Home › Forums › The Art Business Center › General Art Business › What to do about vendors who do not care?

Viewing 9 posts - 1 through 9 (of 9 total)
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  • May 10, 2019 at 6:32 pm #473079
    Use Her Name
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        I found a provider of a service that I need in my art for a low cost. I sent an overview of my piece for an estimate. I sent the estimate in on February the 10th 2019. I got a reply after several e-mails to find out why it was taking so long on May the 2nd. The estimate was the low-ball price, but they were not willing to give me any more information, and I really do not want to work with them because I think they are flakes, unbusiness-like, and uncaring about whether I do business with them.

        The other place, where I am treated right does not provide all the added (and necessary) services, so I have to find other contractors to do that. It would be so much easier to get it all done in the same shop for the same low price.

        My second vendor price came in at about $150.00 more, with fewer services. But with a bit more “caring” service. I would lose several added services but would gain instant e-mail responses (instead of answering in 4 months, answering in 2-4 days).

        I really care whether I am paying 800.00 or 600.00 for the same thing, the 600. is the same thing but with additional services, but with no interaction expected between a customer and service. This is wearing hard on me. I want to go with the cheaper service since they give more added services, however, I do not like the way I am being treated, and whenever I tell someone they are acting like they don’t want my money, they start getting belligerent on me (If you don’t like the way we do things, go somewhere else).

        The cheap service is in the next country over. I have a passport. I should just drive down there and have a chat with their principals and see if I can get my objections (about their personality problems) gotten over. Someone brought up that it could be a cultural issue, and I think that may be true. I am willing to learn the other culture, but not if it means being late with my work (if a customer should want to buy it, it must be done in a specific period, like 6-8 weeks).

        Since receiving the e-mail, I have been in a huff. I do not want to send them anything that will ruin my chances with them, but I really do not like being treated as if my 600 dollars (or 800 dollars) is petty change.

        I just have to hold my breath and deal with their lack of appreciation for me. I am the jerk, right?

        No longer a member of WC. Bye.

        May 12, 2019 at 11:53 am #826629
        Robin
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            Katy, I would overlook personality traits, you aren’t going to change anyone.

            I would NOT overlook non-responses or late responses, not with $60, much less $600, and especially since you have a deadline.

            What you might think is your “being a jerk” might just be that “tiny little man inside” (to quote from one of my favorite old movies, Double Indemnity) telling you something…

            Robin

            May 13, 2019 at 6:53 am #826634
            Harold Roth
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                You get what you pay for. For cheap, you don’t get customer service. Period.

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                May 13, 2019 at 10:14 am #826633
                DaveCrow
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                    If you have work that needs to be done on a deadline I would be cautious about doing business with someone who does not respond in a timely manner.

                    "Let the paint be paint" --John Marin

                    May 13, 2019 at 11:06 am #826635
                    bongo
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                        Sometimes a vendor, and you see this a lot in the construction trade, will give you a low price but might take two weeks to do a two-day job.

                        They’re able to offer a low price by getting discounts on materials by tacking or combining your order onto a big order, save on labor costs by sending guys out during a slack time on another project. If you’re willing to work with them you can save money.

                        Another scenario, which seems likely what happened to you – and recently happened to me – is that a business will give you a low bid- then later realized they gave you too good an offer – or some other contingency occurs- and rather than man-up and admit the situation – will keep you hanging on the line, hoping you’ll drop off. I know because I’ve worked for companies where this happens. This is bad behavior, bad business, but not uncommon.

                        http://s3.amazonaws.com/wetcanvas-hdc/Community/images/18-Sep-2019/1999899-sigsmall.jpg
                        STUDIOBONGO

                        May 13, 2019 at 4:52 pm #826631
                        Use Her Name
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                            Thanks for the responses. Your answers make perfect sense. The slow responses really got me thinking that I did not want to do business with the cheaper vendor. People warned me about it. In the end, the price is footed by the buyer, I just want them to know I did everything I could to avoid it costing an arm and a leg.

                            No longer a member of WC. Bye.

                            May 14, 2019 at 6:18 am #826630
                            bethany: moderator portraits and figures
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                                Just another voice- trust your instincts! the time, angst and inconvenience is an equivalent issue to the money IMHO. Hope you get this sorted with people who show you respect.

                                bethany
                                moderator in figures & portraits blogs: artbybethany life-presence
                                website www.bethanyart.com
                                My inspiration is art... because without art, we would just be stuck with reality. ~Daniel R. Lynch

                                July 25, 2019 at 9:47 am #826636
                                RexRoamer
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                                    I realize this is well past the original post date, but… If a vendor told me to “Go somewhere else” – that’s EXACTLY what I would do. If they don’t care enough to EARN your project, why in the world would you trust them to COMPLETE your project…?

                                    [FONT="Impact"]"Art only begins where imitation ends." ~Oscar Wilde
                                    August 12, 2019 at 10:03 am #826632
                                    Use Her Name
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                                        I realize this is well past the original post date, but… If a vendor told me to “Go somewhere else” – that’s EXACTLY what I would do. If they don’t care enough to EARN your project, why in the world would you trust them to COMPLETE your project…?

                                        This is exactly what I thought. My work is so unimportant to them that they also do not care about any future business I might bring them. I may have a small cheap job now, but in 3-4 years, I might get a large major commission. I may also have some friends who are unhappy with their present vender and are willing to try a new one. Losing my business is also losing any business I can bring to you especially if I am left with a bad opinion of you. I might even negatively impact your business (if you are a certain level of a jerk) so that I tell everyone I know in the business to stay away. If all my artist friends know that you are so terrible then that will eventually become a problem for you. It becomes your reputation.

                                        So okay — after all that, I went with the other vender and was very happy with their work even though they were more expensive.

                                        No longer a member of WC. Bye.

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