I contacted the glass shop yesterday and explained the situation to the Co-owner, who I actually picked the board up from. The co-owner told me that she was unaware of the damage when I picked the board up as well. She said sometimes things like that happen and the guys try and fix it themselves and don’t tell us about it. She apologized for the damage and gave me a couple options. She said since the damage is cosmetic and will not effect the performance of the board, she offered that 1.) I bring the board back along with the paint I originally used and she will have the guys repair the ding correctly for free. or 2.) She offered to give me a $40 discount on the next board I bring in which she said is the profit the shop makes on the boards. She said that she wanted keep me happy and cover the loss that I would take for discounting the board. I told her I would discuss the options with my customer and see how he feels and what he wants to do. What do you guys think? Is this enough? What would you expect? All comments are welcome Thanks Andy
Unfortunately, when you went went this company to glass a board for your customer they immediately became an extension of your organization. Obviously the more product you push their way the more influence you will have over them. At the very least they should fix the cosmetic damage to the board. In addition, I feel you should get the percentage off the board in question, which should be kicked back to your customer. This will reflect well on you, and would give the customer some compensation for the hassel and emotional issues. Your customer paid good money for a professional glass job, not a F*** up touch up job. I don’t care if it does effect performance or not. If they jerk you around, get as much as you can out of them (fix the board), and don’t use them again. What that glass company needs to realize (as well as many others), is that bad word of mouth circulates much faster than positive word of mouth and is perceived as truth by more people. (Although it might be unfair in some cases, it is a proven fact). Good luck.
Let’s not get rabid about this. Sounds like the owners wern’t trying to screw anyone over. I’ve seen shapers do horrible spackle jobs and try to blame the results on the laminator. The conspiracy theories about shops doing a better job on “name” boards rather than “backyard” guys is funny to me. When you have a system it’s almost impossible to do a “bad” job on purpose. It would actually take more time. I’m sure you and the glass shop can come to a nice agreement.
I contacted the glass shop yesterday and explained the situation to the > Co-owner, who I actually picked the board up from. The co-owner told me > that she was unaware of the damage when I picked the board up as well. She > said sometimes things like that happen and the guys try and fix it > themselves and don’t tell us about it. She apologized for the damage and > gave me a couple options. She said since the damage is cosmetic and will > not effect the performance of the board, she offered that 1.) I bring the > board back along with the paint I originally used and she will have the > guys repair the ding correctly for free. or 2.) She offered to give me a > $40 discount on the next board I bring in which she said is the profit the > shop makes on the boards. She said that she wanted keep me happy and cover > the loss that I would take for discounting the board. I told her I would > discuss the options with my customer and see how he feels and what he > wants to do. What do you guys think? Is this enough? What would you > expect? All comments are welcome Thanks Andy Counseling 101 or what? Just deal with it bro. You might even make some new friends along the way.
I agree with Mike. Your glass company is trying to limit their liability to the owners’ profit. Your losses are greater than the glasser’s profit. The owner should AT LEAST sacrifice their profit AND repair their screwup. Even going that far, the glass company won’t be making up for their error. There’s no way to make the board they messed up new again. Your customer can’t be “made whole” even by repairing the screwed up board to look like new. I think prior to glassing, the glasser could have asked you to sign a waiver limiting their liability to the total cost of their goods and services. Did she do that? Further limits (like the owner wants) probably wouldn’t even hold up in court. As Mike pointed out, your liability extends far beyond your total cost to make this board. It includes your ability to market future boards. There are other middle grounds even less damaging to you. The glasser could pay for you to buy and shape a new blank, then glass it properly for no additional charge. The board would be in “new” condition, and you would be saved additional expense. You would probably spend more time and money pursuing this remedy than you could get out of it. I think lots of shop agreements say in this situation, that everyone starts again from scratch. You buy and shape a new blank, and the glasser glasses it properly at no additional charge. You did your work properly, but must sell your customer a repaired, inferior product because of the glasser’s screwup. The glasser should properly repair the screwup, your customer should receive a discount, and the glasser should reimburse you for the discount. So the question arrises: Why do surfers buy into the overblown hype that shapers produce the “meat” of a surfboard? Wouldn’t a surfer be as well served to buy a surfboard from the guy who glasses and finishes the board as to buy from the guy who shapes the foam? I know, its the age old argument about who is the real customer “agent”. The agent gets to exploit all other services in the product stream as commodities, while acting as the customer’s fiduciary. The faces and occupations change, but the exploit-er is the guy who wins the spin contest.
