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Before you close the door on him, why don't you give him a call and advise him of the quote that you got (if you haven't already done so). Just a thought...Originally Posted by SPDDMN
Last edited by 7073; 03-15-2010 at 04:38 PM.
I'm actually probably going to go with this one place that has been sending me samples via FedEx to help me decide colours. Any place willing to spend money on the possibility I may spend money there seems like a good choice. They're a bit closer to me as well.
~Get busy living or get busy dying~
2004 Stealth GSX-R 750
Gixxers tend to get grumpy and go on a work to rule program.
Its not totally complete, but I've added some before & after pics in full resolution....
http://7073pdr.shutterfly.com/pictures
Last edited by 7073; 04-20-2010 at 11:33 AM.
Well ...I will be the first to admit that we are definately not the cheapest coating shop in town....and there is a good reason for that.
Cheap ussually equals cutting corners somewhere .....or it could be that your dealing with a company that is doing coatings on the side...or you might be dealing with a company that isn't making money.....that eventually causes them to close their doors. I have seen this happen several times in the past 10 years. I am not saying this is always the case as I know there are other good powder coaters in town that might be happy to coat some parts cheaper....but I know it is ussually the case if the price is alot cheaper.
Cheapest price ... can also equal big headaches sometimes after the bikes together and the coatings fall off from improper application....and beleive me I have heard tons of horror stories. What is your time worth....to save a few dollars.......to risk the aggrevation of the finish falling off / rusting right after you get the bike back together? Then you have to either live with it...or rip it all apart and do it again. I have seen that happen.....more than a few times.
We have a 3 stage -strip and cleaning process for every part in our shop ...to the bare clean oil free metal before we apply any coatings. Most powder coaters don't do sand blasting in house...or stripping to the metal. I have had dozens of people come in with wheels / frames etc....that the powder was applied right on top of the old crappy paint that ended up costing people double what they should have spent to strip it all and start over.
So ....all I am saying ...is make sure you compare apples to apples...when you compare the costs. And remember...when we quote over the phone...without pictures...we always quote safe prices. If you can send pictures or bring the parts in...we can sometimes discount if there is less work required or for smaller parts.
You can check out pictures of our work in our photo gallery on our website.
www.fireballcoatings.com
Regards,
Mark Stevenson
Fireball Coatings Inc.
27 Erinville Drive ,
Erin ON, N0B 1T0
www.fireballcoatings.com
519-833-2628 (COAT)
Last edited by Fireball Coatings; 03-16-2010 at 07:29 PM.
I have everything stripped and ready to go. All that needs to be done is a final wash, threaded holes plugged/taped, and you go to town coating. I mentioned this on the phone and you still quoted me 300 for two rims and a swing arm.
I have a place willing to do 125 plus taxes because all the prep is done. Had I needed stripping/blasting done, yeah they would have charged me 300.
The time you spent with me consulting about colour choices and giving me an estimate was appreciated but I've decided to go with another place that listened to me when I said there was no prep necessary.
One place also has gone out of their way and spent money sending me paint samples via FedEx on different occasions to help me decide on a colour. All this without me giving them any sort of verbal confirmation that I'm getting the work done there. For all they know I could be using them for their willingness to send me samples at no cost to me. So because they've gone out of their way to help me, I think it's fair to give them my business.
I'll take my chances on quality. But since the price I've been quoted by about 4 other shops is 150 for the coating (because the prep is done), how can 4 places be quoting me so low? Are you trying to tell me that those 4 places are destined to close their doors? Put out substandard quality (a couple of these places also highly recommended on this board)? Or in some way cut corners to be able to provide the price they've quoted me?
~Get busy living or get busy dying~
2004 Stealth GSX-R 750
Gixxers tend to get grumpy and go on a work to rule program.
Moderator
The one thing I'll say, having been in business on my own for a while, is that the customer interested only in the lowest price is a customer not worth having. They'll get the service they deserve.
If I find out that someone's shopping around based on price alone, I won't even quote the job.
