Post by: Kuduman on June 19, 2014, 09:26:36 AM
First off let me say that my intentions are not to create a $hit storm on here by posting this poll. Rather i think it vital for customer service reasons to be fair and equatable to both parties in a transaction.
Just wanted to take the pulse of the hunting community to get their thoughts on how long after a mount is completed and the client has been notified should they be expected and or required to make final payment and pick up their mount.
I know each shop has their own policy in place ( AS I do) for this but thought it might be interesting how everyone feels about it. Also please feel free to comment on what actions you think are appropriate for a taxidermist to take when mounts go unclaimed. Do you think its appropriate and reasonable to charge storage fees or even sell the mount on delinquent accounts. For the purpose of this poll we are assuming that there are no communication issues between client and taxidermist
Thank you for your input.
KUDUMAN
Post by: seth30 on June 19, 2014, 09:30:09 AM
Post by: h20hunter on June 19, 2014, 09:32:41 AM
I would expect both parties to abide by the terms.
I put 60 days because that just seems acceptable for the time it takes for quality work to complete compared to time allowed for pickup.
Post by: pianoman9701 on June 19, 2014, 09:35:17 AM
Post by: Knocker of rocks on June 19, 2014, 09:37:19 AM
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=63.29 (http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=63.29)
Post by: deltaops on June 19, 2014, 09:39:55 AM
With that being said, I am sure things are discussed when items are dropped off.
Life happens and sometimes things get delayed for one reason or another. I think 60 days is the max I would like to see.
Post by: Woodchuck on June 19, 2014, 09:41:46 AM
30 days sounds fair enough as long as the taxi delivered as promised. However, if the taxi estimated one year and that turned into 2 or 3, as it seems often happens, then more leeway is appropriate. It's kind of hard to get mad at someone for taking an extra month when the mount took an extra year. :dunno:Nailed it. :tup:
Post by: Becky on June 19, 2014, 09:50:01 AM
I would review this and other RCW's to find if anything is applicable. Thirty days seems way too short:yeah: I was just going to say that I believe there are laws that are already in effect for this. Plus... there is a lot of proof that I think a taxidermist would have to show if they decided to sell or dispose of the work. The customer could say "oh but they never contacted me and gave me time to pick it up" and that would create a mess of legal issues.
http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=63.29 (http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=63.29)
Post by: jackelope on June 19, 2014, 09:55:15 AM
Post by: Becky on June 19, 2014, 09:57:16 AM
How long does it take before you get sent to collections at the dentist's office?
90 days/3 months for medical bills (is what they've always told me).
Post by: hntrspud on June 19, 2014, 10:05:57 AM
30 days sounds fair enough as long as the taxi delivered as promised. However, if the taxi estimated one year and that turned into 2 or 3, as it seems often happens, then more leeway is appropriate. It's kind of hard to get mad at someone for taking an extra month when the mount took an extra year. :dunno:Nailed it. :tup:
Agreed. Thats more than fair. When you take your animal in to be mounted then you shouldnt figure out how to get the money then, you should have that money set aside.
Post by: Gringo31 on June 19, 2014, 10:20:00 AM
Post by: h20hunter on June 19, 2014, 10:24:22 AM
Post by: HUNT-HARD on June 19, 2014, 10:35:21 AM
Post by: h20hunter on June 19, 2014, 10:36:34 AM
Post by: pianoman9701 on June 19, 2014, 10:41:01 AM
It seems odd that this is much of an issue. Seems most people can't wait to get their mounts back. Out of curiosity, what is "normal"? I'd guess most customers pick up their mounts within a week of notice that the work is done?
:yeah: I'd be chomping at the bit the day I dropped it off. :dunno:
Post by: superdown on June 19, 2014, 10:45:55 AM
I say equally as long as it took to mount.:yeah: Absolutely This is first thing that came to mind when i initially read the question. Although i have had my mounts paid for within the month of them being completed with a 50% deposit to begin with.The taxidermist should be as patient waiting for their money as the customer was waiting for their trophy.
