Client is mad she approved the card (rant inside)

[asysin2leads]

I have a client, someone I work with, that I did a engagement session for. I'm also booked for their wedding. She wanted a "Save the Date" card from one of the images from the e-session. I did the card in photoshop and she was very happy with it. I had her pick out the image she wanted to be put on the card. She has approved everything before I sent it to print. Now, she's not happy with the image on the card and said she wanted more of the background in the picture. Now she wants me to reprint them and isn't willing to pay for the reprint. This just pisses me off. It would be a different story if she hadn't approved everything first. Sorry, just needed to vent and rant a bit. I will reprint the card, but only if she pays for it. If it was my mistake, I would eat the cost of the reprint.

[mikekelley]

Did she sign anything?

[Rey.dos]

she approved it...that's it!..not your fault so you don't have to suck it up and pay another processing...

[photoguy6405]

I see a miserable wedding (and aftermath) in your future.

[FlyingPhotog]

I see a miserable wedding (and aftermath) in your future.

Not to mention some tense times around the office...

[zelseman]

What is the potential future wedding and possible future references for business worth to you?
How many did she order? If its not a lot, Id just eat the reprint and confirm/sign off on the next one you do. Make the customer happy. Or just tell her to get over it and endure the circumstances.

[canonnoob]

Jay! your avatar changed?!

[cdifoto]

It's okay to put your foot down and point out the obvious - that she approved the card before you sent it for print and as a result, any reprint costs are hers to bear.

[asysin2leads]

Did she sign anything?

Not for the cards, but for the e-session and wedding.

I see a miserable wedding (and aftermath) in your future.

Actually, I think everything will be ok. I don't think this is something that will ruin our personal/business relationship.

Not to mention some tense times around the office...

I think things will be ok. I also work with her fiance'. He didn't want the cards at all. He kept giving her a hard time about sending save the date cards AND an invitation.

What is the potential future wedding and possible future references for business worth to you?
How many did she order? If its not a lot, Id just eat the reprint and confirm/sign off on the next one you do. Make the customer happy. Or just tell her to get over it and endure the circumstances.

She is ecstatic w/ the pictures.

Is she mad at you, or is she mad at herself? If she's just venting to you like you're venting to us, you have no reason to be worried.

I think she's just upset because she wants everything to be perfect, as do all brides. I know it will work itself out.

I just needed to vent a little. It happens from time to time. I don't forsee a huge deal out of this. The cost of the cards were just about $100.

[Karl Johnston]

Time for a change dave! I'll do it if you will.

Kevin: That's retarded, I'd be pissed too..actually I had that happen to me but I ate the cost. Often damaging a good relationship is never worth .....actually hang on if it enters the 5-6 digits then I may take that back....the cost of a few reprints.

No shame in running your friends like a business, though. Do everything by the book next time and the anxiety won't trouble you again. Contract especially.

[asysin2leads]

It's okay to put your foot down and point out the obvious - that she approved the card before you sent it for print and as a result, any reprint costs are hers to bear.

Looks like I get to add a new clause to my contract.

[Todd Lambert]

I think I'd pay for the re-print, hand em to her along with the photography page out of the yellow pages and politely tell her that she'd be better off with another photographer. Then run for the hills, quickly.

[swalter]

It sounds like the client approved the image to be used on the card, but not the final crop of the picture for the card. Is that what happened?

If that's true, then I'd take this as a lesson and reprint them at your cost. If she approved the final card, then I'd make her pay.

[tim]

Another reason not to work for people you know. I have customers sign off on any physical products before they're produced.

[asysin2leads]

It sounds like the client approved the image to be used on the card, but not the final crop of the picture for the card. Is that what happened?

If that's true, then I'd take this as a lesson and reprint them at your cost. If she approved the final card, then I'd make her pay.

She approved the final card as is.

Another reason not to work for people you know. I have customers sign off on any physical products before they're produced.

I usually don't.

[Patrick]

I would explain to her that she approved them and gave you the go ahead, which I'm sure you already did. Then put the ball back in her court. Ask her how can she expect you to eat the costs of a reprint when she already approved it. Tell her it's not right, and she knows it's not right. Tell her that if you made a mistake you would fix the problem because it's the right thing to do. But you didn't make a mistake, you did what she wanted. Express your understanding that she want's everything to be just right. Comfort her. If, after being reasonable with her and helping her see the error of her way doesn't work, I'd get the hell out of any other business with her because it will be a nightmare.

Situations like this is why an airtight contract and prepayment are a must.
There are some people who will be problems no matter what. These are the people who you "give an inch" and they "take a mile". In life, not just in business, when your firm from the get-go people are less inclined to attempt to screw you.

