1 00:00:00,870 --> 00:00:01,380 Bryant Gillespie: All right guys. 2 00:00:01,380 --> 00:00:05,160 Welcome to the next edition of the Better Sign Shop podcast. 3 00:00:05,520 --> 00:00:09,960 Brian Gillespie here, and as always, I've got my friends and 4 00:00:09,960 --> 00:00:17,910 colleagues, the Sign Shop, Yoda Peter Carus, and the Sign Burrito. 5 00:00:17,915 --> 00:00:22,830 Michael Riley . We need to get a, another nickname. 6 00:00:23,510 --> 00:00:25,710 I, I feel like we have to, every episode, every week, 7 00:00:26,570 --> 00:00:27,060 Michael Riley: It's. 8 00:00:28,770 --> 00:00:31,140 Bryant Gillespie: Maybe we need sign burrito. 9 00:00:31,140 --> 00:00:33,780 If you're listening to this right now, send us your 10 00:00:33,780 --> 00:00:36,030 suggestions for Mike's nickname. 11 00:00:36,030 --> 00:00:38,640 On the next episode, we want to hear from you. 12 00:00:41,250 --> 00:00:45,390 Michael Riley: We need to like hop on Jasper and let a computer, give me a 13 00:00:45,395 --> 00:00:46,710 nickname, see what it comes up with. 14 00:00:47,460 --> 00:00:47,970 Bryant Gillespie: Yeah, yeah. 15 00:00:47,970 --> 00:00:50,700 Let's get some AI involved, Some nickname, so the Terminator. 16 00:00:50,700 --> 00:00:52,020 Give you a new nickname. 17 00:00:53,250 --> 00:00:55,020 . Hey, so what's new with you guys before? 18 00:00:55,680 --> 00:00:57,870 Dive into all things customer experience. 19 00:01:01,200 --> 00:01:05,099 Michael Riley: Well, I'm getting married in two weeks, so it's been, I am like, 20 00:01:05,099 --> 00:01:07,050 like stressed beyond belief right now. 21 00:01:07,380 --> 00:01:09,090 It's crazy. 22 00:01:10,080 --> 00:01:10,530 I don't 23 00:01:11,789 --> 00:01:15,240 Bryant Gillespie: what, what is the, what's your stress 24 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:17,789 level at like a one to 10? 25 00:01:19,110 --> 00:01:20,610 Michael Riley: Oh, it's cranked up to 11, man. 26 00:01:20,910 --> 00:01:21,780 Like . It's just 27 00:01:23,700 --> 00:01:24,540 . Bryant Gillespie: It's full spinal 28 00:01:24,540 --> 00:01:25,700 Michael Riley: tab . Yeah. 29 00:01:26,970 --> 00:01:28,770 Uh, yeah. 30 00:01:28,770 --> 00:01:30,240 You know, I'm, I'm handling it well. 31 00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:32,100 It's just, it's very, it's a lot of internal stress. 32 00:01:32,100 --> 00:01:34,530 There's, we have a lot of, lot of balls in the air right now trying 33 00:01:34,530 --> 00:01:36,030 to get some stuff done in the house. 34 00:01:36,035 --> 00:01:38,430 We have a bunch of guests that are gonna stay here, so we're trying to 35 00:01:38,430 --> 00:01:41,250 get bathrooms done and citing done. 36 00:01:41,250 --> 00:01:43,770 And the house is just a wreck, so trying to get a back, 37 00:01:44,100 --> 00:01:45,480 Bryant Gillespie: but you're not even stressed about. 38 00:01:46,335 --> 00:01:50,565 The, the wedding part or like getting married or any of that, it's just like, 39 00:01:50,565 --> 00:01:52,155 Hey, we got guests coming to the house. 40 00:01:54,105 --> 00:01:55,725 Michael Riley: The guests are the most stressful part. 41 00:01:55,725 --> 00:01:57,945 Yeah, no, like we don't know what we're gonna do for food for the 42 00:01:57,945 --> 00:02:00,795 wedding yet, so we're still, we're, you know, that's, that's a little up 43 00:02:00,795 --> 00:02:03,885 in the air , which is kind of a big thing, so we need to figure that out. 44 00:02:04,215 --> 00:02:08,384 Um, but now the wedding plans are pretty, pretty solid. 