Complaint Review: Fast Signs

On 6/25/09 in preparation for opening my business in a new location, I contacted Fast Signs in Matthews at 11014 Monroe Rd Suite C in Matthews, NC 28105 to produce a sign for the exterior of my business. I spoke to Rob Rhunde & I was given a quote & then made plans to budget money to have them produce a sign.

On 7/16/09 I went into Fast Signs Matthews & gave them a CD of original artwork created for the sign. I did not order the sign at that time but wanted them to have the artwork so that I could let them know when I was ready to start production. (I was waiting for my permit from the county for my sign.)

On 7/30/09, after receiving the permit for the sign from the county, I then contacted Fast Signs Matthews via phone to go ahead & place the order. I gave them my business credit card over the phone, paid for the order in full for the amount of the job & I was told that they would have the sign ready in 3 days.

On 8/3/09 I did not hear from them so I telephoned on 8/4/09 & asked if my sign was ready. I spoke with Rob & his employee Suzi & I was told that they had an issue with the printer. They then told me it would be an additional 2 days before the repairs were done to their printer.

Those two days went by, I called once again on 8/6/09 to ask if the sign was ready & was then told that they had "Run out of ink" & that it would be another 2 days before their ink supply was returned. I was then told that the installer did not work on weekends & that the soonest they could have the sign ready & installed after the ink supply was in, would be the following Monday, 8/10/09 1st thing in the morning.

Monday morning 8/10/09 came & went & I again telephoned in the afternoon to ask what the issue was this time. I was told yet again that they had another issue with the printer. I was promised I would have a sign by Wednesday 8/12/09.

By this point my patience is depleted & I am completely frustrated & quickly losing faith that I will ever get a sign. As of this date, my business has been open for nearly 3 weeks & I had no exterior sign to attract customers to my business.

8/12/09 comes & I call first thing in the morning. Rob & Suzi tell me that the sign is being printed as we speak that they will have the sign to me that day. The installer later calls me in the early afternoon & tells me that he is running behind due to the heat & that he would like to install the sign after my business hours when it's cooler. I do NOT agree to this & I inform him that my building is in the shade & that I want to see the sign before it is installed.

The installer then shows up 30 mins before the close of my business day & proceeds to pull out the sign from his vehicle. I take one look at the sign & I see that it is NOT what I ordered! My sign was to be 28x192 with the wording going the length of the sign. The product they tried to deliver was those dimensions in length, but the wording was smashed into the center into an 8ft section with 4ft of blue empty space on either end! I was in shock & just more than a little angry by this point!

I immediately told the installer to call Fast Signs in Matthews & get them to explain what happened. I speak to Suzi, who then informs me that they had a problem with the artwork because of the dimensions they were given by Rob were incorrect & they tried to "fix" it & save the artwork by producing the product that they delivered. She then admits that she knew it wasnt what I had specifically gone over with her & ordered & that she knew she shouldnt have pushed it through. She then apologizes & says they will take care of the issue & make it right.

They then proceeded to try & redo the sign, but they said they would have to make another proof at the correct dimensions. I went back & forth with them for another week almost via the phone & in person & they could not get the sign the way I was happy with. They could never get the wording or the sizing correct.

Finally on 8/24/09 I went into Fast Signs Matthews & demanded a refund. After an argument, Rob told me he could not give me one that day due to lack of funds. I then left & went directly to my bank to resolve the issue. I came home to find an email from Rob Rhunde stating that he would give me a refund on 8/27/09.

I informed the bank & sent them a copy of the email. 8/27/09 came & went & I was never issued the refund. I then proceeded to handle the matter further with the bank.

The bank's dispute center fought with Fast Signs Matthews from 8/27/09 until 10/6/09 to produce the funds & I was finally issued a provisional credit on 10/6/09. However, upon checking my bank account on 11/2/09, I found that Fast Signs of Matthews had taken away the credit I was given by my bank, & my account had again been charged for the same amount for the sign I never ever received!

Upon visiting my bank & disgussing things further with the dispute center, they produced falsified documents to the dispute center to chargeback my account & to get the refund I am rightfully entitled taken away from me!

As of 11/2/09 I am once again in dispute with my bank in an attempt to get the full amount that is rightfully owed to me, returned.

I have been charged twice now for a product I never received & never will receive. I have been charged twice for a Job that was never completed to my satisfaction

I have also filed reports with the Better Business Bureau & have a case pending there.

Please let everyone know that the owners of Fast Signs Matthews are nothing more than THEIVES! Please stop this unethical, immoral, company from stealing people's money!

Thank you.