How can you assure your investment in signage is money well spent – or is Signage a grudge purchase?

Posted on March 17, 2024 by Arnold Pollak

How can you assure your investment in signage is money well spent – alternatively, is Signage a grudge purchase?

When signs do not work as planned

Over the past week this writer has been called to two different sites to quote on repairing existing signage. There is little unusual about this.

What is unusual is that both the signs at sites have suffered ‘failures’ due to what we at SignForce would considered reject signs. Poor workmanship, poor quality finishes and thus failing once installed.

In both cases the signs are apparently less than 30 months old.

Now I am aware that at SignForce we make signs that are value for money. This does not mean cheap, and we are seldom going to be the lowest quote. This is something I have been grappling with for many years, especially as I see other companies coming in at prices that we could NEVER compete with. One such example is a quote we gave where the client showed us that he got the sign for less than OUR MATERIAL cost.

So it looks like the client is getting a bargain! That is until one compares what we are providing with what they, based on what this writer has seen this week, may be getting for their spend.

The first sign was poorly finished. When the prospect’s contact showed me the signs he pointed out that the 3D letters were ‘peeling’ – something similar to your skin peeling after you have been sun burned – and it is a great comparison as the sign is in the sun all day, and the ‘skin’ that was peeling was in fact the plastic protective cover that should have been removed BEFORE the sign was installed. It looked like the sign was made with Perspex – a great qualitty acrylic with a 10year outdoor warranty – but not removing the protective cover cheapens the sign while possibly also drastically reducing the life of the material. At SignForce we tend to remove the protective plastic BEFORE the sign leaves the factory, and if the cover is left on, it will be removed before we ask the client is asked to sign off as this devalues the sign in many ways – both practically and aesthetically.

Many of the joints on the 3D elements were visible – something that we at SignForce work to avoid as the joints are generally the weakest part of the fabrication, and also they tend t o have dark spots. Being mindful of where the sign is to be viewed from we at SignForce try keep the joints out of view. This helps extend the life of the sign and makes it more aesthetically appealing.

One of the signs had the electrical cord running over the top of the sign. This is not necessarily a bad thing, however the wire that was found was exposed to the African sun. Anyone who knows anything about the African sun knows it is TRECHEROUS! The wire not being encased in a protective pipe or UV resistant sleeve means that the insulation coating will soon crack which will (it is only a matter of time) lead to fraying and eventually is likely to cause a short – especially if the positive and negative wires touch. This can blow all the LED’s rendering them useless, as well as potentially damaging the transformer, which will result in costly maintenance or possibly even having to re-wire the entire sign.

The prospect pointed out that birds had made a nest behind the sign – this is dangerous for the birds and can easily result in the sign getting damaged. It is also possible that the birds can accidently pull the wires so that some or all illuminated elements in the sign stop working. The sides of the sign should have been closed off before the sign was signed off.

The wiring behind the one sign was visible and was exceptionally untidy. Untidy wiring gives the impression of laziness, and as my one mentor, Tony De Gouveia pounded into my head, How yu do anything is how you do EVERYTHING – in other words if the person wiring the sign and the person inspection the sign allowed for shoddy workmanship, the chances are the fabrication will be shoddy and the fixings will be shoddy so the sign’s working capabilities are likely to also be shoddy.

The second sight had a single sign with 3D fabricated letters attached to the face. One letter had moved and SignForce was asked to assist to straighten the letter.

As a side note, we, as human’s, all tend to get caught up in a very particular pattern of thinking. I do believe this is one of the traits of being human and it allows for different people to think differently. I mention this as, as the primary designer for SignForce, this writer sees the fabrication of signs in a particular way. It is (in SignForce’s view) the best way, but is certainly not the only way to make certain signs. That said, when faces with a photo of a failed sign, our first thought is that the sign would have been made according to industry best practice, so the repair would entail certain steps.

In this case because the skew letter was on a backing board spaced off the wall it was assumed that the invisible fixings located at the rear of the letters have come loose and moved. This can happen. It is not common and it can be costly to repair as to repair properly it is recommended that the entire sign be taken down, all fixings be checked and secured and the sign be replaced. When the sign is at height – as this sign is – the costs include lifting equipment – scaffolding or cherry picker or ladders (not always allowed) or rope access – which all (except long ladders) sound almost as costly as they are.

