Author Topic: Don't you just love customers? (Read 4367 times)

Pixart · « **on:** November 27, 2011, 15:37 »

Just had to share an e-mail I just opened.

"Can I pick up my son's hockey photos because I want to get them scanned and order my Christmas Cards this weekend". (Do you think we should have a little chat about copyright?)

One of the boldest - I wish I had done that - stories I read on another forum was from a photographer who shot a friend's wedding at the friend's request - but did it no charge as a gift, and the friend said he'd pay the associated expenses which were something like $125. He went to their trailer (lol, he even said - yes, I said trailer) to drop off the album and negatives and collect and Bridezilla went apeshit on the guy, he dared to sit down and eat at the dinner, blah blah (usually an invitation to the reception includes dinner - maybe I'm wrong?) so he walked out with the negatives. In the front of their trailer was a trash barrell that was lit and without thinking he dropped the negatives in it and watched her watching from the window. Balls!!!

Any good client stories?

lisafx · « **Reply #1 on:** November 27, 2011, 16:33 »

Ugh! I don't have any good stories to share, because I don't do assignment work anymore. But I can totally relate to your hockey photo story. That was the kind of thing that caused me to STOP doing assignments, events, etc.

Three cheers for the guy with the wedding photos! Hope he burned the album too. If the bride is that selfish and greedy, I bet the marriage doesn't last 5 years.

With all the IP abuses out there, sometimes I feel like we are bailing the Titanic with a thimble.

ShadySue · « **Reply #2 on:** November 27, 2011, 17:05 »

Not a client, but a former colleague's brother is an assignment phographer and got into a heated email exchange with someone who was furious because his photos on his website had a watermark which was 'too difficult to remove'.
Note that the guy:
1. a. was nothing to do with the client who had ordered the photos
b had just happened on the 'tog's photos which was was using as a sort of 'shop window' of his skills on his website
2. wanted to use them commercially in his own business
3. was extremely stroppy with the 'tog for not taking the watermark off the photo.

(Actually, he apparently often has people emailling him asking him to remove watermarks).

lisafx · « **Reply #3 on:** November 27, 2011, 17:21 »

OMG, Liz. That one's absolutely priceless!!!

What do these morons think the watermarks are on there for in the first place?!!

SNP · « **Reply #4 on:** November 27, 2011, 17:35 »

Assignment clients are the most difficult to deal with, though in general I feel like I have managed to keep a great rapport with clients by being as truthful as possible. Often they just don't understand what they want, nor do they understand the steps involved in our work. But the real twits are those who wonder why they can't just print the low res proofs you sent by email. Then they do it anyways and blame the photo. Those clients drive me insane.

I'm amazed how clueless people can be sometimes. I find the best clients are magazines. They're usually produced by established marketing firms with pro layout teams, and they understand what I need and what i will give them. Magazine work is my favourite photo assignment. Which is ironic, because as a writer I generally disliked writing for magazines.

FD · « **Reply #5 on:** November 27, 2011, 18:29 »

Quote from: ShadySue on November 27, 2011, 17:05

Not a client, but a former colleague's brother is an assignment phographer and got into a heated email exchange with someone who was furious because his photos on his website had a watermark which was 'too difficult to remove'.

Once on a Philippine travel forum/sales site, I found an image of mine of the interior of one of their famous cathedrals (as usual, a kitsch barn with a plywood roof over it but it was full of flowers for a wedding) with a fat iStock watermark over it. The comment was that these kind of watermarks should be forbidden by law. I managed to get on that site and commented he could just buy the image at iStock with no watermark and then hell broke loose, about my colonial mentality stealing their cathedrals and more racist stuff I can't repeat. After a while the comment section was closed and my IP was banned. The picture was still there after a year and their travel "deals" were still 3x the normal price.

Mantis · « **Reply #6 on:** November 27, 2011, 20:12 »

I shoot (photographed them, not shoot them with a gun) some law enforcement football players who basically wanted their images NOW. I do a lot for law enforcement so it is a kind way of hitting me up for prints.

microstockphoto.co.uk · « **Reply #7 on:** November 28, 2011, 03:12 »

Luckily, I don't do assignments - this is the part I like the most about microstock.

In my other job (architect), I hate my clients, and I do everything to let them know: they're usually more respectful after they know.

After all, I know they hate me and would avoid calling an architect unless they were absolutely in need of someone signing their planning permission, since they think they can design their own house. They must absolutely know that I'm in it just for the money and that I do not agree with a single thing they want but - as long as it is legal - I will approve their worst ideas because it's useless to waste time with them.

In case they still don't realise and try not to pay me after the work is done, a very detailed demand letter - including references to all correspondence, signed papers, timeline - usually works, because their lawyer suggests them they'd better shut up and pay.

Hatred is the only possible honest relationship with customers if you want to avoid being involved with their nonsense thinking. Everybody's happy.

Metsafile · « **Reply #8 on:** November 28, 2011, 04:16 »

Professional buyers are OK but an amateur is mostly likely a recipe for trouble.

cthoman · « **Reply #9 on:** November 28, 2011, 11:57 »

I must be lucky. I usually don't have many problems and I definitely don't have any horror stories. Red flag clients are typically pretty easy to spot.

cobalt · « **Reply #10 on:** November 28, 2011, 14:09 »

It is not a photography story, but was our favorite silly customer experience at my old business.

We used to build speed warning displays that you install in front of schools or in areas with speed control. Our customers were usually cities, sometimes the schools themselves.

For one client we sold a combination package with Speed display, installation, software...and a laptop and printer. They wanted the latter to be part of the package because they had not been able to get it approved otherwise.

So everything works well until a few months later the client calls us up: "the printer is not working" they complained. "Well, what exactly is the problem?". "You can hardly read the print anymore and we get a strange waring sign". "What does it say?" "Something in English - about - ink?" "Well....this means your printer needs.... a new ink cartridge...."

"And when will you send us new ones??"...

We actually had a hard time explaining to them, that ink and paper they would have to provide themselves...it wasn´t part of our service package...

lisafx · « **Reply #11 on:** November 28, 2011, 14:34 »

Quote from: microstockphoto.co.uk on November 28, 2011, 03:12

Luckily, I don't do assignments - this is the part I like the most about microstock.

In my other job (architect), I hate my clients, and I do everything to let them know: they're usually more respectful after they know.

After all, I know they hate me and would avoid calling an architect unless they were absolutely in need of someone signing their planning permission, since they think they can design their own house. They must absolutely know that I'm in it just for the money and that I do not agree with a single thing they want but - as long as it is legal - I will approve their worst ideas because it's useless to waste time with them.

In case they still don't realise and try not to pay me after the work is done, a very detailed demand letter - including references to all correspondence, signed papers, timeline - usually works, because their lawyer suggests them they'd better shut up and pay.

Hatred is the only possible honest relationship with customers if you want to avoid being involved with their nonsense thinking. Everybody's happy.

LOL! Absolutely hilarious!! I have never heard the customer/service provider relationship explained so perfectly!

PeterChigmaroff · « **Reply #12 on:** November 28, 2011, 19:41 »

There's hell and for those who are really bad, wedding photography.

Pixart · « **Reply #13 on:** November 28, 2011, 20:33 »

Zeus, haha so true!

MicrostockGroup Sponsors

Author Topic: Don't you just love customers? (Read 4367 times)

Pixart

lisafx

ShadySue

lisafx

SNP

FD

Mantis

microstockphoto.co.uk

Metsafile

cthoman

cobalt

lisafx

PeterChigmaroff

Pixart

Related Topics

Sponsors

Microstock Poll Results

Sponsors