[ProWallGuy]

I've got 2 guys working for me right now that I can't get to put signs on their truck. They claim it will ruin their paint, (and they do have very nice new trucks), but they have never meesed up my paintjob, ever. They don't outright refuse, but they just don't want to do it. what are your guys policies on this, and how would you respond. BTW, both are excellent painters, and firing them wouldn't be an option right now. Way too hard to replace these guys.

 

[Grumpy]

We supply the vehicles so they have no choice, nor do they care about scratches . I can see their point that it will ruin their paint because it does ruint he paint. It will scratch the paint and cause uneven sun fading.

 

[Tom R]

Nothing personal, but I wouldn't want to 'wear' your sign, either. If my truck was going to 'advertise', I'd like to 'reap' some benefits. What's in it for them? The one time I 'wore' someone else's signs was because he offered to pay my truck insurance for as long as I wore them. 'Give and Take'.

 

[Teetorbilt]

TomR, a job is in it for them and in this state your lic# has to be visable on any vehicle engaged in work for the company. IE I drive my Pinto to the site, do a days work and drive home, I'm an employee. If I drive to the shop, pick up ladders, a sprayer and 30 gallons of paint, I am considered a commercial vehicle engaged in business and a license # has to be visible from 2 sides of the vehicle.
Pro, I,ve been using magnetic signage for more than 20 yrs. because it increases the resale value of your vehicles and allows you to go undercover to check out the competetion, also allow you to park in your driveway in certain neighborhoods. I have had one problem. A 1984 Blazer with silver metallic side panels, it had some staining but you couldn't tell that it was from the signs (no outline).
Put a few good coats of wax where the signs go and wash and wax the truck every few weeks, wash the sign too (both sides) and you shouldn't have any problems. I have done this with GM and Ford vans, pickups, Olds 88, Continental, a few Toyotas, Jeeps and a Nissan Maxima. NO damage, urban legend.

 

[Grumpy]

Teetor would that law apply if an employee drove his personal vehicle to the job site as transportation? If so then I say again Florida is over regulated but I also say that I'd be excellent in sales there because of my sales strategy!

Pro, insurance can be expensive. Perhaps offer to have their trucks detailed 4 times a year.

 

[Teetorbilt]

Grumpy, Not if it is just transportation, he's off the clock until he gets to the site.
If he uses his vehicle to go and get more bags of mortar and he is getting paid then the truck is viewed as being used for business purposes.
Here, this is technical law and I have never heard of it being enforced and see it all of the time but if someone downtown had it in for you it could be another fine.
Probably a worse thing to consider is insurance. Let's say that the guy with the mortar is involved in a big accident and is found to operating commercially without commercial vehicle insurance. Poof! He has no insurance at all and here come the lawsuits.

 

[Tom R]

Teetorbilt,

Admittedly, my experiences/opinions are 'Jersey' based. There are no such stringent rules here (at least as far as on site vehicles) so speak softly, or they'll be in 'effect' tomorrow (around here the only things that aren't regulated, are the ones they've been too busy to 'vote' in yet).

Around here, if I was to have my worker 'wear' a magnetic sign on his vehicle, and he got in an accident on the way to work, my company would get sued. So I wouldn't let him wear one, even if he asked. (In fact, on that note, even if he forgot to take the sign off, and went to the movies over the weekend, and got in an accident, my company would still be 'liable').

Pro,

I'm not saying to pay their insurance, that's probably a 'rarity', but offer them some 'incentive'. Many incentives are better received because of their thoughtfulness, rather than their 'value'. Grumpy's idea is a good start.

 

[Teetorbilt]

Tom, I think that you could pay him $1.00 a month for advertizing and write it off.
I have never thought of this angle but many states must charge taxes for advertizing on taxis, buses, etc. If you pay at the lowest rate, well, so be it.
Check with a local attorney to see what you can get by with.
The guy is only advertizing for you, no problem.
Note: I do not run my businesses this way, however, I enjoy the game and it is played on many levels. From local to NATO, the game is played. Arena rules are the only difference.

 

[Spectatorz]

Magnetic Signs

The other day I got a call from a prospective customer asking me to go and meet them at the home they want to build onto. It just happened that traffic was bad and I was going to be about 15 minutes late, so I called and said so. No problem. When I did arrive (10 minutes late) I knocked on the door and a woman answered that she needed 10 minutes more and would I please wait. Ok, no problem. As it turns out, several minutes later two guys walk out and get into a car on the street that had no mag signs. They were from another contractor working on getting the project. I walked in and sat down at the table and the woman informs me that the guys just walked out with her paperwork of questions that her family was asking of the contractors !!! No problem for me but she was upset. We continue our meeting as usual and I see their business card on the table and it looks crumbled up like the guy had it in his pocket with a bunch of change, not to mention it was of low quality paper and design. They might get the contract regardless. Anyways what I am getting at is this, prior to a meeting like this I always try and have my van reasonably clean and my mag signs up and wiped down with denatured alchohol to look as good as possible. The main signs are 2'x4' with a few @ 1'x2' as well as a couple showing the Visa and Mastercard logos. In my opinion it lends to the degree of professionalism we try and promote as well as the legitamacy of our business.
It seems the idea of having just workers put mag signs on their vehicles might be questionable, but if you are talking about your sales team that might be different. Jus something to think about.

 

[Guest]

If you want your name on trucks, buy em.

Actually I buy my guys trucks and use it as an incentive. I just put one of my guys in a new 2500HD. It is mine, in my name, I insure it and pay the gas. He maintains it, uses it for his personal vehical and is expected to use it for work. After 5 years it either gets replaced or transfered to his name.