I'm not interested in the lowest price but when you get a quote significantly higher than other places priced more reasonably and highly recommended by others, I'm going to check a couple other places to see if the price I've been given is fair for what I'm paying for. I'm not blindly giving my money away to someone without first knowing I've found out they're not gouging me. Granted Fireball could have a far superior quality level than the other places I've called but I prefer to find a place that not only has a good price, but will go the extra distance to show they care. For example, sending me paint samples since my work schedule prevents me from getting the chance to go myself to these places. I have to have friends or family drop parts off for me for pete's sake, that's how hard it is for me to get to places during their operating hours. Thank god for GP bikes being open late on Thursdays or I'd never get the chance to buy stuff other than at shows.
~Get busy living or get busy dying~
2004 Stealth GSX-R 750
Gixxers tend to get grumpy and go on a work to rule program.
So I ended up doing my mid & y-pipe to complete the visible components of the exhaust and as expected, another great job done by Fireball.
Thanks guys, I appreciate the work!!
I took some before and after pics, just click on the link in my signature.
How much of a discount are you getting for all this pretend hype and were the knee and palm pads included?
Probably the same you're getting paid by other ceramic coaters for dissing Fireball. Except 7073 is worth his money. You're not. Now grow up. You're like a stuck record.
Spineless swines. Cemented minds.
First of all, Fireball didn't even know about this review until after the fact, so I paid what he asked. I don't do things for discounts, freebies or preferential treatment because I'm not cheap and I understand that a business needs to make money to survive. Having run a family business, I can't stand hagglers, incentive shoppers or the lowest price shopper, so I practise what I preach and do none of those things.
Do small businesses give repeat, low maintenance, no headache customers discounts? In my experience most do, including our family business. That's called having a good business relationship which develops customer retention and increases the most important form of advertising - word of mouth. Those are naturally occurring over time and discounts don't need to be spoken about because the customer will know. That's your business lesson 101 for today!
So to reitirate, I wrote this positive review on my own accord because of the work and service provided, which I was impressed with and willing to share - period. If you have a problem with Fireball, then I would suggest simply calling him or better yet, go meet him and resolve the issue as opposed to hiding behind a keyboard!!
Last edited by 7073; 03-20-2010 at 09:18 AM.
I should have mutli-quoted, but well said
Oh yeah Mark I'm a real customer alright, you're a busy guy so you probably don't remember me but I brought in an exhaust hedder and air box for 1987 BMW M6. That air box is the showpiece of the engine bay, it has
cast 2-3" high polished letters across it. When I got it home -after a one month wait- and removed all the protective wrap I found the power coating had not been
buffed off properly with large areas the surface of each letter still having full thickness powder coat on them. It looked like some kid spent 2 min. with it on the buffer. In fact it probably took him longer to wrap those miles of plastic film then it did to buff. I spent hours cleaning those letters up and all the sand that was left inside the air box, sand that should have been cleaned out before the coating went on.
That was the kind of work you did for me. Why on earth would I bring it back to you to fix it? You had just shown me the quality of your work.
I mentioned how important this restoration was to me, I asked for your best work, I paid you a lot of money. I did not get what I paid for.
I shouldn't have to call back and complain and give you a chance to make it better. I gave you a chance when I walked in the door the first time,
you screwed it up and you screwed me.
I wish I had been one of your happy customers, I would still be bringing work to you. I use Afterburner now and they do excellent work, every time.
Well...like I said before....no matter what bussiness it is .....Big or small.....Toyota or Fireball ....or I'm sure with your new coating company Afterburner.......the fact is ....that when you produce thousands of parts a year ...there will always be a small percentage that is defective or done below the standard. How a company deals with those defects or complaints...is what really matters. If doing those defective parts was intentional....then yes....that makes the maker .....guilty of "screwing you". Or if you call to complain that the job wasn't up to standard....and the maker tells you... too bad....then that would qualify as getting screwed. In Fireballs case....we actually keep tract of our warrantte & returns work for the past 4 years...or Our Return rate ....and over the years it has become VERY low. We know have less than 1% of all our work comming back for warrantee or unsatisfied customers. So in a 1000 jobs....thats less than 10 people....and of those 10 people ....most will call us to correct the problem.
When you get the parts and you are not happy....and you don't even call or give Fireball a call....or a chance to fix your parts to your expectations (which would have been a 20 minute fix in our shop....from what your describing) ....that just doesn't make sense to me? Instead of calling Fireball....you install the parts on your car....and spend your time an energy typing about it....years later....about how you got screwed? Maybe its a generation gap thing....& maybe this prooves .... I am getting older!.........but in my world...when you have something to say like your complaint.....you deal with it up front..... man to man....in a reputable way....like gentlemen....not by bashing ...behind a keyboard and a computer screen.
