Results 1 to 12 of 12

Thread: Recomm Signs- help with options?

  1. #1
    OptiBoard Novice
    Join Date
    Sep 2000
    Location
    Northeast US
    Posts
    3

    Blue Jumper

    This is probably very old hat for some of you.... I know someone that is coming to a conclusion with this right now. Any options open?

    This is what I know- Recomm was (or still is) an electronic sign and advertising company. Based out of FL, many optical shops and drug stores bought into the program- and from what I hear, still use it, and paid through a leasing company.

    Recomm went out of business and may have been purchased/reconstituted by another company. What have y'all experienced?

    If someone was signed up through a lease, do they have any recourse now?

    thanks. Steve (in wonder)

  2. #2
    Banned
    Join Date
    Jun 2000
    Location
    Only City in the World built over a Volcano
    Occupation
    Dispensing Optician
    Posts
    12,996

    Post

    Never needed to advertize myself why do you?

  3. #3
    OptiBoard Novice
    Join Date
    Sep 2000
    Location
    Northeast US
    Posts
    3

    Post

    Hi Chip, I can't imagine that ANYONE would have no need to advertise! Are you working out of a basement with no Yellow pages ad and no phone listing and no sign out front? Even a store front window displaying your frames is a way of saying: "We are in business and this is what we have to offer!"

    But that was not the intent of my quest. When word got out that Recomm was going out of business, some people stopped paying on their leases...(not what I would recommend as the lease agreement is usually independent from the original vendor). In the case of this sign company, I don't know how it was structured.

    I have heard that some people settled for paying a portion of the total cost. I guess it boils down to a question of whether the agreement was broken due to non-performance of the company, and was the lease tied into that agreement. I have not seen their documents and hoped someone in this group might have some ideas.

    Take care.

  4. #4
    Bad address email on file Darris Chambless's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2000
    Location
    San Angelo, TX 76904
    Occupation
    Dispensing Optician
    Posts
    1,459

    Redhot Jumper

    Howdy Steve,

    I'm familiar with Recomm and the lease/purchase agreement. I worked for an OD that, when it came to business, was lucky that he had a good accountant because he was a mental midgit when it came to marketing, advertising and business in general.

    The lease/purchase agreement, as with most, is independent of the company agreement. In answer to your question, yes it is a breach of contract on Recomm's side by not being available to provide the programming updates for the "light board" (which was actually a $400.00 piece of equipment that cost those that signed up for it around $15,000.00) But what can you do? They're gone.

    Get a copy of the contract and close to the end you will read a disclaimer which basically states that any agreement made between the sales rep or Recomm is between those parties and not with the leasing company. When I showed this to the doctor (after he had already signed and closed the deal) He didn't understand what I was trying to tell him. I explained that if they go out of business he will still be resposible for payment to the leasing company. He then began a tirade about how the sales rep had tricked him and that he would sue Recomm if they tried to make him pay for the equipment at all. Sorry Charlie, but those that signed on are in it for the long haul unless they want the leasing company to turn them over to a collection agency.

    If a person has the time and money they could fight the lease but it would probably cost more to do so than it would to just pay it. My advice is either rally as many people as you can that bought into the equipment and have them all stop paying at which point you might get a settlement or pay the remainder of the lease/purchase agreement. The contract is legal and unfortunately it's just too bad if those that signed on didn't read the contract before they signed on the dotted line.

    Sorry for the bad news,

    Darris "Don't sign anything until you read it first" Chambless

  5. #5
    OptiBoard Novice
    Join Date
    Sep 2000
    Location
    Northeast US
    Posts
    3

    Post

    Thanks Darris! Without having seen any of the contracts I suspected exactly what you said. Unless the lease company was somehow tied into the sign company, they paid cash up front with the expectation of collecting it back plus interest over time. If a collections agency is already involved, they probably trashed your credit rating too.

    Speaking of reading contracts- watch out for "evergreen clauses". Some companies have been known to place a clause in the contract that essentially says: at the end of the lease term, we will be glad to keep collecting monthly payments from you as long as you are foolish enough to keep sending them!