Post by: pianoman9701 on June 19, 2014, 10:56:15 AM
I say equally as long as it took to mount.:yeah: Absolutely This is first thing that came to mind when i initially read the question. Although i have had my mounts paid for within the month of them being completed with a 50% deposit to begin with.
Sorry and no offense, but that's ridiculous. Some mounts or taxis have a 2-year wait, up front. Some even more. If you're having something mounted and you know what the wait time is, and the taxi is within reasonable leeway of that time, you should be prepared to pay for your mount immediately when it's done. What business has the storage space to keep two years worth of orders? Answer: none.
Post by: Mxracer532 on June 19, 2014, 11:04:50 AM
Post by: HUNT-HARD on June 19, 2014, 11:05:21 AM
Post by: jackelope on June 19, 2014, 11:07:19 AM
:yeah:I say equally as long as it took to mount.:yeah: Absolutely This is first thing that came to mind when i initially read the question. Although i have had my mounts paid for within the month of them being completed with a 50% deposit to begin with.
Sorry and no offense, but that's ridiculous. Some mounts or taxis have a 2-year wait, up front. Some even more. If you're having something mounted and you know what the wait time is, and the taxi is within reasonable leeway of that time, you should be prepared to pay for your mount immediately when it's done. What business has the storage space to keep two years worth of orders? Answer: none.
You're paying for a service. Once the service provider's obligations are complete and the service you requested is complete...it is your obligation to pay for it. You don't get to pay whenever you feel like it, and if you can't pay for it in a timely manner, you shouldn't have signed up in the 1st place.
I voted 90 days. That seems fair as long as the taxidermist has fulfilled his end of the bargain and made effort to contact the customer letting them know the work is done.
Post by: superdown on June 19, 2014, 11:08:23 AM
No offence taken We certainly have a difference of opinion if takes them 2 years to complete the task then they obviously have the space to store it a certain taxi comes to mind that would certainly prove that point.The last taxidermist I used was well over a year late on the promised delivery date and even though i got him paid within the month of completion He made me wait an extra year i see nothing unfair with him doing the same. :twocents:I say equally as long as it took to mount.:yeah: Absolutely This is first thing that came to mind when i initially read the question. Although i have had my mounts paid for within the month of them being completed with a 50% deposit to begin with.
Sorry and no offense, but that's ridiculous. Some mounts or taxis have a 2-year wait, up front. Some even more. If you're having something mounted and you know what the wait time is, and the taxi is within reasonable leeway of that time, you should be prepared to pay for your mount immediately when it's done. What business has the storage space to keep two years worth of orders? Answer: none.
Post by: pianoman9701 on June 19, 2014, 11:31:18 AM
No offence taken We certainly have a difference of opinion if takes them 2 years to complete the task then they obviously have the space to store it a certain taxi comes to mind that would certainly prove that point.The last taxidermist I used was well over a year late on the promised delivery date and even though i got him paid within the month of completion He made me wait an extra year i see nothing unfair with him doing the same. :twocents:I say equally as long as it took to mount.:yeah: Absolutely This is first thing that came to mind when i initially read the question. Although i have had my mounts paid for within the month of them being completed with a 50% deposit to begin with.
Sorry and no offense, but that's ridiculous. Some mounts or taxis have a 2-year wait, up front. Some even more. If you're having something mounted and you know what the wait time is, and the taxi is within reasonable leeway of that time, you should be prepared to pay for your mount immediately when it's done. What business has the storage space to keep two years worth of orders? Answer: none.
I did state in my original post that if the taxi's late there should be some consideration. However, if you've already waited an extra year to get your trophy, why would you want to wait another year or two? The argument that they already have space for trophies which take however many years doesn't make sense either. That has nothing to do with the kind of space they have left once they're completed. Regardless of your attitude, no one has limitless business space.
