Installers who say they can - BUT can't!

[Centro Graphics]

Wrapping a vehicle is not an easy job, I get that. I can do it myself, though I choose not to as I prefer to concentrate on running my business.

I'm sick of contractors claiming to be this or that. We have a fairly big client that want wraps and the like on a regular basis with multiples at the same time. We have been f****d over 3 damn times now, not sure we will keep the client after this crappy effort, and this is one crew we have been using for 2 years on and off, but have really bummed this project.

We have been in business over 20 years, how some of the guys we have come across for install have been around for any longer than one job is beyond me. Okay maybe a few jobs.

Even lateness. Why are you hours late arriving to start the job. Damn, stop scratching your asses in bed, go get the job done.

Anyone can wrap, ITS ALL ABOUT THE FINISHING. Get it? now do it properly or sling your hook.

In fact its not just installers. From time to time we buy from other printers as we have a few limitations, plus we have clients all over the country. It makes more sense to buy local print at times. But ffs, don't just switch the button on and that's it. Learn print and processes. Dont cut corners and pretend your competitive with inferior materials, un-laminated vinyl graphics or crappy set output.

Get a grip, produce quality or get out and go stack shelves.

Rant over.... for now.

Happy Weekend.

 

[unclebun]

This all fits with the race to the price bottom.

 

[equippaint]

This is why we usually turn down work that we can not do 100% in house.

 

[Centro Graphics]

I hear you, but not in what Im saying here. We pay good money, we do not look for bottom feeders as we charge decent money to our clients. We expect a good service from companies we use. If we were pricing low, we would have to buy low, but we are not.

Also, the people Im talking about have been a round for a long time, probably good at flat walls and flat trucks. In fact its just lazy work.

i could mention one name here and I'm pretty damn sure some will know them. But i wont.

 

[Gino]

Good..... don't.

No sense dragging someone through the mud, if they're not here to defend themselves.

You have a good weekend, yourself. Maybe you'll feel better Monday morning.

 

[Centro Graphics]

Good..... don't.

No sense dragging someone through the mud, if they're not here to defend themselves.

You have a good weekend, yourself. Maybe you'll feel better Monday morning.

Thanks Gino, it wasn't about calling out names. It's about bodgy workmanship.

I doubt I'll feel better Monday if we do lose the client. It's a fairly big account. More than I care to put on a public forum.

What I do know though, we will survive. Grr

 

[Jr Douglas Imaging]

Wrapping a vehicle is not an easy job, I get that. I can do it myself, though I choose not to as I prefer to concentrate on running my business.

I'm sick of contractors claiming to be this or that. We have a fairly big client that want wraps and the like on a regular basis with multiples at the same time. We have been f****d over 3 damn times now, not sure we will keep the client after this crappy effort, and this is one crew we have been using for 2 years on and off, but have really bummed this project.

We have been in business over 20 years, how some of the guys we have come across for install have been around for any longer than one job is beyond me. Okay maybe a few jobs.

Even lateness. Why are you hours late arriving to start the job. Damn, stop scratching your asses in bed, go get the job done.

Anyone can wrap, ITS ALL ABOUT THE FINISHING. Get it? now do it properly or sling your hook.

In fact its not just installers. From time to time we buy from other printers as we have a few limitations, plus we have clients all over the country. It makes more sense to buy local print at times. But ffs, don't just switch the button on and that's it. Learn print and processes. Dont cut corners and pretend your competitive with inferior materials, un-laminated vinyl graphics or crappy set output.

Get a grip, produce quality or get out and go stack shelves.

Rant over.... for now.

Happy Weekend.

Whats the Job? we have installers we contract out. We guarantee all our work

PM me if you want to talk

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

If everyone was as good as us then we wouldn't be anything special.

I had someone install some temperary signs yesterday and my client wasn't 100% thrilled with them, they just needed a little more TLC... The guy is charging me to go back out there and make it look more professional. I don't care, I'll pay it because in the end I want MY client happy...but I would NEVER charge someone to do a return trip if they had an issue with my work... NEVER.

 

[equippaint]

If youre going to sub work theres one thing to always remember. You own everything. You can bitch, moan, whine and make excuses for work performed but its yours whether you touched it or not. You have to decide if youre going to accept losing customers over the inevitable shoddy jobs or take control and manage the work start to finish including quality control. You also have to be ready to step in and do it yourself.
Youre mad so i hesitated saying this but its your fault 100%. You said you choose to work in your business rather than do the work, which is fine but you still have responsibilities. At a minumum you should have had your eyes on every last job, curtailed the problems and fixed them. You didnt and it got away from you. Pay a lot, pay a little it doesnt matter, this is what happens.

 

[Gino]

Centro....... I get where you're coming from. Many of us have been there, but like mentioned..... your reputation took years to build and only one slouch to ruin it. When you turn your product over to someone else..... any part of the job...... even sub the whole thing out...... your quality control goes out the window, unless you're there to babysit your people. One must be ready to either bite the bullet and hope for the best or go in there and fix it, themselves..... if capable.

Had one recently, where a sub left me flat, for no reason. He worked with us for about 4 weeks, then suddenly he went off the radar. I called around and nobody could locate him. He left a buncha people high and dry. So, I hadda scramble to get the job done. Hadda look silly calling my customer and telling them what happened, but I told them the truth. Guess what, they were completely understanding. Got the job finished and after 30 some years I still have a happy customer.

 

[Kottwitz-Graphics]

I got one that's pretty bad. i had an installer put in 40 parking signs... and on further inspection, I have had to go out and redo 32 of them... the guy put maybe a pound of concrete in each hole... I'm pulling them up redigging the holes by hand, and putting 80 pounds of concrete in each hole....

that's my Saturday...

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

My Saturday...

 

[Gino]

At least the water is blue. Ours is dark greenish brown. All the crap from New York seems to settle along the Jersey shore down to about Virginia. No one in their right mind goes in that water anymore....... keyword being...... RIGHT MIND.

 

[Texas_Signmaker]

The Pacific is like ice water to us Texans... doesn't bother a 7 year old though.

 

[Gene@mpls]

The truth seems to be out of fashion these days.

 

[Johnny Best]

Hey Tex, don't go on any overnight dive boat excursion while you are out there.

 

[Dukenukem117]

My neighbor works in a defense firm where a lot of things get subcontracted, and this drives him nuts all the time. He just had to axe a $1.2M contract because two firms who claim they can make a small part turned out incapable of it.

 

[Centro Graphics]

I have been very busy so not had chance to come back to this, I appreciate everyone's comments.

If youre going to sub work theres one thing to always remember. You own everything. You can *****, moan, whine and make excuses for work performed but its yours whether you touched it or not. You have to decide if youre going to accept losing customers over the inevitable shoddy jobs or take control and manage the work start to finish including quality control. You also have to be ready to step in and do it yourself.
Youre mad so i hesitated saying this but its your fault 100%. You said you choose to work in your business rather than do the work, which is fine but you still have responsibilities. At a minumum you should have had your eyes on every last job, curtailed the problems and fixed them. You didnt and it got away from you. Pay a lot, pay a little it doesnt matter, this is what happens.

Yes I totally agree, we do own everything and take it on the chin if anything not satisfactory to our clients, no matter what the issue is. And yes it is my, as a business owner, responsibility in every way. Same goes for the business owner I hired, he has around 10 guys on his books. Quality is everyone's responsibility, employee or vendor.
If everything was kept 'inhouse' then there would not be small businesses all over the country helping other businesses fulfill orders and we would be back to the dark ages. Think about that.

Anyway, we all worked stuff out, next 4 projects have been flawless. Happy days.

Happy weekend and thanks for bringing the beach into the thread Kottwitz. One of my top 2 places I like going to. Cheers

 

[kcollinsdesign]

On wrap jobs I just do the design. I let others print and install, based on my specifications. That way if something goes wrong, or they fail to comply to spec., it is on them and the client, not me. I do not want or need the liability of subcontracting, especially in something as hyper-competitive as wraps.

The hot-shot wrap businesses on the west coast that do corporate jobs and high end custom wraps charge 3x - 4x what my local competition charges. Not a single one of my clients is willing to pay for the premium type wrap jobs you see in the magazines, and are willing to sacrifice a few bubbles or slight mis-matches in order to save $thousands of dollars. These local guys are so damned fast it make my head spin, and there is a "macho" ethic that keeps them sharp and crazy competitive. I can get away with charging $500 - $1000 for the design (more if original logo work is involved), and let out the project to the local hot shots who will print and install the job for a fraction of what I would have to charge. Lately I have been sharing wholesale printer information with these guys, and they are coming in with even more competitive pricing now that they don't have to keep a printer and a laminator going.

If you want to roll with these dogs better go to a few seminars and learn the lastest tricks and materials. Also helps to be in top shape and super agile!

 

[HulkSmash]

On wrap jobs I just do the design. I let others print and install, based on my specifications. That way if something goes wrong, or they fail to comply to spec., it is on them and the client, not me. I do not want or need the liability of subcontracting, especially in something as hyper-competitive as wraps.

The hot-shot wrap businesses on the west coast that do corporate jobs and high end custom wraps charge 3x - 4x what my local competition charges. Not a single one of my clients is willing to pay for the premium type wrap jobs you see in the magazines, and are willing to sacrifice a few bubbles or slight mis-matches in order to save $thousands of dollars. These local guys are so damned fast it make my head spin, and there is a "macho" ethic that keeps them sharp and crazy competitive. I can get away with charging $500 - $1000 for the design (more if original logo work is involved), and let out the project to the local hot shots who will print and install the job for a fraction of what I would have to charge. Lately I have been sharing wholesale printer information with these guys, and they are coming in with even more competitive pricing now that they don't have to keep a printer and a laminator going.

If you want to roll with these dogs better go to a few seminars and learn the lastest tricks and materials. Also helps to be in top shape and super agile!

Didn't i tell you stop posting silly advice like this?