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View Full Version : Directory Clean up



Scott Shepherd
11-11-2007, 10:00 AM
Here's one I did the other day. I went back to install a part I made this weekend and tried to get a clean shot.

The lighting was low, and I had problems taking the photo. With flash bounces the light off the glass and chrome, without the flash, ISO-1600, the shutter speed was 1/15, so that's why it's slightly blurry. I'm going to start carrying my tripod with me so I can get decent shots when no one else is around.

Before : (click to enlarge)
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After : (click to enlarge)
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Joe Pelonio
11-11-2007, 3:07 PM
I have to say, nothing looks worse than a directory with text varying from 100% width to probably 60%, and even different fonts. It looks like you did like me, the text for the longest name first and use the same size for the rest so they all match.

Nice work.

Scott Shepherd
11-11-2007, 3:37 PM
Thanks Joe! Here's a before with the door open. Prepare yourself, it's not pretty.

click to enlarge
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Stephen Beckham
11-12-2007, 8:53 AM
Oh my.....

I can't believe people would display that! Seems like you'll have a good follow up percentage with a Before/After photo album using that as your "and you wouldn't believe this..." page.

Nice repair job - don't you hate cleaning up behind someone else?

Scott Shepherd
11-12-2007, 9:02 AM
Thanks Stephen!

It goes even deeper than that. The reason for a lot of the tape was that it was missing a part. I mentioned trying to get the part in another thread about customer service. The company who made the directory wouldn't sell me the replacement part. They said it was a patented part and that they wouldn't just "sell" on to anyone who called in.

So, I went across the street to another building who has the same directory, opened the door and looked at this "patented" part. It was a piece of extruded aluminum that looked just like an I-Beam. So I pulled a couple measurements off it, came back to the shop and took some black acrylic and 15 minutes later, I had a glued up i-beam made from acrylic. Took it over, drilled the holes and installed it. Worked like a champ.

That's the stuff that makes me crazy. Something so simple and here's someone trying to make it so difficult for no reason at all. Guess what? They didn't get what they wanted (to sell a new directory or to have it sent in for repair), and they didn't sell any parts. So instead of making $50 on selling me the part, they made zero.

I have redone several of these directories this month. It's easy work.

Stephen Beckham
11-12-2007, 9:22 AM
Sweet... I've learned that customers don't always want the Mercedes... They just want to be treated like they're getting one. The special treatment of these customers will spread to their peers - and you'll get more calls....

My partner and I do so much Pro-Bono type stuff because someone walks in and asks "Can you..." We're always prompt with "lets give it a shot..." If we can't help we're quick to give advice on where/how they might be able to get it done. Most of the time, we've fixed it in 5-10 minutes - not much more than pennies in hardware and look at each other with "how do you charge for that?" type look. Mainly past customers that's come back with something they've had broken for years... and they keep coming back just to talk and ask for suggestions. Our wives hassle us because of the bonus work - but we figure we're somewhere between Floyd's Barber Shop and Goober's Fixit Shop on any given day... It always brings them back with real work somewhere down the road...