Monday
Posted by Dr Diecast at 5/5/2008 6:31 AM and is filed under uncategorized 
So since I have had few comments lately I decided to check my stats. See when I thought maybe nobody cared about reading this blog I got a flurry of emails saying they liked reading it every day but the current stats show thats not really true. Seems I have 3 and sometimes 4 people who read the blog sporadically at best. I did feel that customers would use this to see progress and also find out what its like to have these little cars modified but based on having some 35 different customer cars in house and 50+ overall I think 3-4 regular readers really tells me people don't follow along. Guess I will have to make a decision soon about this little old blog.
OK....... so Friday I got 3 cars shipped and one was the 69 Coronet R/T the guy just totally insulted me on who was getting $375.00 worth of work for $100.00. I just will not be treated with no respect in this business. One of my friends said to me if you change your core customer you will see a difference. This meaning not dealing with the low end customer looking for something on the cheap. I say this because the people who have been problems are just that. They were customers who got simple things done that were not that involved but they just bitched about something all the time. So...... how to change that ? Well..... basically by leaving the people who I think will be problems to the other diecast modders of the world. Let them deal with it. I have other things going on here besides diecast car modding and the last thing I need is to have my "fun" job of creating replicas of peoples real cars get to the point I no longer want to do it because of my clients or potential ones.
This brings me to a little rant. I have a current ad running in a musclecar magazine, it has made the phone ring..... it takes my time to talk to potential customers.... it amazes me that even after giving them a general price they want to go through the motions only to say either " I cant afford that now but will keep you in mind" or " Great I will call you tomorrow to order it". I love the people who use the " the cost doesn't matter" line...... then are never to be heard from again.
OMG....... I JUST got off the phone with a guy outta NY who has a 67 Charger.... they make a 66 in diecast but the biggest difference is the backseat. I tell him not once...... twice but THREE TIMES..... you need to email pictures of your back seat then I can give you a price quote. I made it clear that without seeing pictures their is no way I can price the project. He says..... so how much will it be to do my car. UGH !! Do people NOT listen !
See........ this pretty much sums up what I have to deal with. That and the people who don't get the whole modify a diecast to match theirs concept like the guy over the weekend that wanted a 68 Buick Le Sabre and can't understand why they don't make one or another guy who wanted a 78 Malibu. Add this to my repeated requests for a catalog of all the items I sell, LMAO and you get the idea of how frustraiting it can be to answer the phone sometimes.
But wait........ there is more, LOL. A guy contacts me 10 days ago about the 70 Challenger.... we play phone and email tag then he finally gets me the pictures of his very rare 1-6 promo Challenger. This car is cool and unique..... and he owes the 95 point restored version and is taking the real one to the Mopar Nationals in Aug to have it judged again to try and get a 100 point score. So the car would be a convertible conversion, repaint, re stripe with both white side and hood blackout, repaint the interior, add bumpers guards and rocker trim (unique to the promo cars), different taillight treatment and lastly a luggage rack on the deck lid.
Very nice looking car, very labor intense project getting just about everything done to it. First thing he says after I price it is, hmmm...... you know whats funny, every time I try to find a part for this car when people find out how rare it is they always jack up the price. So....... does this mean he thinks im jacking up the price to him ? I don't know but I tell him, listen...... the average car is $450.00 now add to this the additional cost of making it a convertible and the cost to make the luggage rack and we are actually right there price wise. At this point we talk some more and bla bla bla then he says....... so what guarantee do I have you won't reproduce these to sell on the retail market. < shaking head > By now I am almost done dealing with this guy.... I mean really.... its a nice car...... its NOT mass marketable in my opinion but I could be wrong. I told him I have no interest in that #1 and if it were to happen he #2 could probably take legal again against the company that does it.
Again....... another person who just doesn't get it. These are diecast cars, this is unusual work being performed. This isn't building the plastic model, its not painting a Hotwheels car.... I can't work for free either. UGH !
Well I spent the weekend getting the cars clear coated I wanted to get done Friday. I did work on the roll bars a little and will be working on them more today along with getting a couple cars dry assembled I believe plus whatever else I can get done.
OK...... Im out !
OK....... so Friday I got 3 cars shipped and one was the 69 Coronet R/T the guy just totally insulted me on who was getting $375.00 worth of work for $100.00. I just will not be treated with no respect in this business. One of my friends said to me if you change your core customer you will see a difference. This meaning not dealing with the low end customer looking for something on the cheap. I say this because the people who have been problems are just that. They were customers who got simple things done that were not that involved but they just bitched about something all the time. So...... how to change that ? Well..... basically by leaving the people who I think will be problems to the other diecast modders of the world. Let them deal with it. I have other things going on here besides diecast car modding and the last thing I need is to have my "fun" job of creating replicas of peoples real cars get to the point I no longer want to do it because of my clients or potential ones.
