Time to requote the Job. They changed the order, so you need to chage the quote
I was thrown a curve ball after a quote
First off this is my first post. Thank you all for the wealth of knowledge I have recieved with the search button.
I have loosly quoted a job for a customer based on a one color front and three color back. The custome revised the art at the last minute making it a four color back with a two color front and adding two toddler shirts to the order. The art is full back and full chest so the toddler shirts will require seperate screens. I need to stick to my pricing structure to come out on the job, but I may loose the job all together if I price them accordingly. How would yall handle this situation. To make matters worse I have a pretty tight deadline.
Thanks Justin
I have loosly quoted a job for a customer based on a one color front and three color back. The custome revised the art at the last minute making it a four color back with a two color front and adding two toddler shirts to the order. The art is full back and full chest so the toddler shirts will require seperate screens. I need to stick to my pricing structure to come out on the job, but I may loose the job all together if I price them accordingly. How would yall handle this situation. To make matters worse I have a pretty tight deadline.
Thanks Justin
1 - 20 of 20 Posts
Give them a new quote since order changed
I keep seeing this question come up lately. One thing to keep in mind is customers lie all the time to try to get a deal "Oh, I got a better quote from your competitor!" "Oh, but it was on sale at your store in the next town over!" "But it said this was the one that was on sale!" Some of them are genuinely confused. But a lot of them excel at intimidating or misleading some poor employee into giving them a better price. Or if they harass a manager long enough they may give in and do it just to get rid of them. A good manager will throw them out and ban them from the store if it goes on too long. You may feel like you're losing business, but you have to protect yourself from being ripped off.
I'm not saying that this customer is doing it. Especially with screen printing, where they may simply not understand that adding a color adds to the cost of production. But there are people who will bait and switch on you like this and then whine that you are the one that lied about the price. My cousin works at a parking yard for RV storage. It's amazing how many "definitely not over 30' long" RVs come in that are 40' long. Then he gets yelled at for misquoting the price but the owners don't even want to have customers like that get in in the first place. In this situation, you may feel bad for them and give them a price that still nets you a profit but is lower than what you would have quoted if they had given you the correct order from the start. Is that fair to you?
People say I judge people too quickly but I'm very good at spotting the scammers that come in at work and try to pull things like this. Unfortunately a lot of people simply don't have the "this person is full of BLEEP alarm" to keep them from giving in.
I'm not saying that this customer is doing it. Especially with screen printing, where they may simply not understand that adding a color adds to the cost of production. But there are people who will bait and switch on you like this and then whine that you are the one that lied about the price. My cousin works at a parking yard for RV storage. It's amazing how many "definitely not over 30' long" RVs come in that are 40' long. Then he gets yelled at for misquoting the price but the owners don't even want to have customers like that get in in the first place. In this situation, you may feel bad for them and give them a price that still nets you a profit but is lower than what you would have quoted if they had given you the correct order from the start. Is that fair to you?
People say I judge people too quickly but I'm very good at spotting the scammers that come in at work and try to pull things like this. Unfortunately a lot of people simply don't have the "this person is full of BLEEP alarm" to keep them from giving in.
How do yall handle the todler shirts. It will take six screens to print two shirts plus double the set up time of the original job.
Subcontract the two toddler shirts to a DTG printer. Even if they charge $10 each, you and your customer will still be way ahead.How do yall handle the todler shirts. It will take six screens to print two shirts plus double the set up time of the original job.
I would re-quote the job. There is a better than even chance they are now asking you for exactly what they wanted to begin with. I agree with the others that people will try to get the best price possible, even by misrepresenting the job originally. As said before, not all people do this deliberately, but most than half do. Explain to them the job has changed substantially and needs to be re-quoted. If not you will find you will be getting a whole lot of these type of jobs! Word gets out fast and far.
Im an idiot. I didnt even think of that. Thank you for the replies guys. I have no problem requoting for the extra colors but the toddler shirts messed my head up.
I think this is a case of simply not understanding. I have come acroos the scammers, but this lady simply has no idea of the process involved.
I would re quote with the extra colours, but without the toddler order
then give a third quote including the toddler order.
That way she can see how much extra the toddler order is adding, but she still has a reasonable quote in her hand which she can fall back on if the toddler quote is too much. It will help her keep things in perspective, and she may just say "ok, forget the toddler order, we'll go for the extra colour though"
Richie
then give a third quote including the toddler order.
