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Harry Radaza
11-05-2007, 7:44 PM
I recently had a customer who was in the business of producing taco sticks for billiards. when I initially spoke to him, he brought up the question that what if there where back jobs done. At that time we were talking about unfinished tacos which would be sent back to them for final finishing.

I was out of town when he came back and apparently had a finished taco engraved. It turned out my guys engraved it upside down which he wasn't happy about. So he now wants a credit worth $200 (the value of the finished taco).

Anyway, my point is, how do you guys price high value items. I have a set per minute price for my jobs. Do I add on a certain percentage based on the value of the job being done ? If so how much ? examples please.

Dwayne Cook
11-05-2007, 9:29 PM
this is a prime example why I dont engrave on other peoples stuff... I understand that may be your thing but the public doesn't understand.
I have told people that i would if they bring two of the items. I have had a customer bring in a wine box and i did it and i wasn't happy with how it came out but the customer loved it.

Next time have the customer bring two tacos and tell him things happen.
make the employee that made the mistake work extra for your loss.

two tocos and a buritto hold the sauce...

George Elston
11-05-2007, 10:31 PM
This may show my age or my lack of vocabulary, but what's a taco stick?

Mike DeRegnaucourt
11-05-2007, 11:13 PM
George...I'm with you...I'm not sure I know what a taco stick is either. If you Google "taco stick" you get a bunch of food related results. :confused:

It certainly has my curiosity now.

Mitchell Andrus
11-06-2007, 8:59 AM
Eat it and spend more time on employee education. Mistakes get made.

Barbara Buhse
11-06-2007, 9:41 AM
I haven't had a whole lot of experience engraving other people's valuable stuff, but I would think if this could lead to a lot of the same business, then take the chance. I have been asked to engrave a customer's item, but if its only one, like a gift item that I have no chance of repeating, then I usually say no if its expensive.
In a case like this, I'd tell the customer he needed to provide one item to me for layout and testing. Then you can test on this one and have the customer approve the job before marking the real ones. They are certainly going to not only pass the cost along to their customer, but also add on and make a profit from your engrvaing too.

Nancy Laird
11-06-2007, 9:51 AM
This may show my age or my lack of vocabulary, but what's a taco stick?

Since he mentioned billiards, I would hazard a guess that it's a cue stick.

Maybe?

Nancy (45 days)

Belinda Barfield
11-06-2007, 10:28 AM
Nancy is correct. From the Royal Academy of Spanish

Def. A polished hardwood stick, near a meter and half length, thicker on one end than the other, with which the balls of billiards and the tricks are impelled and made to do tricks; a cue stick.

Phyllis Meyer
11-06-2007, 11:14 AM
Tough one! We learn as we go. Cue stick/taco stick...if anyone brought me one to laser, I would definately ask them for an old one, or a sample. My husband would then do his magic with setting it up, creating a jig (if it's something we will be lasering more of). I would have to say that I would have to replace the one that was lasered upside down. I know it's hard because you were not there, and if it was the first one your employee ever did, not necessarily his/her fault either.

We have been lasering a lot of glass. Folks don't understand that we don't want them to bring us something they purchased. We are making it more clear as we go. If they bring me "Grandma's Vase" that is 100 years old, I will not do it! I have never broke a vase, but...if I dropped Grandma's, how would I ever replace that? Same with simple beer mugs and wine glasses. If they bring me a set they bought at some special shop wherever...if I broke one, how would I replace that one?

Mistakes happen, may I ask what your employee charged for that engraving on the taco stick?

Sincerely,
Phyllis

Mike Null
11-06-2007, 11:29 AM
I frequently refuse high value items or I ask the customer to sign a release holding me harmless in the event of a mistake or damage.

Depending on what is to be done, cue sticks are relatively easy.

Sam Starr
11-06-2007, 11:35 AM
Belinda were you born a dictionary or did you grow up to be one

Joe Pelonio
11-06-2007, 11:40 AM
I've never charged an employee for their mistake, that's something I've always absorbed or claimed on insurance.

For example, one employee was training another and they were applying vinyl lettering to a van. The new one cut off the paper backing and hit the paint, making a nice 18" long scratch in the paint. That one cost me $50 deductible and the insurance Co. paid for the rest.

Another employee was setting a grommet with a hammer on a 3'x7' glass topped table. Naturally that made a mess, and cost me over $100 to replace.
She felt bad (cried too) and she offered to pay for it but I took care of it.

Like Mike, I'd always have a release signed before engraving anything valuable
especially a one-of-a-kind heirloom.