Anyway...like I said before ....I will warranttee that part even today....and even after your online remarks. If you ever get it off again...you can bring it back for a 100% re-coat at no charge....& I will make sure its better than your expectations. No hard feelings on my side.
Regards,
Mark Stevenson
Fireball Coatings Inc.
27 Erinville Drive
Erin ON, N0B 1T0
fireballcoatings@rogers.com
519-833-2628 (COAT)
Last edited by Fireball Coatings; 03-25-2010 at 01:35 PM.
" How a company deals with those defects or complaints...is what really matters."
Are you saying that what really matters to your company is how you deal with defects and complaints? Really? For most companies what really matters is what is going out the door, not how you fix things that are coming back in.
"If doing those defective parts was intentional....then yes....that makes the maker .....guilty of "screwing you".
I never suggested you did it intentionally, I suspect it is worst then that.
A. you either didn't bother to look at my part before it was wrapped up or,
B. you did and thought, That's good enough.
"In Fireballs case....we actually keep tract of our warrantte & returns work for the past 4 years...or Our Return rate ....and over the years it has become VERY low. We know have less than 1% of all our work comming back for warrantee or unsatisfied customers. So in a 1000 jobs....thats less than 10 people....and of those 10 people ....most will call us to correct the problem."
But those numbers don't reflect all the customers like me that were so disgusted with the lack of care and attention that they didn't bother to call back, that decided to fix it themselves.
"When you get the parts and you are not happy....and you don't even call or give Fireball a call....or a chance to fix your parts to your expectations (which would have been a 20 minute fix in our shop....from what your describing)"
Tell me about it, 20 minutes, that's all. I wish you had spent that time on my part in the month you had it in your shop instead of doing a good enough job. Had you done what you were very well paid for I would never would have had to add my story to the Review page.
"....that just doesn't make sense to me? Instead of calling Fireball....you install the parts on your car....and spend your time an energy typing about it....years later....about how you got screwed?"
I spent about 3 minutes typing my last post, not big deal to me. Although I noticed that you were up til past midnight this morning editing yours.
"Maybe its a generation gap thing....& maybe this prooves .... I am getting older!
Mark, you and me are from the same generation. The difference is in the
work ethic not our age.
"but in my world...when you have something to say like your complaint.....you deal with it up front..... man to man....in a reputable way....like gentlemen....not by bashing ...behind a keyboard and a computer screen."
You can't get anymore open and up front than a public forum.
"in a reputable way" Are you suggesting the Reviews section of the GTA
Motorcycle.com isn't reputable? That sounds sort of disrespectful, certainly not what a gentleman would do.
I know you would like to me to call you or talk man to man because that would make this discussion private and take it away from the eyes of potential customers, that would certainly serve your purpose.
But the Review page is here to serve the members of this forum, not you.
I had completely forgotten all of this until I saw Fireball coatings mentioned in the the other thread concerning your work.
So I added the experience I had with your company, that is what this section is for. The forum members will decide what they do with information.
"Anyway...like I said before ....I will warranttee that part even today....and even after your online remarks. If you ever get it off again...you can bring it back for a 100% re-coat at no charge....& I will make sure its better than your expectations."
Thanks but no thanks, I'm not interested in good enough.
"No hard feelings on my side."
I'm sure you don't, you got the best of the deal, that's why I'm warning the people here.
Regards,
87M6chris
Last edited by 87m6chris; 03-26-2010 at 08:06 AM. Reason: punctuation
87M6chris,
Just a suggestion to make it easier for everyone to read your reply....can you make it in either a different colour, font or bold especially if your breaking down and replying to each paragrah as you did.
Thanks!
Last edited by 7073; 03-26-2010 at 08:14 AM.
While I can understand the incredible frustration of paying for a service, and receiving sub par work, I can't understand how you can get your back up so quickly without even trying to remedy the issue with the service provider. There's three sides to every story, but Mark sounds perfectly willing to fix the issue at hand, yet you never gave him the chance to do that. Forget taking this conversation away from the prying eyes of the internet, your review has become more of an annoying whine than a reliable review." How a company deals with those defects or complaints...is what really matters."
