First Unhappy Bride

agree completely

I have dealt with customers like this in another business of mine. First a couple of points that won't help you at this time but for the furture.

* Avoid this type of customer if you see a similar characteristic.
* This customer is a bully. You can not negotiate with bullies. They don't THINK on your level.

This situation:
* You have three options: Give them what they want, Give them more than they asked, Give them nothing.
* If you give them what they asked it is usually not enough.

I would refund all her money or give her nothing personally. Do not worry about the bad press she will give as the cliental she would bring you would be worthless. The only risk is if she goes very very public with it. Your basically being blackmailed.

A lot of interesting opinions on here. I think you made a good choice of offering her somewhat of a refund, but not the 1/2 that she was asking for. In the customer service market, isn't the main goal to leave each customer satisfied? I know that you can't make everyone happy, but there should be a medium that can be negotiated to if it comes to the worst case. If she is unhappy with the group shot, don't give it to her an deduct some of the cost. Now, if she's unhappy with the whole package, hopefully you collected a deposit so you won't walk away empty handed.

The bride believes that when she has the proof book she can make her own 8x10 album.

By giving her a discount you are stiffing yourself and becoming the guy who's just a walkover. Of course you're not losing out financially _ BUT she's getting what you were going to sell her (albeit an inferior product) for a big discount.

It's your call, but personally I wouldn't be happy with her just making excuses to get some money back, as a matter of principal my line would be; "You can have all your money back, less expenses, if you're not happy with my pictures. But of course, as you're not happy with the pictures, you'll not be wanting them".

Did you offer her a guarantee that she would be 100% satisfied with 100% of your shots?

Only under those circumstances is a refund acceptable.

No guarantees of missing photos or "poses". i added that clause to contract.

My contract says
8 hours of service
proof album with 100 4x6
1-8x10 album with 12 8x10's

I am basically now only charging her for the time, the proof album, and the proofs.
i am not refunding 1/2, only the cost of the 8x10 album and the 12-8x10's.

She is basically now married, and the husband doesnt work, and she is looking for $.
and making ir-rashional excuses.

And she is mad because she cannot use proofs to make 8x10, or any other prints..
because of a little @ sign and my name on everyone of them.
ha
when I presented her with the proof album, she conplained about the @ sign and my name on each of them, because walmart or wofl camera wouldnt print them for her.
I said that is why I have the @ on there, to save me.

Walk away.

+1...

cosworth wrote in post #4024931
If she wants to pay half, she gets half the pictures.

And the bad half at that. Only the rejects. LOL.

cdifoto wrote in post #4024108
Let her complain. It's not like she could possibly complain to anyone that matters. People who agree with her are the type you want to avoid anyway. It's the reasonable folks that see her as being ridiculous you want for clients.

Exactly!!! Well put, cdifoto! Well put.

Wouldn't the world be a wonderfully peaceful place without customers.

spcalan wrote in post #4021984
Still unhappy.

Yes .. and she may well continue to be unhappy regardless of what settlement you offer her.

Two options here .. either stand by your contract and offer nothing or dig a little deeper and see what's really bothering her .. I can't imagine one photo can cause such a furor, in particular a photo which was particularly hard to take, and one which you seem to have taken as well as could be expected.

You mentioned her finances are perhaps a little poor at the moment? .. is she happy with the rest of the pictures? .. I'd meet with her and see if there is some other issue besides the dad photo that's bothering her.
Mike

Jonny wrote in post #4026784
Wouldn't the world be a wonderfully peaceful place without customers.

Often the worst part about dealing with the public is dealing with the public.

She started trying to lower the price before I even gave her the proof album.
She paid up front, 100%.
She has said on may occasions, she loved the photos, but she wanted a different view9 angle ) on the wedding party photo than I gave her.