45 00:02:08,745 --> 00:02:09,225 They're, they're. 46 00:02:10,120 --> 00:02:12,160 That's, that's for the most part under control. 47 00:02:12,220 --> 00:02:14,350 I mean, I'm sure that the, you know, the shit will hit the fan 48 00:02:14,350 --> 00:02:20,470 when people start arriving here and parents and people get involved in 49 00:02:20,950 --> 00:02:22,780 trying to, to help and everything. 50 00:02:22,780 --> 00:02:25,660 But, um, yeah, it's really just, you know, all the prep work, trying to get 51 00:02:25,660 --> 00:02:30,640 ready and then I'm gonna shut the business down for a week and a half, um, to go 52 00:02:30,700 --> 00:02:31,930 on honeymoon and everything like that. 53 00:02:31,930 --> 00:02:35,769 So just trying to get everything done and ready is, Well, I 54 00:02:35,769 --> 00:02:36,310 Peter Kourounis: got one 55 00:02:36,315 --> 00:02:37,120 Michael Riley: question for you. 56 00:02:37,755 --> 00:02:38,445 One question. 57 00:02:38,445 --> 00:02:38,865 Lay it on me. 58 00:02:39,315 --> 00:02:39,705 What's that? 59 00:02:42,075 --> 00:02:42,405 You're gonna have 60 00:02:42,405 --> 00:02:43,455 Bryant Gillespie: to get closer to the mic. 61 00:02:43,455 --> 00:02:44,505 Or some Pete who, who, who 62 00:02:44,505 --> 00:02:48,165 Peter Kourounis: was that amazing photographer that you had? 63 00:02:50,835 --> 00:02:51,405 ? Michael Riley: Um. 64 00:02:52,905 --> 00:02:56,355 We, we just, we hired a, you know, a local wedding photographer. 65 00:02:56,445 --> 00:02:59,745 Um, he's, he's a pretty, pretty talented guy. 66 00:02:59,745 --> 00:03:03,285 He, he's done quite a bit of, um, I think like nature and landscape photography. 67 00:03:03,285 --> 00:03:07,605 He's published a few books on, uh, like, like photo books as well. 68 00:03:07,815 --> 00:03:11,625 But, um, I, I mean, it's a pat, my, my future wife on the back, like, you know, 69 00:03:11,625 --> 00:03:13,005 she went to school for photography. 70 00:03:13,005 --> 00:03:17,955 She's got a, you know, a degree in fine art photography and she was a, a wedding 71 00:03:17,955 --> 00:03:19,845 photographer herself for many, many years. 72 00:03:20,250 --> 00:03:25,290 Um, so he just sent us the raw files, which were, you know, fairly unimpressive. 73 00:03:25,290 --> 00:03:26,339 They were, they were nice. 74 00:03:26,339 --> 00:03:29,880 They were, well, well compos and framed, but, um, but she actually 75 00:03:29,880 --> 00:03:31,359 did all the editing on them and, and 76 00:03:31,560 --> 00:03:33,209 Peter Kourounis: she's, Oh, get outta here. 77 00:03:33,329 --> 00:03:33,869 Oh my God. 78 00:03:33,869 --> 00:03:35,339 Yeah, because I was gonna give, I was gonna give your 79 00:03:35,339 --> 00:03:36,630 photographer all the accolades. 80 00:03:36,690 --> 00:03:40,739 Those were the best photos I have ever seen, and I think I commented that. 81 00:03:40,739 --> 00:03:45,119 I mean, it , I literally thought my wedding photos might have been the 82 00:03:45,119 --> 00:03:47,399 best, but that wasn't till I saw. 83 00:03:47,970 --> 00:03:52,740 Your photos, so whoever touched them up, I, whether it be your wife 84 00:03:52,740 --> 00:03:55,440 or or the photographer the best. 85 00:03:55,440 --> 00:03:58,230 If you haven't seen it and your friends might go check it out, they. 86 00:03:58,905 --> 00:04:01,364 Literally the best , I guess what is it? 87 00:04:01,369 --> 00:04:04,905 Is that, is that, is that like a wedding photo engagement photo? 