You have avenues for recompense if someone breaks a contract with you. If the trophy takes an unreasonable amount of time, you can sue in small claims court for an adjustment of the price as consideration for the lateness, just as you can sue if the product is faulty. But leaving the trophy for a year because it was a year late seems arbitrarily vindictive. And, it would indicate that you really don't care about the trophy. A small claims court judge wouldn't have much sympathy for someone who says the trophy meant a lot to them but waited a year to pick it up.
Post by: casey58 on June 19, 2014, 12:01:13 PM
Post by: Rainier10 on June 19, 2014, 12:02:34 PM
Post by: pianoman9701 on June 19, 2014, 12:14:00 PM
Post by: Gringo31 on June 19, 2014, 12:15:14 PM
Post by: Becky on June 19, 2014, 12:15:32 PM
Superdown, you should also be aware that I play a lawyer on the internet and watch a lot of Judge Judy, so I know what I'm talking about here!:chuckle: I think you just described like 75% of us.
Post by: Smossy on June 19, 2014, 12:25:56 PM
Post by: cbond3318 on June 19, 2014, 12:26:02 PM
Also, it is a stipulation of the contract between client/provider, options are endless.
Post by: Bean Counter on June 19, 2014, 01:01:09 PM
If I were a taxi I would be at least as flexible for my customers as i ask them to be for me. If you quote 12 months but regularly run 18 month turnarounds, dont at the same time tell me that your pickup date is inflexible.
Post by: hirshey on June 19, 2014, 01:09:31 PM
For me, 30 days is not reasonable if the mount will be done any time between May and September; I am on 2 hour callback from my work station even IF I am afforded a day off... and that's if I'm even at my duty station; between May 14 and October 14 of 2012 I was only home 7 days.
As a general, relative figure under normal circumstances, I'd agree 30 days is reasonable, but each case (if communicated beforehand) is different.
Charlie's Taxidermy held my mule deer euro until October for me due to this reason, which was incredibly appreciated, and I'd use him again in a heartbeat due to his professional manner and understanding.
Post by: superdown on June 19, 2014, 01:12:52 PM
:tup: :chuckle: :chuckle: that's funny. My words may seem harsh and i personally would not have it in me to let my trophy sit any longer than possible in someone else's possession it is just based in principle and of course no business has limitless storage but that being said most taxidermy businesses in general have quite large storage areas. :twocents:Superdown, you should also be aware that I play a lawyer on the internet and watch a lot of Judge Judy, so I know what I'm talking about here!:chuckle: I think you just described like 75% of us.
Post by: pianoman9701 on June 19, 2014, 02:17:16 PM
I would say this figure should be highly dependent on the taxidermist and the client and the arrangement they have agreed upon.
For me, 30 days is not reasonable if the mount will be done any time between May and September; I am on 2 hour callback from my work station even IF I am afforded a day off... and that's if I'm even at my duty station; between May 14 and October 14 of 2012 I was only home 7 days.
As a general, relative figure under normal circumstances, I'd agree 30 days is reasonable, but each case (if communicated beforehand) is different.
Charlie's Taxidermy held my mule deer euro until October for me due to this reason, which was incredibly appreciated, and I'd use him again in a heartbeat due to his professional manner and understanding.
I commend Charlie's for taking care of you and yours is a special circumstance for which you would make stipulations in a contract, were there a written contract. For most of us old fogies, we're not going anywhere but to the bathroom and work between now and when the head is complete.
Post by: pianoman9701 on June 19, 2014, 02:19:13 PM
:tup: :chuckle: :chuckle: that's funny. My words may seem harsh and i personally would not have it in me to let my trophy sit any longer than possible in someone else's possession it is just based in principle and of course no business has limitless storage but that being said most taxidermy businesses in general have quite large storage areas. :twocents:Superdown, you should also be aware that I play a lawyer on the internet and watch a lot of Judge Judy, so I know what I'm talking about here!:chuckle: I think you just described like 75% of us.
No harshness taken. If my skin were that thin, I wouldn't last as an internet lawyer very long (or in this forum)!