That way she can see how much extra the toddler order is adding, but she still has a reasonable quote in her hand which she can fall back on if the toddler quote is too much. It will help her keep things in perspective, and she may just say "ok, forget the toddler order, we'll go for the extra colour though"
Richie
No, you're not an idiot. You just didn't know so you asked. Now you know.Im an idiot. I didnt even think of that. Thank you for the replies guys. I have no problem requoting for the extra colors but the toddler shirts messed my head up.
I've had the same situation and simply requoted the job. Don't be squeamish when it comes to your craft and the value you place on what you do. People will respect you more and the scam-ish, lowball people will know not to waste your time and the folk who just aren't clear but are serious, will appreciate being informed.
On the toddler tees...I've done a few transfers and was fine. And at times I've also just burned the smaller
image(s) on the other end of the screen(s) when space allows. Either way be clear with your customer with what's involved, charge accordingly and let them decide.
^^this^^No, you're not an idiot. You just didn't know so you asked. Now you know.
I've had the same situation and simply requoted the job. Don't be squeamish when it comes to your craft and the value you place on what you do. People will respect you more and the scam-ish, lowball people will know not to waste your time and the folk who just aren't clear but are serious, will appreciate being informed.
On the toddler tees...I've done a few transfers and was fine. And at times I've also just burned the smaller
image(s) on the other end of the screen(s) when space allows. Either way be clear with your customer with what's involved, charge accordingly and let them decide.
sometimes if there is room i put the toddler design on the other side of the screen. more times than not, when i get an order for a toddler, it's one or two... and i offer to instead do an inkjet transfer.
when i tell my customers that the toddler shirt will create additional screen(s) they are generally all too happy to just have them transferred instead.
Don't. Forget the tracking label for the toddler shirts. Also if You think You will not make money doing the the job with the toddler shirts bur fear You will loose the Job if You requote it I fail to understand why You would do the job for free? Requote it and price it as you would for a couple of shirts. Treat the toddler shirts as its own order
Sent from samsung gem(the worst smart phone ever)
Sent from samsung gem(the worst smart phone ever)
Requote this job for sure. Don't sell yourself short for your time and labor. I was also thinking about doing the toddler shirts as a transfter...making those screens for 2 shirts is crazy. Good luck!!
Don't forget that you'll need to make sure you are using CPSIA compliant inks for that!How do yall handle the todler shirts. It will take six screens to print two shirts plus double the set up time of the original job.
Justin, the customer changed the order... it's not your fault. You can't print the new order for the same price as the original, especially with mulitple screens for the toddler shirts. This would be an order I would have to see go elsewhere. If you're in it to make a profit, they should pay for all the extra work THEY requested.
This is a common customer trick. They get an estimate for one thing and toss in extras at the end to get them for free.
Requote it. If you lose it you have lost nothing except a money losing job.
If they complain, let them know you will do the original quote for the original price. The new quote is for the change in specs.
Requote it. If you lose it you have lost nothing except a money losing job.
If they complain, let them know you will do the original quote for the original price. The new quote is for the change in specs.
I'll do the toddler shirts on my DTG cheap for you 
lol
I'd just redo the quote and cover yourself because unless your rich and love to do this business as a hobby then you need to make some money.
Good luck
lolI'd just redo the quote and cover yourself because unless your rich and love to do this business as a hobby then you need to make some money.
Good luck
Don't fall into the common trap of - I won't make money on this first order in hopes to make money down the road with the same customer. You need to make money on every order you do. Don't give anything away for free hoping you will make it back later. Customers are rarely loyal and will take their business to the cheapest guy in town.
If this was a honest mistake that she didn't understand that for every color there is more work involved, and she needs the cost down. Try to find a a new Tee blank thats cheaper. Lets say your back print that was 2 color is now a 3 color and your price went from $5:50 to $6:50 with shirt. Now if you can find a blank shirt for $.50 to $.75 cent cheaper now your cost would only increase $.25 plus the one screen charge for the front and one for the back. YOU still make profit and she still is getting what she wants. As long as she doesn't have her hearts set on a certain blank. Hope this helps. And if the run of shirts is large enough 250+ and you can put toddler size fits on the same screens I would probably say 15 bucks each. but thats just me. I have issues with working harder then I have to for $ and I probably would print them after hours as not to disturb actual profits. Remember I wouldn't do this if you feel that the customer is trying to scam you I would only work with the honest ones.
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