88 00:04:04,905 --> 00:04:06,045 What, what, what was that? 89 00:04:06,049 --> 00:04:06,405 What, 90 00:04:06,405 --> 00:04:08,774 Michael Riley: Yeah, that was just an engagement, like photo session that we 91 00:04:08,774 --> 00:04:12,375 did, cuz she, she wanted to have like a, a, a picture of us that we could 92 00:04:12,375 --> 00:04:13,815 send out with the wedding invites. 93 00:04:14,204 --> 00:04:16,575 Um, so we just did a quick, like one hour beach session 94 00:04:16,579 --> 00:04:18,584 with the guy, um, out at Sunset. 95 00:04:18,584 --> 00:04:18,765 Amazing. 96 00:04:18,885 --> 00:04:22,155 Um, so yeah, having like a beautiful spot like that to have pictures 97 00:04:22,155 --> 00:04:23,445 taken as well, really helps. 98 00:04:23,445 --> 00:04:24,765 I mean, having, having a background. 99 00:04:25,395 --> 00:04:29,205 You know, ass beautiful as that, like, doesn't matter what, what the photo looks 100 00:04:29,205 --> 00:04:31,995 like, Like there's no such thing as a bad picture when you're at the Oregon coast. 101 00:04:32,025 --> 00:04:37,275 So, but no, she's a, she's a, like a photo editing, you know, master. 102 00:04:37,275 --> 00:04:38,445 She's really, really good at it. 103 00:04:38,445 --> 00:04:39,525 So she can take a. 104 00:04:40,335 --> 00:04:45,345 Just a crappy, crappy picture and turning into a, a pretty impressive work art. 105 00:04:45,375 --> 00:04:48,375 So I'm, I'm always, I seen some masterpiece as well. 106 00:04:48,735 --> 00:04:49,005 Oh yeah. 107 00:04:49,010 --> 00:04:52,935 She . I know , she's, she's made a few. 108 00:04:53,505 --> 00:04:55,995 Photoshop is, uh, she's good at it. 109 00:04:56,165 --> 00:04:56,515 Um. 110 00:04:57,535 --> 00:04:57,955 Thank you, Peter. 111 00:04:57,955 --> 00:04:59,215 Yeah, they, they we're really happy. 112 00:04:59,215 --> 00:05:01,135 I'm excited to see how the actual wedding photos come out. 113 00:05:01,135 --> 00:05:03,415 He's gonna be the same photographer for the wedding and the wedding's 114 00:05:03,415 --> 00:05:04,825 actually gonna be on that beach as well. 115 00:05:04,825 --> 00:05:06,055 That'll be our backdrop for the wedding. 116 00:05:06,085 --> 00:05:09,235 So, um, the only thing that we're worried about is, you know, we took those photos 117 00:05:09,240 --> 00:05:12,535 in, in like mid-July when the weather is pretty much perfect out there. 118 00:05:12,535 --> 00:05:17,750 But the wedding is, is in late September, um, which, Could very well 119 00:05:17,750 --> 00:05:22,710 be like, you know, 50 degrees pouring down rain, like sideways wind, you 120 00:05:22,710 --> 00:05:27,230 know, like just the, the weather is unpredictable in the fall out there. 121 00:05:27,235 --> 00:05:29,900 So we're a little nervous that the wedding is gonna have to be either moved 122 00:05:29,900 --> 00:05:31,490 inside or we're just gonna get married. 123 00:05:31,490 --> 00:05:34,610 And like the pouring down rain on the beach, which I'm all for. 124 00:05:34,610 --> 00:05:37,880 Like, I think like that's gonna be awesome to get married in the, the rain. 125 00:05:37,880 --> 00:05:41,990 Like, you know, if you're gonna have a Oregon beach wedding, rain, prepare for 126 00:05:41,990 --> 00:05:43,970 rain, rain should be involved I think. 127 00:05:43,970 --> 00:05:44,630 I mean, it's just par for the. 128 00:05:45,540 --> 00:05:46,680 but, well, I 129 00:05:46,680 --> 00:05:47,670 Peter Kourounis: rained on my wedding. 