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Bus Discussion => Bus Topics ( click here for quick start! ) => Topic started by: jmblake on April 13, 2008, 03:19:22 PM

Title: First post, took bus to get painted.
Post by: jmblake on April 13, 2008, 03:19:22 PM
Hi guy's I've been a member for a while, I've always found answers to my questions with out the need to post. You guy's cover every thing in great detail witch has helped a lot, We have a 81 MCI9 bought about 3 years ago, raised the roof, rebuilt every thing from floor up. Gumpys web sight was a great help. We left fri nite for Columbus to get the bus painted at starjet (Loved Nicks paintjob) we had a fuel leak from the presure switch but they said they would take care of it for us, but other than that a good little trip (270 mile) no other problems, I just wanted to let you guys know what a great bunch of guys you are and thanks for all the good post that answerd all my questions, Ill post some picture's when we get her back from starjet. Thanks Jason.
Title: Re: First post, took bus to get painted.
Post by: Brian Diehl on April 13, 2008, 04:44:40 PM
Welcome aboard Jason!  What kind of paint job are you having done?  I'm sure you will end up with a great paint job!

-Brian
Title: Re: First post, took bus to get painted.
Post by: Kwajdiver on April 13, 2008, 04:50:27 PM
Jason,

If you've been reading then you've heard this before.....   WE WANT PICTURES  ;D  Before and after, and in-between.

Welcome !

Bill
Tampa Bay
Title: Re: First post, took bus to get painted.
Post by: jmblake on April 13, 2008, 06:28:57 PM
Hi Brian, I polished the ss and the top will be a five color scheme with the stripe going down into the ss, dick at starjet said every job is unique.
Title: Re: First post, took bus to get painted.
Post by: Nick Badame Refrig/ACC on April 13, 2008, 06:33:32 PM
Hi Jason,

Welcome to posting!

I know your excitement...  Can't wait to see it!

Say hello to Dick & Dee for me.  As you herd....PICS! PICS..

Nick-
Title: Re: First post, took bus to get painted.
Post by: jmblake on April 20, 2008, 05:47:57 AM
well it's been a week now without our baby and nothing to update about, I think they went on vacation, Emailed several times and no responce, starting to worry. Ill try to get a hold of them monday to see what's going on, hope there's no problems. Jason
Title: Re: First post, took bus to get painted.
Post by: coachconverter on April 20, 2008, 07:29:27 AM
I wouldn't worry, Nick has been doing this a very long time, and you're probably right, they took some days off.  We've finally gotten some decent weather here in Ohio and I know personally how hard it is to go into the shop :-)

As you probably already know, getting anything done on a bus takes a lot longer than ever planned, I'm the pot and the kettle in this situation...

I'm sure you'll get a great paint job, just allow for enough time, during daylight hours, to go completely over it, panel by panel and rivet by rivet.  And plan accordingly to be able to leave it there longer after inspection, in case you want something reworked.  Not commenting on that company's work by saying this, just common sense to not trap yourself into accepting it, by having a one-way flight or something like that. 

If you head home in a southwest pattern from there when you pick it up, stop in and say hi, my shop is about 90 minutes from Columbus, between Dayton and Cincinnati.  You're likely to run into Dallas and Cat here too!

Good luck,
Todd
Title: Re: First post, took bus to get painted.
Post by: eaglelover15 on April 20, 2008, 07:39:14 AM
before I made the decision on painting my coach I tried for 4 days by phone to reach these guys with no luck and being in business for 30 years myself you answer your telephone, but they do good work from what I saw on other coaches
Title: Re: First post, took bus to get painted.
Post by: chazwood on April 20, 2008, 09:34:15 AM
Quote from: eaglelover15 on April 20, 2008, 07:39:14 AM
you answer your telephone

Maybe ....maybe not. Depends on your type of business.

Sales? .........Fine. (The Phone is your lifeblood.)

Manufacturing? Shop work?...... Not.

I find it very hard to care about the phone, when people are lined up at my door.

I also find it very hard to work and answer the phone at the same time.

If you do good work, people will talk. Their friends will come and find you. You tend to use the phone to communicate with the people who have come to your shop.

Show me a tradesman sitting by his phone, waiting for a ring.......and I'll show you someone you need to avoid. (in most cases...give or take a few.)

I hope you will be encouraged to trust these pro's, relax, and that all will go smoothly.


I'm sorry for killing this thread....I'll get back to what I do best.....Asking dumb questions. ;D
Title: Re: First post, took bus to get painted.
Post by: Stan on April 20, 2008, 10:13:45 AM
Obviously some different opinions on how to run a business. Two completely different approaches and to each his own.

The individual (tradesman or professional) who wants to remain independent and not grow the business even though he has customers waiting, shouldn't have a phone, Yellow Page listing or even a business card. That allows him to set his prices and do the kind of work he likes and for whom he likes.

Most entrepreneurs dream of being the next Microsoft or General Electric. When they have customers waiting, they hire people to do the extra work and that requires a receptionist/book-keeper to answer the phone and keep payroll records and collect the money .