In fact we got a new lesson in signage – well not quite new and definitely not a lesson we would need to learn or would copy – but we did soon find out WHY the sign failed. A little technical background may be helpful here. In years gone by in order to keep costs down some larger fabricated signs would be fixed to the backing board with what we in the industry refer to as L brackets. The bracket is fastened to the backing – wall or whatever – and the fabricated element is fixed to the opposite side of the L. Industry accepted fixings would mean that the sides of the 3D element would be SCREWED to the L bracket. This sign was ONLY attached with double sided tape. While this in itself may not have been an issue, if the business are in such a rush to get the sign out that they are not prepared to coat screws, drill and countersink the acrylic, the chances are they are also not using double sided tape that is made for purpose. That aside, double sided tape can be extremely strong when used for the correct application, however, when mixing materials – acrylic and Aluminium – and placing the sign in direct north east sun in Africa, the chances are that the expansion and contraction of the double sided tape on a regular basis will result in the double sided tape failing, which will result in the 3D element becoming loose, and possibly even falling off the sign. This would not only make the sign look aesthetically unappealing, it would most certainly damage the 3D elements (this one was over 6 meters above the ground) and could possibly damage vehicles or people driving or walking under the sign when it chose to fall.

Back to topic, How can you assure your investment in signage is money well spent – alternatively, is Signage a grudge purchase.

The latter question is more rhetorical as most business’s understand the need for signage, yet many see it as an after thought and are SHOCKED at the cost when they eventually get around to requesting quotes. While we at SignForce view signage as an essential tool in a business’s marketing strategy – we believe a business without a sign is a sign of no business – we can understand that there are business’s and people who feel that signage is not worth the cost. This may be for a number of reasons, some of which may be the high cost of an effective sign, a bad experience with previous signage, not knowing where to go to get signs or not getting signs that do what the client intended the sign to do. This can often be overcome by simply stating what the sign is for when asking for quotes. Also any decent signage sales person will ask this question when interviewing the prospect, as it is dangerous to assume you as the sales person KNOW WHY the prospect wants a sign.

The former question – How can you assure your investment in signage is money well spent – is a little more complex and difficult to answer.

I suppose the short answer is to do one’s homework BEFORE placing the order. This may include talking to past and present clients, looking at the prospective sign companies’ track record – although this may be unfair to excellent new start up’s.

One could also use standard accounting practice of getting at least three quotes. Notice this is standard ACCOUNTING practice which comes with a MASSIVE BUT when referring to signage or any custom designed products. When looking at 3 quotes it must be assumed that ALL companies are using the same material and the same production processes – think of a tin of your favorite canned beans It does not matter which outlet you buy the beans from, you are buying X brand and you trust the brand, so supporting the cheapest outlet saves you money. Because signs are custom made, and material prices vary insanely, it could well be that the lowest cost supplier is using lower cost material. Sadly the opposite is also possible – that the lowest cost supplier is in fact using the highest quality material but has forgotten to include costs of labour or other costs in the quote, or the highest cost supplier may be using the poorest quality materials and making a killing. It is near impossible for the purchaser to know, no matter how astute you are. I guess signage – like many other purchases – require a high level of faith and trust.

One could ask to see sample materials, but once again this is pretty useless if one does not know the technical specifications of materials. If you visit the SignForce factory you will find one or two rolls of ‘cheap’ vinyl. These are for specific client’s and are appropriately marked. Not because we enjoy the process but because we are VERY aware that it is extremely simple to make an error and use the incorrect material when making signs.

If you are in the market for signage that IS an investment, SignForce have been a supplier in the South African (and global) market for over four decades. We take pride in our work and believe our prices are fair so that your investment in signage IS an investment!

Contact SignForce now at info@signforce.co.za or call +27 (0)11 440 7525 or WhatsApp +27 (0)82 558 6413

Find out more about SignForce at http://www.signforce.co.za

Caveat Emptor – Let the Buyer Beware

Posted on August 26, 2023 by Arnold Pollak

Caveat Emptor – Let the Buyer BEWARE

A simple Google search of the term caveat emptor returns the following result: the principle that the buyer alone is responsible for checking the quality and suitability of goods before a purchase is made.