[cdifoto]

Situations like this is why an airtight contract and prepayment are a must.
Airtight contracts and prepayments don't protect you from baseless complaints. ;)

[Patrick]

Airtight contracts and prepayments don't protect you from baseless complaints. ;)

Of course not. But it sure makes things easier to resolve, if the Client has half a brain anyway.:lol:

[cdifoto]

Of course not. But it sure makes things easier to resolve, if the Client has half a brain anyway.:lol:
Well...if they're complaining about something they saw and approved...

:D

[Zansho]

You can't fix stupidity. You can, however, choose not to take on the wedding gig. :)

Personally, I think this is a prelude to a troublesome experience with this particular person. A movie preview, if you will ;)

[asysin2leads]

You can't fix stupidity. You can, however, choose not to take on the wedding gig. :)

Personally, I think this is a prelude to a troublesome experience with this particular person. A movie preview, if you will ;)

We got busy at work....people stop breathing and all....how rude patients interrupt our talk. We started to discuss things and then we got busy. We work together next week and we're going to sit down and discuss it. I explained to her that she approved everything before it went to print. She agreed. I think she's just going to go w/ what is already done. There's absolutely nothing wrong with the ones that are already printed. Let me clarify that she never really got mad. The title doesn't fit her mood. When she saw it from my point of view, she understood where I was coming from. She did text me a little while ago and apologize for over-reacting to the whole thing.

[cdifoto]

Let me clarify that she never really got mad. The title doesn't fit her mood.
Oh so you're FOX News?

[asysin2leads]

Oh so you're FOX News?

More like MSNBC.

[chrisa]

I work in the printing industry, we deal with this all the time. $100, how would this affect your profit for the whole job. We would probably reprint and just call it a loss to keep the client happy, in this economic climate the last thing you want are customers complaining to other prospective clients. You can't put an estimate on any bad publicity this could cause for you.

[Zansho]

Oh so you're FOX News?

Haha, nice one. Probably the best thing I've read all week.

[mattograph]

Another reason not to work for people you know. I have customers sign off on any physical products before they're produced.

Bingo.

[cdifoto]

I work in the printing industry, we deal with this all the time. $100, how would this affect your profit for the whole job. We would probably reprint and just call it a loss to keep the client happy, in this economic climate the last thing you want are customers complaining to other prospective clients. You can't put an estimate on any bad publicity this could cause for you.
Yeah I wouldn't.

Bad publicity? What's she gonna do, run around saying how crappy her photographer is for giving her what she wanted? Seriously...the kinds of clients I want can see through people who rant over things that are either no big deal OR their own fault (or both). Anyone who jumps on that type of person's wagon, I don't want to do business with anyway. Birds of a feather and all that. I like to do business with reasonable, intelligent, logical people who don't fly off the handle over the tiniest of things.

Besides, OP said she didn't really get mad. OP was just sensationalizing.

[mattograph]

Oh so you're FOX News?


More like MSNBC.

Random thoughts -- who would you rather shoot in their bikinis? Glenn Beck and Alison Camerota or Rachel Maddow and Keith Olbermann?

[cdifoto]

Random thoughts -- who would you rather shoot in their bikinis? Glenn Beck and Alison Camerota or Rachel Maddow and Keith Olbermann?
Just Alisyn. :)

[FlyingPhotog]

Random thoughts -- who would you rather shoot in their bikinis? Glenn Beck and Alison Camerota or Rachel Maddow and Keith Olbermann?

Don't care what they're wearing.

My question though: What calibers are available and do you want head shots or center mass?

[mattograph]

Don't care what they're wearing.

My question though: What calibers are available and do you want head shots or center mass?

In the words of KO

And that makes you, my friend, the person of the day!

[alduin]

My question though: What calibers are available and do you want head shots or center mass?

We have a winner!

[P51Mstg]

I know you guys didn't take it the step FURTHER........

OK, reprint the card at the PHOTOG expense...... She is happy. Now deliver the APPROVED wedding album and ...... Oh?? You don't like them??? You approved them... I know I changed the cards at my expense...... OK, I"ll be happy to reprint everything at my expense and I'm sure if you change your mind again, I'll pay for it again....

I'd pass on paying for the reprint.

People wonder why I'm divorced and I'm so happy about it......

Mark H
PS: Pay for it, but make it clear that you are not doing it again....

[myjunk]

didn't you have an email of the conversation? That is akin to a contract

[asysin2leads]

didn't you have an email of the conversation? That is akin to a contract

Yes and no. We did a lot of discussion while at work. She received the final sample via email. Things have completely resolved themselves now. Her fiancee had some say into the whole situation.

[birdfromboat]

work for yourself and everybody is your boss. Everyone that knows you are trying to earn money doing photography is watching how this works out and it will have an affect on your future business with your future bosses. Time to be very politically savvy, I hope you are venting here and nowhere else, your bosses are watching!

I think I would rather eat worms than go pro, raw worms than work for friends. Free gratis is the only way to keep it friendly.

[mattograph]

raw worms than work for friends

I prefer my worms jpeg. ;)