Why Choose Blair?

We're large enough to handle all your needs, yet small enough to care. Blair Sign is a privately owned firm with state-of-the-art factories that will give your company the attention that it deserves. The Blair Companies organization adds the financial stability and clout of a larger firm.

We're flexible and progressive. Blair is always looking for new ways to serve our customers and new products and methods to stay at the leading edge of our industry. We're easy to work with because we put our customers' needs first.

We're experienced. We've provided top-notch service to our customers for over thirty years, including turnkey program management, manufacturing and installation for channel letters, awnings, thermoformed and panaflex cabinets, neon, LEDs, graphics, fixtures and millwork. Our process-driven approach yields consistently high quality, short lead times, and excellent prices.

We're responsive. Our team goes the extra mile to make things right. If there's an issue, large or small, we're available 24/7 to make things work on your schedule, not ours.

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An example of how Blair measures up can be highlighted by the very detailed vendor evaluation process Hallmark undertook. The following was a letter that Hallmark corporate issued to their retailers:

HALLMARK

NEW SIGN VENDOR Q & A FOR RETAILERS

Q: Why did Hallmark switch vendors?
A: Ever present price concerns caused Hallmark to engage its Global Procurement group to review the program and determine a course of action. Additionally, our current vendor was getting ready to announce its intentions to increase prices. We knew a vendor better suited to our needs had to be found.

Q: Why did Hallmark select Blair?
A: Hallmark reviewed several candidates and ultimately narrowed the list down to 20 based on several criteria including ability to execute a national program, recommendations of other major national retailers, length of time in business, standing with national sign associations, annual gross billings and other factors. This list of 20 vendors was then invited to submit bids to determine the companies’ absolute best price. The list was then pared to 4 vendors who were personally visited by Hallmark. Based on those visits, 2 were selected based on their general enthusiasm for our business. These two vendors executed test locations for a few selected corporate stores. The best of the two, Blair won the business based on quality, customer service, price and responsiveness.

Q: Why didn’t Hallmark open the program to more than just one vendor?
A: There is leverage in negotiating with vendors when discussing multiple signs annually, versus a individual bidding of location by location. And ultimately, one vendor provides a national consistency and a simplified process for retailers and Hallmarkers alike.

Q: Can I pick a different vendor if I’d like? I need more choices in this program
A: We still have a ONE VENDOR program as related to the fabrication of our Hallmark logo and that vendor is now Blair Sign Company. However, we have identified a new option you may wish to take advantage of in an effort to save money. If you feel you can find a lower cost installation option, you now have the option to do so. On your quote page from Blair, you can identify your own local sign company of choice to RECEIVE the fabricated sign from Blair and to actually install that sign for you. You would be billed directly by that local company for the installation and by Blair separately for fabrication. Although there are some risks associated with selecting your own installer (primarily limitations to warranty offered by Blair), you may feel that the cost savings outweigh any potential risks.

Q: What are the pros / cons of using Blair to manage the installation versus selecting my own installer?
A: Blair Sign Company is a national sign vendor with an established network of installers all across the country. These installers work for Blair at a negotiated rate and have an interest in doing their very best work for Blair which, in turn, will benefit you, our Hallmark retailers. We feel very good about recommending that you utilize Blair’s services to schedule & run the installation of your sign. However, we do recognize that some retailers may feel they have relationships with local sign vendors that could potentially provide an even better price than Blair could provide. We want to be flexible and extend that option to you. However, it is important to understand that should you decide against using Blair for the installation, your warranty through Blair would cover fabrication issues ONLY and would NOT address anything that may occur during or due to installation.

Q: I can STILL get a better fabrication price than Blair.
A: That may be true. However, Blair’s pricing is up to 20% less (or more) than 2004 pricing from our previous vendor. We believe this to be a huge “win.” Although another vendor could conceivably offer a lower price on a one-time basis, we have no assurance as to the quality or accountability of such vendors. Blair’s pricing is competitive and we believe a one-vendor program is superior with regard to very important issues of trademark protection and network consistency.

Q: Who do I call if I have questions about the status of a sign order?
A: Blair has established an internet site for you to be able to view the general status of a site at any time. Please see the instructions in this packet for details. Or, you may contact our Hallmark Project Manager at Blair Leah Moore at 814-949-8287 ext. 317 or by email lmoore@blairsign.com