Post by: ICEMAN on June 19, 2014, 05:51:13 PM
Post by: bearpaw on June 19, 2014, 06:29:36 PM
:yeah:I say equally as long as it took to mount.:yeah: Absolutely This is first thing that came to mind when i initially read the question. Although i have had my mounts paid for within the month of them being completed with a 50% deposit to begin with.
Sorry and no offense, but that's ridiculous. Some mounts or taxis have a 2-year wait, up front. Some even more. If you're having something mounted and you know what the wait time is, and the taxi is within reasonable leeway of that time, you should be prepared to pay for your mount immediately when it's done. What business has the storage space to keep two years worth of orders? Answer: none.
You're paying for a service. Once the service provider's obligations are complete and the service you requested is complete...it is your obligation to pay for it. You don't get to pay whenever you feel like it, and if you can't pay for it in a timely manner, you shouldn't have signed up in the 1st place.
I voted 90 days. That seems fair as long as the taxidermist has fulfilled his end of the bargain and made effort to contact the customer letting them know the work is done.
:yeah: 90 days seems fair, then charge a monthly fee, at 6 months sell to recover your time (sometimes people run into hardships and need a couple months to recover)
Post by: Westside88 on June 19, 2014, 06:35:21 PM
Post by: BOWHUNTER45 on June 19, 2014, 06:50:12 PM
Post by: DIYARCHERYJUNKIE on June 19, 2014, 06:58:22 PM
Post by: jburkett on June 19, 2014, 11:06:36 PM
Post by: bowhunterforever on June 20, 2014, 03:15:52 AM
So far I have picked everything up within a couple days of the phone call. Most people can't get them back fast enough. I say 30 days is plenty.:yeah: Same here, I call my taxi every few months to see when my mount is gonna be done
Post by: Natures Way on June 20, 2014, 10:02:01 AM
Post by: Old Man Yager on June 20, 2014, 10:50:57 AM
Post by: h20hunter on June 20, 2014, 10:56:19 AM
Post by: woodman on June 20, 2014, 11:31:40 AM
I owned a business for many years and that was my experience.
Post by: ICEMAN on June 20, 2014, 01:39:09 PM
So lets look at it in another way. Lets say that you go to work for a week and your boss/company tells you that you will get paid 30 days from today Maybe! and see how you run your house hold not knowing when your going to get paid. actually when you get a call that it is done it was actually mounted two to three weeks prior and then another day for cleaning and finish work then you get a call. so if the customer waits thirty days to pick up, taxi will be getting paid almost two months after he/she did the work. what ever lead time they have give that amount of time to say the other half of the money and if life happens and it does you should contact the taxi to let them know not to start on your project yet it will help both of you in the end.
If taxi's would operate like a normal business...There would be no issue.
When I was a contractor, if i ran late getting a job done on time I would experience liquidated damages clause and be required to pay a fee for every DAY I was late. Taxi's don't generally do this, maybe they should.
Post by: Bean Counter on June 20, 2014, 01:47:32 PM
So lets look at it in another way. Lets say that you go to work for a week and your boss/company tells you that you will get paid 30 days from today Maybe! and see how you run your house hold not knowing when your going to get paid. actually when you get a call that it is done it was actually mounted two to three weeks prior and then another day for cleaning and finish work then you get a call. so if the customer waits thirty days to pick up, taxi will be getting paid almost two months after he/she did the work. what ever lead time they have give that amount of time to say the other half of the money and if life happens and it does you should contact the taxi to let them know not to start on your project yet it will help both of you in the end.
NW, I don't think the central thrust of this conversation is about whether a taxi should get paid, its about whether the customer should have only X days to pick up his mount, and then the taxi sells off the mount if he is 1 day late.
For the sake of discussion: Lets say you gave me a 12 month quote but wound up taking 15-18 months to get the mount completed. Then I was then away from town for work or vacation, I could paid you via telephone/internet and was away from town, would you still sell the mount off after 31 days even though your completion was delayed due to whatever circumstance? What I and I think a few other members are saying, is that if a taxi wants some flexibility in the completion date, maybe there should likewise be flexibility when the customer picks up his or her mount. :twocents:
Post by: Bango skank on June 20, 2014, 01:53:59 PM
Post by: woodman on June 20, 2014, 02:03:52 PM
My mount is ready? I don't believe you. Have one out right now that's more than a year past the time frame I was given. I'll never pay in full up front again.
