Rush Fees

[Texas_Signmaker]

I tell customers that wait until the last second, "we can do it as fast as you can afford". For the right price my guys will stay overnight and get something done. They are not going to do that for just regular OT though.

This x100000

 

[Modern Ink Signs]

Simple answer for me.

Yes!

We have our projects scheduled and when someone needs a “rush” we now have to interrupt our work flow.

I love the ones that are a “rush”, you charge the fee and they still don’t pick it up for a week! ‍♂️

 

[Stacey K]

Simple answer for me.

Yes!

We have our projects scheduled and when someone needs a “rush” we now have to interrupt our work flow.

I love the ones that are a “rush”, you charge the fee and they still don’t pick it up for a week! ‍♂️

You are SOO right! I had a guy who NEEDED a sign...charged him extra, got it done 3 weeks ago. He picked it up yesterday LOL

 

[ColorCrest]

Many decades ago the notion of rush fees became taboo in some sign related industry segments and especially digital graphics. The era coincided with the popularity of services such as FedEx which offer finite service times and software being developed for industry at the time. Arbitrary fees could not be formulated, so the formula was, and still is, a service time option for the particular line item making it very clear to customers as well as fair to all parties.

Service today = $$$$$, service tomorrow = $$$$, service soon = $$$, service for savers = $$ is the concept.

 

[Scotchbrite]

You are SOO right! I had a guy who NEEDED a sign...charged him extra, got it done 3 weeks ago. He picked it up yesterday LOL

That one absolutely drives me up the wall. A customer pushes to have a sign done as quickly as possible and then it sits waiting to picked up for weeks! They were in a big hurry when it was on someone else's plate, but as soon as it's back on theirs, the urgency is gone.

 

[highrolling24]

As the old saying goes, Pick Two

 

[CanuckSigns]

That one absolutely drives me up the wall. A customer pushes to have a sign done as quickly as possible and then it sits waiting to picked up for weeks! They were in a big hurry when it was on someone else's plate, but as soon as it's back on theirs, the urgency is gone.

Yup, they expect you to jump through hoops, but don't do the same when the ball is in their court.

We have this on occasion, they way we fixed it is to get paid in advance. Quickbooks Online allows online payment with a credit card. Make sure to send them the invoice and tell them "it will go into production once the invoice is paid" then when it doesn't get picked up you simply don't care.

I have to go through our pickup shelf about once a year and throw out the old orders that have been there for more than 6 months. We send out reminders every few weeks after its been here for a month. Now that the orders are paid up front I have no issues throwing them out. Obvously long term regular clients get treated differently, but the guy off the street that ordered an engraved brass plate for his kids graduation 8 months ago, in the bin it goes.