    Takecareasy!

  6. #6
    OptiBoard Novice
    Join Date
    May 2000
    Location
    Santa Barbara, California USA
    Posts
    2

    Blue Jumper

    We too, have one of those signs. The Red Sign people will not support it and we have no software for it. Does anyone know how to program it? We have paid the lease off and now we own it. We would like to be able to program it so that we can post messages on it. Does anyone know of any software that will work with this sign? The Red Sign People want $360 a year to make messages for us to post on the sign and we would like to be able to do this ourselves.

    Does anyone have any ideas?

    ------------------
    Bill Evans

  7. #7
    OptiBoard Novice
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Wisconsin, USA
    Occupation
    Consumer or Non-Eyecare field
    Posts
    8

    Exclamation

    How's this for a necro-posting? It's only been about 7.5 years since the last post in this thread. :D


    (Post retroactively deleted. I've found another place to discuss this.)
    Last edited by Javik; 05-06-2008 at 07:07 PM. Reason: Post Deleted

  8. #8
    Manuf. Lens Surface Treatments
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
    Location
    in Naples FL for the Winter months
    Occupation
    Other Optical Manufacturer or Vendor
    Posts
    23,240

    Redhot Jumper Consumer.....................


    OptiBoard Novice
    Occupation: Consumer or Non-Eyecare field



    Over the last eight years also the Optiboard rules have changed. Consumers are not allowed in this forum anymore.

    Therefore you will have to look elsewhere to get listed on Google.

    :finger:

  9. #9
    OptiBoard Novice
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Wisconsin, USA
    Occupation
    Consumer or Non-Eyecare field
    Posts
    8
    (Post retroactively deleted.)
    Last edited by Javik; 05-06-2008 at 07:08 PM.

  10. #10
    OptiBoard Novice
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Wisconsin, USA
    Occupation
    Consumer or Non-Eyecare field
    Posts
    8
    (Post retroactively deleted.)
    Last edited by Javik; 05-06-2008 at 07:08 PM.

  11. #11
    Master OptiBoarder OptiBoard Gold Supporter DragonLensmanWV's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    The Greatest Nation
    Occupation
    Optical Retail
    Posts
    7,645
    Quote Originally Posted by Javik View Post
    It appears that my posts are not in conflict with the current site rules.

    OptiBoard FAQ Posting guidelines (link):
    "This forum is for Eyecare Professionals. Consumers are allowed to post in the Just Conversation forum and non-optical topics only. Please be aware that any questions involving optics or eyecare may be removed."

    The electronic sign is uninvolved with anything directly related to the work of opticians, other than consumer advertising for the optometrist store owner or manager.

    I would appreciate a board Mod or Admin saying something. I'll wait a few days and if there's no negative Mod/Admin response I will post some more about this electronic sign.
    If you re-read that you will see that you are allowed in the Just Conversation forum, not the General Optics. I'm not a Mod, but I think your post will be OK there, since you are trying to help. Dunno how many of those signs are still around and viable,though.
    DragonlensmanWV N.A.O.L.
    "There is nothing patriotic about hating your government or pretending you can hate your government but love your country."

  12. #12
    Ophthalmic Optician
    Join Date
    Sep 2001
    Location
    USSA
    Occupation
    Dispensing Optician
    Posts
    12,591

    Actually...

    Quote Originally Posted by Javik View Post
    There are still a lot of angry small business owners around the country who are nursing an ulcer over this...
    Only one confirmed.:hammer:
    Ophthalmic Optician, Society to Advance Opticianry

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. COLE NATIONAL Financial Results 2003
    By Chris Ryser in forum General Optics and Eyecare Discussion Forum
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 04-13-2004, 10:46 AM
  2. Signs
    By chip anderson in forum Just Conversation
    Replies: 26
    Last Post: 08-07-2003, 04:53 PM
  3. Signs
    By Rich R in forum Just Conversation
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 08-12-2002, 10:52 PM
  4. Presbyopic Options in Diving Masks
    By Bev Heishman in forum General Optics and Eyecare Discussion Forum
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: 01-29-2002, 10:06 PM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •