Griping about a customer

[windrider86]

So I had this gal who had to have family portraits done. Even tho it had been raining all day and I explained about MUD and the time of day that the lighting was terrible we did them anyway.
After she looked online and proffed them she picked out nearly a thousand dollars worth. So dummy that I am listening to her whine thats he cant spend that much so I gave her huge discounts that brought her bill down about $150.
OK, now mind she proofed the photos. She comes back 2 weeks later and says she has silver teeth. Ok I should have caught that she had lipstick on her teeth but I fixed it anyway. and gave her a new print. She HAD to have them that night so I printed them up for her and had them all ready. Never heard from her.
Today, which is nearly 2.5 weeks later and 2.5 months later she tells me she was closing real close at another one and found something wrong with it and wants a new one and she wants it tonight.
Now, I am all for fixing something that I did wrong but a couple months later finding something nit picky that she proofed herself long ago?
Am I whining too much?

.

[waffles]

No, that's just crazy.

It makes me really happy that my worst customer experience went like this:

Them "We're not happy with these."

Me "Neither am I."

Them "OK. Now that we know that, and there's nothing we can really do about it, what can we do to save the pictures that we have? And what can we do to make sure this doesn't happen again?"

[sk66]

Legitimate complaints, but you asked for it.
IME it's always the cheap ones who end up being the biggest hassle. You cut your prices (WAY too much IMO) and then she knew she had you. It made it seem as if you needed her more than she needed you; now she's in charge and demanding more.
IMO, cut her off and cut your losses. You run a "legitimate, professional business" (hopefully) and although you want her to be happy (make that clear) you can not/will not cater to her every whim.

Otherwise, she'll be back for more of the same.

[zona5101]

what SK says or be "happy to make the changes" for an additional hourly fee.
And if it isn't in your contracts you should probably have some statement to protect yourself from someone coming back months after approvals wanting additional changes. (Sorry i know thats closing the barn door after the ponies got out)

[windrider86]

Boy I hear ya on that one. I have never had a customer come back that was unhappy with my work. EVER.
I'm guessing she will want a refund when I tell her no.
Good Lord, like I told her, your photos are on line, here is your password. It is up to you to proof them before they go to print. I have no problem making changes BEFORE they go. But not after.
Just frusterated

[candleman]

Originally Posted by windrider86

I have no problem making changes BEFORE they go. But not after.
Just frusterated

just stick to your guns, and mention you will doit as an hourly fee + prints.
she's had a free lunch and is now coming back for dinner.

[Turtlemouse]

I had a customer like that with a wedding - she must have spotted me as being a bit unconfident and too nice. Just starting out you can tend to bend over too far backwards to please a customer and they take the opp to walk all over you. Be tougher next time and chalk it up to experience like I had to. It's made me tougher and better.

[windrider86]

I'm usually pretty darn firm. I have been known to be too nice at times tho. My own fault for caving so early on I suppose.
I've done sooo mnay of these that you'd think I would know better. Just never had it happen. It will be the last

[sk66]

Originally Posted by windrider86

Just frustrated

And feeling like you let a customer down, failed, weren't as good as you should have been......
Absolutely understandable, but incorrect.
You've done this long enough to know if the work was up to standard. You cut her a ton of slack already. IF you believe (honestly, in your heart) you are being taken advantage of (it sounds like it to me) then "grow a pair" and run your business as you know is right. IMO, you'll probably be better off, in every way, giving her a refund as opposed to continuing down this path...
On the other hand, if you honestly feel you have failed (it happens to us all), then you need to "make it right", whatever the cost.

There is only one meaningful definition of you and your business, and that's your "character". You earn that, sometimes at high cost. Sometimes the cost is because you were "wrong", and sometimes it's because you are "right". (I once spent 1500.00 to "win" a case I could have settled for 500.00) You know which applies, I don't.

Of course, I'm a "handshake kind of guy"....because, "I said so" is binding.... It's an antiquated way of seeing things, but it works for me....

[windrider86]

Thank you so much. I agree with you. Which is why I offered to do the one for free with the "silver teeth" It was a black and white and the silver was her lipstick on her teeth. I should have caught it and I didnt. So yes, my bad on that one.
The rest. No flipping way was anything wrong with them.
Especially after a couple of months later. If there was anything that bad with one of the images I did for her, it would have come out long ago