Isn't capitalism in a democracy great? :)
Title: Re: First post, took bus to get painted.
Post by: chazwood on April 20, 2008, 10:16:17 AM
Have you been talking to my wife? ;D

Title: Re: First post, took bus to get painted.
Post by: Slow Rider on April 20, 2008, 11:04:57 AM
Capitalism in a Constitutional Republic is even better....

Remember, Democracy is a sheep and two wolves trying to decide
what's for dinner ;)

Frank
Title: Re: First post, took bus to get painted.
Post by: NJT 5573 on April 20, 2008, 03:55:53 PM
I think I saw those guys in your bus in Key West drinking margaritas.
Title: Re: First post, took bus to get painted.
Post by: belfert on April 20, 2008, 08:55:27 PM
Okay, I'm way off topic again.

Businesses need to answer their phones or at very least have voice mail and respond to it.  They also need to state on their voicemail if they are out of the office.  If my friend refers me to a business, how can I buy something or schedule an appointment if nobody ever answers the phone?

My hobby is large high power rockets.  One rocketry vendor in particular very rarely answers his phone and his voice mail has been full for at least six months.  A friend of mine called many, many times before he answered the phone.  This vendor is very slow on emails and has no ecommerce for orders.  (He rarely ships on time and orders can take months.  My in-stock ready to go order took three months to ship when it was supposed to ship the next day.)

I ran a small business for five years before I sold it and we always answered the phone during business hours.
Title: Re: First post, took bus to get painted.
Post by: Jeremy on April 21, 2008, 02:51:53 AM
I have a boatbuilder friend who does highly specialist work, and is well known to the very small group of people who are likely to buy his services. He will never answer the phone during the day unless he happens to be on a break and he can do so without disrupting his work - his problem is that 99 out of 100 calls to his workplace are from people 'off the street' wanting a workaday boatbuilder to do a workaday job, and as such are of no interest to him. You can can call this bad customer service if you wish, but the point is that he doesn't want those customers anyway.

Jeremy

Title: Re: First post, took bus to get painted.
Post by: zubzub on April 21, 2008, 06:26:43 AM
my 2 cents is the same, craftsmen (people) work better uninterupted.  If I am in the middle of a project singlehanded, the phone is off.  It serves none if I am busy thinking about other work when the job at hand needs to be done....on the other hand (hands) if I'm running a crew, it's a great time to field calls and set up  future work, in between directing workers (+ it makes me look busy and stops me from obsessing on the details and getting in the way).
Title: Re: First post, took bus to get painted.
Post by: luvrbus on April 21, 2008, 07:07:51 AM
One good thing about a business not answering their phone is it's good for the competition.I will try 2 or 3 times to reach a business  if no answer or call back I call somebody else 
Title: Re: First post, took bus to get painted.
Post by: chazwood on April 21, 2008, 08:03:25 AM
Quote from: Jeremy on April 21, 2008, 02:51:53 AM
I have a boatbuilder friend who does highly specialist work, and is well known to the very small group of people who are likely to buy his services. He will never answer the phone during the day unless he happens to be on a break and he can do so without disrupting his work - his problem is that 99 out of 100 calls to his workplace are from people 'off the street' wanting a workaday boatbuilder to do a workaday job, and as such are of no interest to him. You can can call this bad customer service if you wish, but the point is that he doesn't want those customers anyway.

Jeremy



Well said. My sentiments exactly.

In my business, (if we answer the phone) the first question you are asked is "how did you hear about us".....if you are not a referral from a previous customer and have not seen my work.....I don't have time. Period.
Hey, we're not trying to be mean we just can't handle everyone that calls, so we draw the line.

Getting back to the original post....maybe these guys are good ....and busy.

I wouldn't get too anxious. ;D
Title: Re: First post, took bus to get painted.
Post by: jmblake on April 29, 2008, 05:29:08 PM
Finally got some picture's the first one shows the bus in primer, the second one is the paint scheme layout sketch. Ill post more pics when I get them. Jason
Title: Re: First post, took bus to get painted.
Post by: Tom Y on April 29, 2008, 05:50:26 PM
Jason, So far it looks good. I like your stripe layout also.  Tom Y
Title: Re: First post, took bus to get painted.
Post by: Nick Badame Refrig/ACC on April 29, 2008, 07:02:17 PM
Hi Jason,

Your in for a treat!   Dick knows how to weave those stripes so that they look 3D...

I know what your going through, hang in there.

Nick-
Title: Re: First post, took bus to get painted.
Post by: jmblake on May 12, 2008, 02:57:25 PM
Hi guy's it's been about 5 weeks and our bus is almost done, they still have to put in the new windshields and fender flairs, starjet sent some pics, they said they will get more pics tomorrow when they pull it outside, we will pick it up this weekend, we can't wait to see it in person and get her home. Jason
Title: Re: First post, took bus to get painted.
Post by: Nick Badame Refrig/ACC on May 12, 2008, 03:16:07 PM
Hi Jason,

Looks Great!   I can't wait to see the full view...


Good Luck
Nick-