Let’s not get rabid about this. Sounds like the owners wern’t trying to > screw anyone over. I’ve seen shapers do horrible spackle jobs and try to > blame the results on the laminator. The conspiracy theories about shops > doing a better job on “name” boards rather than > “backyard” guys is funny to me. When you have a system it’s > almost impossible to do a “bad” job on purpose. It would > actually take more time. I’m sure you and the glass shop can come to a > nice agreement. Here`s the thoughts: If a nicer new board, no problem. Happy man. If a patched job, big problem. Very sad. NEW GLASSER!!! Remember, ding repairs are only for the USED BOARDS… but you pay for the NEW BOARD!!! Problems solved: When going to the one restaurant and to order a nicer meal, dos you not care if there is the flys in the food? NEW MEAL!! If you goes to one car dealership and buys fine new vehicle, d you not care if paint job is all the way scratched? NEW CAR!!! If you goes to ride the clean ocean waves and bookie boardsers are in water, does you not care? MY WAVE!!!
Mike D. Most offended, my sentiments thanking to you. You must be bookie.
No offense at all. I’ve never been on one (good or bad, I don’t know). I just think the whole bookie thing is funny. As long as people are not riding all around me with a jet ski I don’t care what they ride.
No offense at all. I’ve never been on one (good or bad, I don’t know). I > just think the whole bookie thing is funny. As long as people are not > riding all around me with a jet ski I don’t care what they ride. “Right the way on, Mike D.!” The trueness of a gentleman you are! I have not found the natural connection between our oceanic water and combustion of the loud, gasious and oily engines of the Jetski. Is it solely possible that they are to be related to truck-pull mud rodeo games? Or of that similar mental form of sports jockey? Great news for saving of the drowning people. So are the one automobile ambulances, but has anyone ever seen them also driven in the one swimming pools? Waves are for the natural way. MY WAY!! Thanking you are not bookie, Mike D.
Counseling 101, my ass! F-that!!! Noodle put it EXACTLY right! Andy, you put the work in…you delivered an IN TACT product to your glassing company, and they didn’t even have the balls (or courtesy) to let you know what they had done UNTIL AFTER the board was glassed. While the board may be unaffected with respect to the way it rides, the fact that you can - visually - TELL it was “monkeyed” with indicates the lack of technique (and the lack of care) they “granted” you. (as if they are doing you a favor glassing your board…you PAID for their services!). While this may seem a minor thing to some, a client deserves his cosmetically nice new stick if that’s how he feels about it. Some people are WAY particular, and while a lot of folks may not like that, the next guy you make a board for may say…“uh,…NAH”. It ain’t obsessive if it reflects on YOU, the board builder. This whole thread is the best excuse for people to take the time out to learn (and do) their OWN glassing (especially if they are low volume). You CAN get good at both crafts if you put in the time. The more control you have over your medium, the more you “own” your craft. An analogy is the photographer who doesn’t print his own negatives. Little does the general public know the skill with which a master printer can make or break a photographer. This is why I have the utmost praise for the good glassers. without being dramatic, they ARE artists!
Your responsibility is to make sure your customer is made whole. This should not be contingent on any deal you have to strike with the glasser. I assume you were contracted (verbally or otherwise) to provide a complete, flaw free board. Don’t risk your reputation over a couple of hundred bucks. Refund, or provide a new board for your customer - then take this philosophy and deal with the glassers. Good Luck