This brings me to a little rant. I have a current ad running in a musclecar magazine, it has made the phone ring..... it takes my time to talk to potential customers.... it amazes me that even after giving them a general price they want to go through the motions only to say either " I cant afford that now but will keep you in mind" or " Great I will call you tomorrow to order it". I love the people who use the " the cost doesn't matter" line...... then are never to be heard from again.
OMG....... I JUST got off the phone with a guy outta NY who has a 67 Charger.... they make a 66 in diecast but the biggest difference is the backseat. I tell him not once...... twice but THREE TIMES..... you need to email pictures of your back seat then I can give you a price quote. I made it clear that without seeing pictures their is no way I can price the project. He says..... so how much will it be to do my car. UGH !! Do people NOT listen !
See........ this pretty much sums up what I have to deal with. That and the people who don't get the whole modify a diecast to match theirs concept like the guy over the weekend that wanted a 68 Buick Le Sabre and can't understand why they don't make one or another guy who wanted a 78 Malibu. Add this to my repeated requests for a catalog of all the items I sell, LMAO and you get the idea of how frustraiting it can be to answer the phone sometimes.
But wait........ there is more, LOL. A guy contacts me 10 days ago about the 70 Challenger.... we play phone and email tag then he finally gets me the pictures of his very rare 1-6 promo Challenger. This car is cool and unique..... and he owes the 95 point restored version and is taking the real one to the Mopar Nationals in Aug to have it judged again to try and get a 100 point score. So the car would be a convertible conversion, repaint, re stripe with both white side and hood blackout, repaint the interior, add bumpers guards and rocker trim (unique to the promo cars), different taillight treatment and lastly a luggage rack on the deck lid.
Very nice looking car, very labor intense project getting just about everything done to it. First thing he says after I price it is, hmmm...... you know whats funny, every time I try to find a part for this car when people find out how rare it is they always jack up the price. So....... does this mean he thinks im jacking up the price to him ? I don't know but I tell him, listen...... the average car is $450.00 now add to this the additional cost of making it a convertible and the cost to make the luggage rack and we are actually right there price wise. At this point we talk some more and bla bla bla then he says....... so what guarantee do I have you won't reproduce these to sell on the retail market. < shaking head > By now I am almost done dealing with this guy.... I mean really.... its a nice car...... its NOT mass marketable in my opinion but I could be wrong. I told him I have no interest in that #1 and if it were to happen he #2 could probably take legal again against the company that does it.
Again....... another person who just doesn't get it. These are diecast cars, this is unusual work being performed. This isn't building the plastic model, its not painting a Hotwheels car.... I can't work for free either. UGH !
Well I spent the weekend getting the cars clear coated I wanted to get done Friday. I did work on the roll bars a little and will be working on them more today along with getting a couple cars dry assembled I believe plus whatever else I can get done.
OK...... Im out !
John,
I know I would miss your blog a lot. I read it daily while I am waiting for my project to be done and look forward to photo updates as you go. I have another project in mind as well and will contact you about it when my current one is complete. Therefor I would hate to see you get discouraged stop the blog and even more so go out of business.
I sympathize with your customer problems. Your skills are well worth the price you ask and I haven't even seen a sample (except in your photos). People have no clue what it takes to do what you
I used to have a motorcycle repair business out of my home and I constantly ran into jerks who wanted to buy stuff cheaper than my wholesaler would sell it to me and then wanted the installation for free. I just told them to buy it somewhere else. Time wasters.
Hang in there John. I am sure there are a lot of you customers who appreciate you.
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You're right, there are customers who do appreciate you. Lots.
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Well John, for myself it has become routine to go to your blog since March 20th. every morning during my computer regiment at work. I really thought you had a bigger following than what you have stated. Would I still keep coming here once my projects are finished, I would like to think so. If you feel the need to shut it down that is your prerogative, but I find it interesting on how much is involved in the process getting these projects to the finished stage. I also think there has to be gratification knowing you have created a lot of one only cars for the collector to enjoy for years to come.
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Sporatically? I hope I do not fit in that category, as I am a fan and a daily reader. I even re-read posts on the days you are too busy to share. But I realize there are either not many people like us out there, or maybe a lot of computer geniuses who know how not to leave tracks --- but then why would they be interested in diecast?
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El Senior D.B., you know I read this everyday. I may not post, but I do read it daily. Just thought you might want to know that. I will call during the week, really busy at work this week.
Later Pal
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Regarding your low 'readership', maybe you're not including me, and others, who receive your daily blog via email? I look forward to it, not only during the period while waiting on my project El Camino, but now after having received it. There is no doubt that you are dedicated to doing the best job possible for all your customers. I hope you don't get too discouraged with the nitwits who try to lowball you or try to push you. They're having a problem, not you, RIGHT?
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