Caveat Emptor is a fairly simple concept where the BUYER is ultimately held responsible for any purchase.

Many years ago I heard this concept stated slightly differently in “He who pays, says”

Regardless of how it is stated, the concept places ALL RESPONSIBILITY on the purchaser to make an informed and ‘decent’ decision when making a purchase.

Now while I 100% agree with the concept of Caveat Emptor (AKA Let the Buyer BEWARE), I also empathize with buyers who DO do [extensive?] research and still end up being fleeced, or feeling they are being ‘ripped off’, or are simply unsatisfied with their purchase – possibly because they did not know the correct questions to ask and or were not well informed when they did ask the correct questions.

It seems that the concept of Caveat Emptor applies equally well across ALL suppliers, trades and products. It applies to the doctor or therapist one CHOOSES to see – because not all doctors or therapists are a great fit for every individual – as well as to car manufacturers (not everyone will want to or can afford to buy a Lamborghini or Rolls Royce or Ferrari) with different buyers having different needs, but equally not all car buyers would want a VW or a Fiat or a Dodge either. I have personal experience as my wife’s practice http://www.inneressence.co.za also experiences the same concept. Caveat Emptor even applies to signage.

One of the challenges SignForce have as a supplier of signage is that we (I am referring to the South African market as this is where SignForce is based) tend to want to always get a bargain – even for those that can afford to and are prepared to pay FAIR price. Because we tend to be bargain chasers the normal process when purchasing a high ticket item (such as a sign) is to do a Google search, request three competative (and hopefully comparable*) quotes and chosing either the lowest or middle price and placing the order.

In our experience it is not common for new sign buyers to ask about SignForce’s facilities, capabilities or for proof of completed work or samples**. I am not sure if a lack of thorough vetting is a direct result of lack of time, lack of desire, being overly trusting or some other reasons, or even a combination of all listed (and I am sure many unlisted) reasons. The outcome of the lack of research can be a double edged sword as while some great but not necessarily well experienced or established suppliers may be overlooked, there is also the possibility that the client may find out too late that the signage they purchase does not meet their expectations or requirements.

I am talking about Caveat Emptor again – I am sure for the umpteenth time – because of a site SignForce recently visited where a client who has had a less than desirable experience and are looking to replace their sign after it has only been up for one week.

The client returned the sign and the sign company remade it, but the second (acrylic faced) sign has already cracked after one week, and is not portraying the client’s business in the professional manner they are striving to achieve.

SignForce did not ask so we are not sure how many quotes they client received, nor what the criteria they used to make their final decision to purchase, but being a financial business who are in the business of researching finance and carrying out due diligence’s, I have the feeling (yes, dangerous to proceed on feelings alone) that the company DID the correct research, however, for whatever reason the chosen supplier cannot produce or deliver.

The ringer SignForce is being put through to show samples, give references and prove we can deliver is also an indication that the client has been burned BUT learned from the experience.

Please people, do your research and USE companies like SignForce where we have years of experience and even if you are not going to ask us to quote or to do your signage, consider paying a consulting fee which will be a far less than any cost of redo’s and will allow you to tap into years of signage experience.

At SignForce we strive to give the best possible advise from a signage and marketing perspective with the objective of ensuring our clients signage is an INVESTMENT.

If you are looking for advice on signage or signage that works, SignForce is the signage business to work with.

Contact SignForce now on info@signforce.co.za or call +27 (0)11 440 7525 or WhatsApp +27 (0)82 558 6413

Find out more about SignForce by visiting http://www.signforce.co.za

* In many ways signage has and will always be a creative purchase. From the origins of signage where artists would use their creative talents to assist their clients in order to create attractive signs, to today where those same concepts are still being practiced. In the modern world of signage the ranges and depth of materials, processes and finishes has amplified. Practically this AMPLIFICATION allows for greater choices, however with depth of choice comes a greater need to be acutely aware of one’s requirements, how one wants their sign to look, what one wants the sign to achieve, the potential costs involved and the buyer’s associated budget. Because of the depth of possibilities unless EXPLICITELY stated in a quote it is extremely possible that while the buyer thinks they are comparing apples to apples that they are not in fact doing so, and are rather unknowingly comparing apples to banana’s.