130 00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:49,860 Don't, don't tell my wife that she hates. 131 00:05:49,860 --> 00:05:50,070 Three. 132 00:05:50,070 --> 00:05:54,810 Be reminded I rained on my wedding and it was devastating cuz we picked 133 00:05:54,815 --> 00:05:56,460 this venue for an outdoor venue. 134 00:05:57,045 --> 00:06:00,795 And then we got like huddled into this like small little room. 135 00:06:00,795 --> 00:06:04,875 So it was, yeah, it was, uh, not the best scenario, but you know, 136 00:06:05,295 --> 00:06:07,905 Michael Riley: still great part, you get married, like, it doesn't 137 00:06:07,910 --> 00:06:09,045 matter, like you're getting married. 138 00:06:09,050 --> 00:06:11,445 Like, just, just suck it up and, and do it. 139 00:06:11,445 --> 00:06:13,635 And we're, we're, we're trying to brace ourselves. 140 00:06:13,695 --> 00:06:13,965 Yeah. 141 00:06:13,965 --> 00:06:17,325 Like I'm actually like secretly sort of hoping it rains cuz I, I love the rain. 142 00:06:17,325 --> 00:06:19,485 That's why I live in Oregon because it rains so much here. 143 00:06:20,085 --> 00:06:23,625 I, I just think it's beautiful and like a rainy day at the Oregon coast is 144 00:06:23,625 --> 00:06:27,914 just otherworldly beautiful, but she's a little less enthusiastic about it. 145 00:06:27,914 --> 00:06:31,184 Raining so we'll, , you know, kind of right in the fence here. 146 00:06:31,395 --> 00:06:32,205 No, but yeah. 147 00:06:32,265 --> 00:06:32,544 Yeah. 148 00:06:32,565 --> 00:06:33,255 What about you guys? 149 00:06:33,494 --> 00:06:34,125 What you guys been up to? 150 00:06:35,354 --> 00:06:37,755 Peter Kourounis: Uh, I'm planning something, but not planning a wedding. 151 00:06:37,755 --> 00:06:43,065 I'm planning my son's second birthday and my other son's baptism, so they 152 00:06:43,065 --> 00:06:45,525 are within eight days of each other. 153 00:06:46,050 --> 00:06:50,910 So it's a lot of I and I and I and I'm, I'm just gonna throw this out 154 00:06:50,910 --> 00:06:54,810 there, cuz Bryan, you got kids, Did you, did you baptize your daughters? 155 00:06:56,130 --> 00:06:57,270 Bryant Gillespie: Uh, yes. 156 00:06:58,080 --> 00:06:58,470 Okay. 157 00:06:58,530 --> 00:07:00,660 We're not Catholic or anything like that though. 158 00:07:01,830 --> 00:07:02,430 Peter Kourounis: That's all right. 159 00:07:02,670 --> 00:07:03,000 That's all. 160 00:07:03,210 --> 00:07:09,540 Well, the first one, my first son, it was a full out party, 161 00:07:09,870 --> 00:07:12,030 like a full out extravagant. 162 00:07:12,945 --> 00:07:16,275 , You know, I had dozens and dozens of people at my house. 163 00:07:16,275 --> 00:07:24,345 I, I rented everything, including like a camel at my house, . This one, it's 164 00:07:24,345 --> 00:07:26,025 like, let's just do it at a restaurant. 165 00:07:29,325 --> 00:07:31,245 I swear to you, I feel awful. 166 00:07:31,245 --> 00:07:34,485 I feel careful about it, but I'm just like, there's a birthday with 167 00:07:34,485 --> 00:07:38,475 the first kid and then there's a, like a christening or baptism. 168 00:07:38,475 --> 00:07:40,755 The second time, like for the first, for the second kid. 169 00:07:41,220 --> 00:07:43,620 And I'm like, this is too much money happening at the same 170 00:07:43,620 --> 00:07:45,780 time, so I'm just gonna listen. 171 00:07:45,780 --> 00:07:48,330 It's a baptism and it's a birthday. 172 00:07:49,230 --> 00:07:52,020 We're just gonna do the birthday at home and we're gonna do 173 00:07:52,020 --> 00:07:53,880 the baptism at a restaurant. 