Are you saying that what really matters to your company is how you deal with defects and complaints? Really? For most companies what really matters is what is going out the door, not how you fix things that are coming back in.
"If doing those defective parts was intentional....then yes....that makes the maker .....guilty of "screwing you".
I never suggested you did it intentionally, I suspect it is worst then that.
A. you either didn't bother to look at my part before it was wrapped up or,
B. you did and thought, That's good enough.
"In Fireballs case....we actually keep tract of our warrantte & returns work for the past 4 years...or Our Return rate ....and over the years it has become VERY low. We know have less than 1% of all our work comming back for warrantee or unsatisfied customers. So in a 1000 jobs....thats less than 10 people....and of those 10 people ....most will call us to correct the problem."
But those numbers don't reflect all the customers like me that were so disgusted with the lack of care and attention that they didn't bother to call back, that decided to fix it themselves.
"When you get the parts and you are not happy....and you don't even call or give Fireball a call....or a chance to fix your parts to your expectations (which would have been a 20 minute fix in our shop....from what your describing)"
Tell me about it, 20 minutes, that's all. I wish you had spent that time on my part in the month you had it in your shop instead of doing a good enough job. Had you done what you were very well paid for I would never would have had to add my story to the Review page.
"....that just doesn't make sense to me? Instead of calling Fireball....you install the parts on your car....and spend your time an energy typing about it....years later....about how you got screwed?"
I spent about 3 minutes typing my last post, not big deal to me. Although I noticed that you were up til past midnight this morning editing yours.
"Maybe its a generation gap thing....& maybe this prooves .... I am getting older!
Mark, you and me are from the same generation. The difference is in the
work ethic not our age.
"but in my world...when you have something to say like your complaint.....you deal with it up front..... man to man....in a reputable way....like gentlemen....not by bashing ...behind a keyboard and a computer screen."
You can't get anymore open and up front than a public forum.
"in a reputable way" Are you suggesting the Reviews section of the GTA
Motorcycle.com isn't reputable? That sounds sort of disrespectful, certainly not what a gentleman would do.
I know you would like to me to call you or talk man to man because that would make this discussion private and take it away from the eyes of potential customers, that would certainly serve your purpose.
But the Review page is here to serve the members of this forum, not you.
I had completely forgotten all of this until I saw Fireball coatings mentioned in the the other thread concerning your work.
So I added the experience I had with your company, that is what this section is for. The forum members will decide what they do with information.
"Anyway...like I said before ....I will warranttee that part even today....and even after your online remarks. If you ever get it off again...you can bring it back for a 100% re-coat at no charge....& I will make sure its better than your expectations."
Thanks but no thanks, I'm not interested in good enough.
"No hard feelings on my side."
I'm sure you don't, you got the best of the deal, that's why I'm warning the people here.
Regards,
87M6chris
If I had work done and it came back looking like **** right away, before I touched anything myself I would call them and at least inform them of their mistake. How a company deals with that is absolutely an incredibly important part of running a business. Fixing things that come back in the door is what makes future work that much better.
But alas, there will always be people unwilling to give a second chance, whether it's powder coating or computers.
Last edited by Paul; 03-26-2010 at 01:17 PM. Reason: language
Where's your empathy, man? Not once in your entire rant did you take ownership for the issue and apologize for his experience...
How about you start there and maybe more customers would come back when things go wrong.
Nothing worse than a business that doesn't know how to apologize for their mistakes to begin with.
This is an ongoing p*****g contest between a couple of people and Fireball. Fireball have expressed regret and apologised to peopel who may think they've been ill treated or wronged. You will need to trawl through the whole thread though.
Spineless swines. Cemented minds.
I read the ENTIRE thread.
It just sounds like Fireball does a lot of "justifying", "right fighthing", and "sharing of blame" (i.e., Bringing up the Toyota recall) rather than taking accountability and TRULY being sorry.
His business practise lacks some respect IMO.
It's NEVER good to hear a business point the finger at other businesses and/or talk about how dealing with large quantities some how justifies making errors?? Errors don't need excuses, they need to be made right. I do respect the fact that Fireball is more than willing to make it right. But there is zero need for his excuses. An apology goes a LONG way and he doesn't sound very sorry... sounds like he just wants to clear his name to avoid loosing potential customers.
Last edited by Chantie; 03-26-2010 at 09:56 AM.
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