Huge mistake paying in full up front. You showed good faith doing that but the taxi has no more incentive to work on your project. The taxi can work on others that will put more money in his pocket when he gets the job done. This applies to any kind of business.
Post by: Bango skank on June 20, 2014, 02:38:17 PM
Post by: Becky on June 20, 2014, 02:50:01 PM
So lets look at it in another way. Lets say that you go to work for a week and your boss/company tells you that you will get paid 30 days from today Maybe! and see how you run your house hold not knowing when your going to get paid. actually when you get a call that it is done it was actually mounted two to three weeks prior and then another day for cleaning and finish work then you get a call. so if the customer waits thirty days to pick up, taxi will be getting paid almost two months after he/she did the work. what ever lead time they have give that amount of time to say the other half of the money and if life happens and it does you should contact the taxi to let them know not to start on your project yet it will help both of you in the end.
NW, I don't think the central thrust of this conversation is about whether a taxi should get paid, its about whether the customer should have only X days to pick up his mount, and then the taxi sells off the mount if he is 1 day late.
For the sake of discussion: Lets say you gave me a 12 month quote but wound up taking 15-18 months to get the mount completed. Then I was then away from town for work or vacation, I could paid you via telephone/internet and was away from town, would you still sell the mount off after 31 days even though your completion was delayed due to whatever circumstance? What I and I think a few other members are saying, is that if a taxi wants some flexibility in the completion date, maybe there should likewise be flexibility when the customer picks up his or her mount. :twocents:
I voted 90 days because that's what ran through my head is the explanation you just gave. I just think of worst case circumstances.. I've never had anything taxidermied, however, I've never read a single account where someone got their mount back exactly on the date specified. In fact, I think most quotes taxis give out now are "starting at __ years" or "about __ years", so why would it be fair to dispose of or sell off someone's trophy after 30 days has past when they rarely get to pick it up on the original date or even within the original specified month?
I think about all the accounts of people on here going through cancer treatment, getting sick, emergency surgeries, deaths in the family. Sometimes, calling their taxidermist is the last thing on their mind for that moment.. and I couldn't imagine the extra heartbreak of returning calls a day or so late only to find out their mount was sold off. 90 days is how a lot of bills are scheduled before going off to collections, seems like 3 months is enough time that the taxidermist could ethically feel good about it being "abandoned" and them selling it off to recoup losses or what have you.
Post by: Holg3107 on June 20, 2014, 03:03:24 PM
Post by: Natures Way on June 20, 2014, 04:26:44 PM
Post by: Odell on June 20, 2014, 04:49:47 PM
But if you have paid in full, you should have 90 days to pick up and then be charged a reasonable storage fee until 6 months or so. If you have paid in full, they should have to hang on to it for a while. "storage" really means display and if they have done quality work it's not really a huge deal for it to hang in the shop imo. Helps the taxi in some ways.
Usually the issue is getting paid, not really hanging on to something thats been paid for.
Post by: stevemiller on June 20, 2014, 05:40:48 PM
Post by: stevemiller on June 20, 2014, 05:55:11 PM
Post by: xxlx7 on June 20, 2014, 06:04:25 PM
Post by: pianoman9701 on June 21, 2014, 06:49:39 AM
I say 30 days is plenty if the customer has been notified.The other side of this is how much discount should a customer be given per month that services are later than given?No matter the excuse. :twocents:
A simple contract would protect both the hunter and the taxi. Not having one for something this valuable is stupid. The contract could stipulate the length of time for the job and penalties for late delivery. It would also state the hunter's payment and pick-up responsibilities. Keep in mind that any contract has to be legal to be binding. If the laws surrounding taxidermy allow great leeway in the completion of the project, having a contract which is more stringent would probably do no good unless there is extra consideration given.