174 00:07:53,910 --> 00:07:59,610 And, and my wife and I are feeling so guilty about it because when my, when 175 00:07:59,610 --> 00:08:04,140 my second son gets older, he's, I'm afraid he's gonna ask like, Why didn't 176 00:08:04,140 --> 00:08:05,820 you throw, I feel like I'm damaging. 177 00:08:07,440 --> 00:08:13,380 being by this, you know, I'm not, It was, it was not as exciting as the first one, 178 00:08:13,710 --> 00:08:19,320 and here I am just feeling bad that my second son happens to be just born second. 179 00:08:20,655 --> 00:08:22,665 Bryant Gillespie: we're, we're on the third kid. 180 00:08:22,665 --> 00:08:23,085 Okay. 181 00:08:23,535 --> 00:08:26,895 Like I, I know like you're just now on the second kid that's 182 00:08:26,895 --> 00:08:30,405 kind of like the second kid. 183 00:08:30,410 --> 00:08:34,065 You're, you kind of just like, you're like, eh, but when you get to the third 184 00:08:34,065 --> 00:08:36,645 kid, you're like, uh, like whatever. 185 00:08:36,650 --> 00:08:37,335 Like, fuck it. 186 00:08:37,335 --> 00:08:37,575 Like, 187 00:08:41,025 --> 00:08:42,885 like yeah, like the first kid. 188 00:08:42,885 --> 00:08:45,735 Like we did all the baby proofing all the stuff. 189 00:08:46,500 --> 00:08:50,699 Um, all the little things in the, the outlets and all that stuff. 190 00:08:50,760 --> 00:08:56,970 And like, now it's just like you, like knock yourself out, you know, Like, 191 00:08:57,720 --> 00:08:59,610 Oh, you wanna run around outside? 192 00:08:59,760 --> 00:09:03,240 Hey, you wanna ride your bike without knee pads and stuff like that. 193 00:09:03,240 --> 00:09:05,160 Like, find, like, get after it. 194 00:09:05,160 --> 00:09:06,840 You, Oh my God. 195 00:09:07,470 --> 00:09:08,400 Don't feel bad, man. 196 00:09:08,520 --> 00:09:08,910 Don't feel 197 00:09:08,910 --> 00:09:09,240 Michael Riley: guilty. 198 00:09:09,975 --> 00:09:11,565 I've heard that's the way it goes with kids. 199 00:09:11,565 --> 00:09:16,215 Like with, with every subsequent one you have, like you your, your 200 00:09:16,215 --> 00:09:19,275 helicopter parenting just kind of like goes down a notch or two until 201 00:09:19,275 --> 00:09:21,165 you're just like, eh, they'll survive. 202 00:09:21,315 --> 00:09:21,795 Like whatever. 203 00:09:23,265 --> 00:09:23,565 Yeah. 204 00:09:23,625 --> 00:09:24,645 This is a hundred percent true. 205 00:09:24,765 --> 00:09:25,125 Yeah. 206 00:09:25,185 --> 00:09:25,395 Yeah. 207 00:09:25,395 --> 00:09:27,075 See, I'm skipping all that, that young stuff too. 208 00:09:27,075 --> 00:09:31,455 I'm inheriting a, a, a 15 year old stepdaughter, um, which is awesome. 209 00:09:31,455 --> 00:09:34,095 She's, she's, she's cool, but she's already grown up and so I don't have 210 00:09:34,095 --> 00:09:36,345 to worry too much about all the. 211 00:09:37,079 --> 00:09:38,339 Two I about her just dying 212 00:09:38,339 --> 00:09:40,800 Bryant Gillespie: on a daily basis from self-inflicted 213 00:09:40,800 --> 00:09:41,339 Michael Riley: death. 214 00:09:41,610 --> 00:09:44,760 Well, I, No, actually, I still worry, worry about that for other reasons though. 215 00:09:44,819 --> 00:09:49,319 Cause she, she's not always the best at the logical decision making still, 216 00:09:49,319 --> 00:09:53,980 but, um, less so I probably expect than you guys with your, your young ones. 217 00:09:55,310 --> 00:09:55,800 . Okay. 218 00:09:56,150 --> 00:09:56,910 Bryant Gillespie: A hundred percent. 