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botb78

need some advice on a job

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I'm supposed to be doing a banner for a peewee football team.  One of the assistant coaches offered to sponsor the banner in exchange for putting his company name on the banner somewhere.  The front side has the team name, kids names, coaches and cheer leaders, along with their helmet.  The back side has motivational quotes they use in practice.  The logo was going to be on the back side where it could be larger and therefore seen better. 

The supplies arrived today, and the sponsor decided his logo HAS to be on the front.  This means a complete rework of the design.  No problem.  I took care of it. 

The head coach and I are the ones who have been working on the design, with the sponsor kept in contact by the head coach.  (I work with the head coach and he's the one who approached me about this)

There was some kind of miscommunication today about the redesign and now the sponsor and head coach are into it.  The sponsor is talking about pulling his name and asking for a refund.

Does anyone have any advice on this?  I plan on finishing the banner and just putting my logo on it if anything.  But should I give a full refund considering my design time and the fact that this is a custom banner?  Part of me would like just to wash my hands of this mess and give him the money back.

This really should have been a simple job.

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OPTION 1---give money back be done with it

OPTION 2---give money back less cost of supplies and put your name on the banner

OPTION 3---no refund as supplies are already there and paid for.... continue as planned

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Just from a business standpoint, you don't want that 1 customer out there badmouthing anything associated with your business because of a communication error. Cut out the coach as the middle man and talk directly to the sponsor. Try to work it out so he gets the banner he wants as well as the team getting what they want. Sponsors always think they should get more for their money, and want the limelight, but with reasonable discussion they can usually be persuaded to see the light.

Rules of thumb for business.

1. A dissatisfied customer will tell everyone that will listen about their bad encounter with you.

2. A satisfied customer will tell one of their friends, IF they have time.

kevin

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  I plan on finishing the banner and just putting my logo on it if anything. 

This is what I'd do.  You can't have that much into that it would be worth POing either of the parties involved.  Chalk it up to a lesson learned.

Maybe you can make up the loss by telling the coach you want to sell some simple team decals and keep all the $$s?

azdecals

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The sponsor is a jerk.  If he wants to sponsor (I assume for the purpose of supporting the team) then HIS ADVERTISING should be secondary.  He is probably already badmouting you anyway! 

I would sponsor the banner myself to make a point.  Get the project done to the coach's satisfaction.

I would love to hear what goes on in the sponsor's mind when the banner is displayed with nobody's name on it.  :lol:

Better yet, if the guy is a real big jerk - see about putting a competitor's name on it.  lol.

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We've decided to just refund the money and put the football leagues logo in place of the sponsor.  There was just no talking to this guy.

Lesson learned, I need to look into getting contracts made up.

I don't think he'd get many calls for business from

the banner anyways, he's an aeronautical engineer.

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THAT WAS THE PROBLEM. he's an Engineer, They ALWAYS have to over think, over design, and over work anything into the ground until it is no longer a usable product. Good Call on the refund.

kevin

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THAT WAS THE PROBLEM. he's an Engineer, They ALWAYS have to over think, over design, and over work anything into the ground until it is no longer a usable product. Good Call on the refund.

kevin

Hey, I resent that remark... :lol:

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    Trust me - I am a commercial construction superintendent. I have to deal with engineers and architects on a daily basis. This has been the primary cause of drinking to excess in my career field. I love it when an architect / engineer two years out of college explains to me that I have been building things wrong for the last 27 years.

Charlie

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Sorry Mid,

but it was pointed inward too. I have two engineering degrees, so I can say it with a little bit of self degradation :-)

Kevin

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Sorry Mid,

but it was pointed inward too. I have two engineering degrees, so I can say it with a little bit of self degradation :-)

Kevin

And I can also confirm, I'm married to one. Love him dearly jus the same

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