign off on an install for reasons noted above, most of the time the person on site is not the person who ordered the job.

I would insist your installer take a photo of each job when it's done, no photo, no pay. If you want you could print some NCR forms that the site contact signs staring the graphics were installed. Include a line about "your complete satisfaction is our top priority, please contact us with any concerns about your project as soon as possible" it shows you care and you stand behind your product.

 

[rossmosh]

You need to evaluate the problems. With this job, it's obvious there are three problems.

1. The actual end product is just bad. It would be one thing if you're just printing out customer supplied artwork, but it sounds like you're a full service sign shop. Obviously this is a pretty small job, but it's pretty standard practice to have a customer take a quick picture on their phone so you can render in the proof. Takes about an extra 3-5 minutes and prevents this sort of thing from happening.

2. You're not hiring good subs / demanding more from them. Also, people make mistakes. Are you providing them with a 2nd print for mistakes? Maybe it's something you should consider making a standard practice.

3. Realistically, you need to figure out who you want to hold accountable for what. In this circumstance, this isn't on the customer at all. It's on the installer. A customer approves the location of an install and that it's done. They don't make sure everything is 100% level. That's on the installer. But if the customer approved something to be installed in the wrong spot or changed their mind afterwards, that would be on the customer. Again, sit down and figure out who is responsible for what and then figure out how you want to hold them accountable.

 

[CanuckSigns]

Agreed, this is 100% the installers fault, if he can't install a very basic vinyl graphic level I would start looking for another installer. Since he is a contractor, in theory he should be paying you for another print, and reinstalling it at no charge, but good luck with that.

I would reprint it and tell the installer he is on the hook to reinstall it properly. Does he do good work normally and this is a fluke, or is this install typical for him?