Water Buffalo ( More Pics, repairs are finished )( Mount completed)

[rasbo]

Thanks Charlie,

Jim it does still smell like skunk a little out there...


So 3 phone calls now and still no pick up...

finally got rid of the glands..

[Michelle_Nelson]

LOL, you are still smelling skunk? 

My husband threatened to make me sleep in my shop that first night after skinning that thing out.  LOL

[BLKBEARKLR]

Michelle,

Every time it rains the scent comes back up. Think I am going to bleach my yard pretty soon.

[Michelle_Nelson]

 

[BLKBEARKLR]

Wow just need to vent a little

Been 32 days since I contacted this customer to come and pick the mount up, got to talk to him twice said he would be here the next time and still nothing. I don't take any money up front, so this has really dipped into the business account and still nothing.

Think it is time to send certified letter, in my contract it says after 30 days to start charging a storage fee, think I am going to have to impose that and starting March 22 60 days after he was notified and did not come pick it up then sell it and recover my losses.

Some may think that this is a little harsh, but right now I am out almost 1000.00 for this mount, and he has not even attempted to start a payment plan or anything, I would understand if he just manned up said he did not have the entire amount but at least start making some payments.

So what are your thoughts???

Joe

[carpsniperg2]

that would be just fine to me if it was my business. if no effort has been made after 60 days of notification and you have tried multiple times to contact and the person is not making payment cut the loses and sell it. do you have any finished picks for us? i remember when you first posted this would love to see how you fixed it if you can post the picks if you havent already.

[BLKBEARKLR]

that would be just fine to me if it was my business. if no effort has been made after 60 days of notification and you have tried multiple times to contact and the person is not making payment cut the loses and sell it. do you have any finished picks for us? i remember when you first posted this would love to see how you fixed it if you can post the picks if you havent already.

Carp, go to page 3, I posted a bunch of them up when I first got it finished...

Joe

[Michelle_Nelson]

Joe, how many times have I told you to collect a deposit? At least 100 times.  Time for a little tough love.  I TOLD YOU SO!  Still sucks when this kinda stuff happens.

Do you think the stuff I tell you I pull out of my ass?  It is from experience!  By not collecting a deposit you are setting yourself up for this kinda stuff.  You think he would be this flaky if he would have had $500 down on that buffalo?

[Kuduman]

  Good Point Michelle

Joe:
I feel for ya but this guy has nothing to lose. NEVER put yourself in a position to be taken advantage of. I currently have a two bears that are going to start getting storage fees applied and I'm not a bit stressed cuz there already 50-75% paid for.

Good Luck

Jeff
A.K.A Kuduman

[carpsniperg2]

yeah that does look great nice job fixin it up. i don't know were i was when they got posted up nice job.

[WCTaxidermy]

Joe, I missed the last 3 pages of this thread.  Awesome job on the mount.  It looks great!  I sure hope your customer man's up and picks it up without having to go through the certified mail process.  Good luck bud, I'm pulling for ya.  John

[Elkstuffer]

That is just plain *censored*ty. This guy was getting one helluva deal from the start with all of the repairs that you had to make. Unfortunatly we all learn the hard way. The last time I didn't get at least 25% down I got stuck with a large mouth bass skin mount.

I contact the customer when the mount is finished. If nothing after 7 days I send them an invoice that states if payment arrangements have not been made to MY satisfaction within 30 days from the original phone call the mount will be sold. I don't screw around with storage fee's. To easy to get out of those in court.

Good luck with this guy. Put this one in the lesson learned column.

The mount turned out great by the way!

[BLKBEARKLR]

Thank you everyone for the compliments, I have been going through this over and over in my mind, I think the only thing that kind of set me off the deep end is he actually called me set up the time, and i arranged my schedule around him and waited and nothing.

I have had not a lot but quite a few customers that I have not had an issue with, I like it that way, I will continue to honor with them my agreement of no money down, but thinking new customers without a referral I am going to require money down. It is a shame that one person can screw a lot of others.


Joe

[Kuduman]

Joe:
 Looks like your precessing this as well as to be expected.

I'll add this then leave you alone.

In the past few years I've operated my business with the following three principals governing my actions

1. I'm am first a businessman and a good friend second. That way I'll be less likely to be taken advantage of.

2. I don't use my money to mount other peoples animals.

3. I'll work with my customers as long as they work with me... No deposit = No work I can't justify working on someones mount when they haven't paid something. especially when paying customers animals are still frozen or salted on a rack waiting to be worked on.

Additionally:
If I'm not getting a gross margin ROI of at least 10-1 then I'm not going to be in business for long.

The reality is. that about 5% of your customers will be 95% of your problem but we have to treat everyone equally. This might ruffle your friends feathers but are they really your friends.  Good customers and good friends NEVER put you in an awkward position or take advantage of your generosity. Since I've adopted theses three simple principals My business has grown, my supposed friendships have dwindled and my stress level has all but disappeared.

I say my friendships have dwindled I mean that the folks that said they were my friends were gone once the deals stopped. I still have good friends after all I'm not a total A$$.

My deposits that I get cover my costs and ensure that the customer has enough invested to make walking away less attractive than picking up the mount. In ten years of operation I have had 2 mounts go unclaimed after 60 days. One was due to the death of the customer and the other was a
divorce. Not bad for an average of 125-155 mounts a year. 


Good Luck

Jeff
A.K.A Kuduman

[BLKBEARKLR]

Joe:
 Looks like your precessing this as well as to be expected.

I'll add this then leave you alone.

In the past few years I've operated my business with the following three principals governing my actions

1. I'm am first a businessman and a good friend second. That way I'll be less likely to be taken advantage of.

2. I don't use my money to mount other peoples animals.

3. I'll work with my customers as long as they work with me... No deposit = No work I can't justify working on someones mount when they haven't paid something. especially when paying customers animals are still frozen or salted on a rack waiting to be worked on.

Additionally:
If I'm not getting a gross margin ROI of at least 10-1 then I'm not going to be in business for long.

The reality is. that about 5% of your customers will be 95% of your problem but we have to treat everyone equally. This might ruffle your friends feathers but are they really your friends.  Good customers and good friends NEVER put you in an awkward position or take advantage of your generosity. Since I've adopted theses three simple principals My business has grown, my supposed friendships have dwindled and my stress level has all but disappeared.

I say my friendships have dwindled I mean that the folks that said they were my friends were gone once the deals stopped. I still have good friends after all I'm not a total A$$.

My deposits that I get cover my costs and ensure that the customer has enough invested to make walking away less attractive than picking up the mount. In ten years of operation I have had 2 mounts go unclaimed after 60 days. One was due to the death of the customer and the other was a
divorce. Not bad for an average of 125-155 mounts a year. 


Good Luck

Jeff
A.K.A Kuduman

Jeff very sound advice, thanks for sharing that with me. I will put these in the back of my mind for future endevors...

Joe