219 00:09:57,450 --> 00:09:57,720 Yeah. 220 00:09:57,780 --> 00:10:00,630 So what's the topic today, guys? 221 00:10:03,090 --> 00:10:07,640 Michael Riley: Today we are talking about customer experience and, and. 222 00:10:08,880 --> 00:10:10,980 Uh, what you can do improve your customer experience. 223 00:10:10,980 --> 00:10:13,950 What, what makes customers keep coming back and buying from you? 224 00:10:14,040 --> 00:10:19,860 Uh, I think in the first place, and, uh, we're gonna bring on a guest today. 225 00:10:20,010 --> 00:10:22,710 Um, a lot of people probably know the guy TJ Bak. 226 00:10:22,710 --> 00:10:25,590 He owns GCI Digital Imaging down in Cincinnati, Ohio. 227 00:10:25,650 --> 00:10:26,260 You're. 228 00:10:27,915 --> 00:10:31,035 If you spend any time on any of the Facebook forums, like those damn sign 229 00:10:31,035 --> 00:10:34,875 guys or Sign Shop Talk or anything like that, you will inevitably, you know, see 230 00:10:34,875 --> 00:10:37,785 TJ's name, um, thrown about quite a bit. 231 00:10:37,785 --> 00:10:42,555 He seems to be pretty much the go-to guy for anybody who needs, um, you 232 00:10:42,560 --> 00:10:46,395 know, some big wide format digital printing or fleet of rap sprinted, 233 00:10:46,395 --> 00:10:47,955 or you're just like totally in a. 234 00:10:48,640 --> 00:10:50,890 You know, in a rut and need somebody to save your ass. 235 00:10:50,890 --> 00:10:57,310 It seems like TJ is like the, uh, uh, uh, the Superman , uh, and, and, and 236 00:10:57,310 --> 00:10:58,570 apparently he's doing something right. 237 00:10:58,570 --> 00:11:01,060 I don't know the guy personally, but I reached out to him to, to bring 238 00:11:01,060 --> 00:11:04,150 him on the show because he's just, everybody raves about him in his 239 00:11:04,150 --> 00:11:07,270 service and everybody just says like, he just, he will bend over backwards 240 00:11:07,270 --> 00:11:09,790 for you every single time and get it done and knock it outta the ballpark. 241 00:11:09,790 --> 00:11:13,840 And, and on a rare occasion, he doesn't, he'll, he'll be Johnny in 242 00:11:13,840 --> 00:11:15,100 the spot to make it right for you. 243 00:11:15,100 --> 00:11:17,140 So, uh, he's definitely delivering. 244 00:11:17,220 --> 00:11:20,040 Some sort of exceptional customer experience, and I want to know 245 00:11:20,040 --> 00:11:22,980 what and why and how, so I'm excited to talk to the guy. 246 00:11:28,070 --> 00:11:29,880 Bryant Gillespie: Do we, do we just bring him on now? 247 00:11:31,230 --> 00:11:32,700 Michael Riley: He, he, he's in the lobby. 248 00:11:32,705 --> 00:11:33,180 Yeah. 249 00:11:33,185 --> 00:11:33,450 Yeah. 250 00:11:33,480 --> 00:11:35,100 Let's, let's go ahead and, uh, let's bring him on. 251 00:11:35,105 --> 00:11:36,150 He sent me messages waiting. 252 00:11:36,610 --> 00:11:37,100 Okay. 253 00:11:37,320 --> 00:11:37,680 All right. 254 00:11:39,180 --> 00:11:40,530 Well, let's, let's announce him in. 255 00:11:40,530 --> 00:11:41,140 Let's, Yeah, yeah. 256 00:11:41,145 --> 00:11:42,510 Let's do like an intro for him first. 257 00:11:42,650 --> 00:11:43,140 Bryant Gillespie: Yeah. 258 00:11:43,145 --> 00:11:43,260 Yeah. 259 00:11:43,260 --> 00:11:44,820 Here, I'll stop the recording and then. 260 00:11:45,330 --> 00:11:45,750 Michael Riley: Bring 'em on. 261 00:11:45,750 --> 00:11:46,230 Just bring 'em in. 262 00:11:46,410 --> 00:11:46,530 Yeah. 263 00:11:46,640 --> 00:11:46,960 Okay.