ComplaintsforHarwin Sign

• Initial Complaint

  06/20/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On May 3 rd , I placed my order with Jamy Li, the owner. It was a led sign , 2 pylon sign. Total was $ 5800. We paid him $ 3600 in advance. And he promised it will be done before June 1st .On the contract, we wanted the led sign to be white color and black frame. On the way back to our restaurant, my wife changed her mind , she said she preferred to red frame instead white. We called him and he confirmed with a text it’s ok. ImOn May 31st , I called and ask him when they will install the sign. He was very rude on the phone saying it was raining and they don’t do it when it rains.Then I asked him what about Saturday or Sunday. He said they don’t work on weekends.I called again and begged him if he could do it next Monday ,he said , don’t you want a penalty from the city, your permit isn’t ready. I was speechless. I said I would wait then. I did not call him or hurry him whatsoever for the rest of 4 days. Until the following Wednesday. I was in the area, I stopped by at the store and he was not there . I called him in front of the store, he said if wasn’t raining today, your sign was already up there. I thanked him at the time and asked him politely what the permit? He said where my sign is located doesn’t require a permit. The following day, he sent 2 guys to install the sign. Immediately I found the frame color was not red. I texted him , and stated the color was wrong. I needed the sign so badly for my business to get going. I did not intend to stop the installation. I just wanted to let him know he made a mistake. A few minutes later, he texted it was not on the contract. He said in order to change the color it will cost me another $1800 . He said he would have to paint it. I know it is not paint on the frame. It’s plastic paper like you put a shield on your vehicle. We argued really bad on the phone. And I hung up the phone. He never called again nor install the pylon sign . It’s been 10 days since. Tonight one customer told me your sign wasn’t on.

  Business response

  08/23/2024

  Hello,
  
  While I did not have any direct or indirect interaction with this client, I've investigated this matter. My partner, Jamy, informed me that he did request for red sides over text messages, but a proper change order was not processed, it was our oversight at this point. The sign was fabricated with the originally agreed upon color, which was black since my fabrication team was not informed of the change request. However, the client visited the shop prior to installation and saw the sign and did not mention the color was incorrect, therefore was treated as an in-person final approval of the actual physical fabricated sign. The sign was then installed as soon as possible as requested. A later time after the sign was installed, client reached out to my partner asking him to change the color as he requested over text, but since he did see the sign prior to installation and did not mention that he was not satisfied with the color. In order for our team to rework the sign after installation we would require additional cost to remove and reinstall the sign after changing the color to red. Being disappointed with this response from my partner, the client was very aggressive towards my partner over the phone while on speaker, and my team witness his attitude, which left my partner very embarrassed, frustrated and disappointed. So he told the client, we cannot do anything if they don't agree on the additional cost, which they did not, and started threatening to write negative complaints and saying strange things like begging to get work done etc. Ultimately, we are a business, if there is a reasonable cost involved, we look at the timelines of approval, if we determine we are not at fault, the client will need to agree to pay for the additional cost required to rework. In this situation, we cannot claim responsibility as the final fabricated sign was verbally approved at our shop, by the client.
  
  As much as we can understand that the color wasn't as he requested after this change request, and the client made an effort to text the request to change the color, the most recent and final approval of the sign prior to installation, which is when he saw the sign in person a day or two before we installed it, is the actual time to inform us of any dissatisfaction and we would rework it at no charge since it was our mistake until this point. Since he did not mention it at this time, and approved it for installation, it directly overrides any previous communications, and we cannot be held liable for this error.
  
  As for "rude on the phone" comment, my partner is often driving and using he phone over speaker and he does speak much louder to ensure the other party can hear him clearly. According to my employees present during the phone conversation after the sign installation, our client was extremely disrespectful upon finding out the additional cost at this point to rework the sign, during this call he remembered that he wanted red sides and the conversation went downhill from this point. This is my understanding of the situation according to my field technician and my partner.
  
  For the permitting, if a client really wants their sign to be installed, we would consider installing it without a permit with certain disclaimers. This is solely dependent on the severity of the city/county's fines, we may decide to eat the cost to ensure our client have their sign for their grand opening, or inform them of the additional fees the city will collect. In this case, my partner decided to take the responsibility of any additional charges since the permit was not processed in a timely manner, but after the heated one sided, and aggressive phone conversation with the client, my partner has decided not to proceed any further with this project until a reasonable solution is agreed upon. I am uncertain of the exact words my partner used to convey this to the client, I believe he discussed the permit issues with the client over the phone, I was not present for any of these conversations.
  
  For this client, it is my understanding from my partners point of view that he really wanted his sign installed, requesting us to install during rainy days or weekends, which neither are viable options, since we do not open on weekends and as an employer, I would not risk my team's safety to have them work out in the rain, I do not disagree with my partners assessment on these matters. My partner did ensure his sign was installed as requested after review, but due to a disagreement on how to proceed in making the sign sides red, this project is currently on hold indefinitely until the client would reach an agreement on the cost involved to rework the, per his request, installed signage.
  
  Best Regards,
  
  
  Raymond *****
  Managing Partner, Design Engineer
  

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