** Samples are a great way of assessing what a company is capable of producing. That said in South Africa more often than not the client EXPECTS samples to be custom made to scale and are not prepared to contribute towards said sample. While it is understandable that a client would not want to pay for a poor quality sample, there are costs involved, and it is not always practical or equitable, to expect the sign supplier to carry the cost of said samples.

WHY spend money on Vehicle Branding?

Image

Vehicle branding = silent, mobile sales

When money is tight it is way too easy to cut budgets where logic says they should be cut – anything that is not showing (almost) instant return, so lets cut the wage bill and get rid of supposed dead wood, lets cut the marketing budget because – well, is it working? and lets get the staff to pay for their own tea and have limited access to loo paper.

OK, so I may be exaggerating, but sadly none of the above were my own ideas. I have heard examples of each of these cost saving measures over time. (For those who do not know the writer I have had some experience in business consulting (one of the reasons SignForce is able to offer solid business advice when it comes to signs as an investment – but I digress).

The reality is we don’t always get an instant return on our marketing investment. A lot of marketing is about keeping our brand front of mind. Another reason is familiarity. When one’s branding is seen (hopefully often), not always in the same location, by people who do not know what you offer, if and when they do look for your services and find you listed on Google with a number of competitors, if it was you, who would you be most likely to contact? The absolute unknown business or one which for some unknown reason seems familiar?

If you are looking for advice on signs that make business sense, or wanting to get your name OUT THERE, SignForce can help.

Contact #SignForce South Africa now on info@signforce.co.za or call +27(0)11 440 7525

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What happens when signs lie?

Posted on March 1, 2013 by Arnold Pollak

When marketers get carried away with their enthusiasm

I find it fascinating when marketers get so carried away with their own enthusiasm that they clean forget to tell the truth. Anyone want to hazard a guess as to how this one is possible?

As a general rule, even if you are trying to be funny, a sign – or any marketing claim – should be honest, or at least have a link to reality. Although outlandish claims can be used, and viewed as humorous, the humor is seldom conveyed when used in a static media, such as this sign. Unfortunately signs like these can have a negative effect that entirely eliminate any possible benefits that could be gained from erecting the sign in the first place.

For advice on signs that get your intended message across, contact arnold@signforce.co.za or david@signforce.co.za and use the subject line: ADVICE PLEASE and we will gladly get back to you

http://www.signforce.co.za http://www.signforce.co.za/blog

Gambling on relationships in business

Posted on February 3, 2013 by Arnold Pollak

Business is about relationships, selling and money! For now I am only going to think about relationships.

Sometimes relationships are a gamble, not unlike a lottery ticket.

Sometimes you buy your ticket, and you simply lose – most often, and a bad investment!

Other times you buy your ticket and get a little (or not so little) payback – possibly an excellent investment – generally very rare.

And then there are the occasions when you purchase the ticket and get informed that your ticket IS a BIG winner. You get so excited. When you go collect your winnings, you are informed that you have to pay 50% of your winnings to tax. The win was LARGE so you justify the diminished reward by thinking that you should not be greedy. Then the cashier asks if you would like your payout in a single payment now or 20 years in the future. You laugh and ask what that means, only to be informed that if you take the payout now you get 50% of the remaining 50% (after tax) or you can wait the 20 years and get the full amount 50% after tax. It is at times like this that we feel like we are been screwed!

At SignForce we believe that in order to spare your prospects and customers this feeling, it is best that they are informed, BEFORE the event, of the potential pitfalls and costs. I find myself often telling this to my seven year old, advising him that negotiating AFTER the fact means he will ALWAYS be on his back (otherwise known as losing) foot.

In the world of increasingly fast technology, where people seek immediate gratification, the best service we can provide is to make sure we are honest and up-front with clients. They may walk away because they don’t like what they hear, but in the long run, they tend to come back, because they learn (the hard way) that false promises generally cost a lot more than hurt pride – and the seeds for trust – and a great, lasting relationship – have been planted.

If you are willing to hear the truth, SignForce are marketing professionals with experience over multiple medium’s, and we will gladly give you our truth.

If you are in the market for professional looking signs at “FAIR VLAUE”, and would like advice on how best to project your business’s image while making any funds you spend on marketing and signs an investment, please contact the writer at arnold@signforce.co.zaor david@signforce.co.za and use the subject line: ADVICE PLEASE and we will get back to you.