Customer Complaints

JBHotShots · April 17, 2010

So I've been stock car photography for about 4 years now and just got my first photo complaint. A customer complained about a picture they received, said it was "poor quality and very thin paper" and said "I will no longer purchase any more pictures from you." In the 4 years I have been doing this, this is my first complaint. So what do I do? I mean, I know for a fact that I'm not the best photog in the world, although some of my customers think I'm the best thing since sliced bread, but this was the first complaint I had ever received. I'm at some what of a loss as this is new territory for me. I have a good reputation with my target audience and I would like to keep it that way. For what it is worth, this is the first time this particular customer had purchased from me.

A little background: I started here about 2 years ago. Had a falling out with the new ownership group. They had at least 2 other photogs do the job and have since left. Now as of the second week of the season I got back on board. I was compared, by this customer, to one of the previous photogs in a negative way, again as by others as "thank goodness you are back."

Am I looking too deep into one customers complaint or should I take to heart what they are saying?

Ann McRae · April 17, 2010

Hi Jamie

So did you customer order via your SmugMug site? If so make sure they know about the SmugMug Guarantee.

http://www.smugmug.com/help/print-guarantee

Next, if they ordered from your SmugMug site, it sounds to me like they ordered matte or glossy paper. You can change your pricing so you only offer luster - Kodak Endura paper, higher quality, heavier weight.

Do you know whether the complaint was primarily to do with your photo or with the product they received. If the latter, I am sure we(SmugMug) can help. If the former, then show us(DGrin) the photos and get some constructive critique!

ann

LouDoggsRuca wrote:

So I've been stock car photography for about 4 years now and just got my first photo complaint. A customer complained about a picture they received, said it was "poor quality and very thin paper" and said "I will no longer purchase any more pictures from you." In the 4 years I have been doing this, this is my first complaint. So what do I do? I mean, I know for a fact that I'm not the best photog in the world, although some of my customers think I'm the best thing since sliced bread, but this was the first complaint I had ever received. I'm at some what of a loss as this is new territory for me. I have a good reputation with my target audience and I would like to keep it that way. For what it is worth, this is the first time this particular customer had purchased from me.

A little background: I started here about 2 years ago. Had a falling out with the new ownership group. They had at least 2 other photogs do the job and have since left. Now as of the second week of the season I got back on board. I was compared, by this customer, to one of the previous photogs in a negative way, again as by others as "thank goodness you are back."

Am I looking too deep into one customers complaint or should I take to heart what they are saying?

MJRPHOTO · April 17, 2010

I would not worry about it at all. After looking at your photos and your pricing I would just ask them to send the photo back and refund there money. Not sure what kind of paper they expected at the cheap prices you charged them.

JBHotShots · April 18, 2010

MJRPHOTO wrote:

I would not worry about it at all. After looking at your photos and your pricing I would just ask them to send the photo back and refund there money. Not sure what kind of paper they expected at the cheap prices you charged them.

Hmmm...IDK if this is a good or bad thing?

Andy · April 18, 2010

Try selling Lustre only - it's our professional grade paper. The customer got glossy prints, which is a consumer-grade finish. Lustre is thicker, heavier, and more beautiful.

And if they want a reprint on the house, just have them (or you) write our Support Heroes with order# details and we'll take care of it.

JBHotShots · April 18, 2010

Andy wrote:

Try selling Lustre only - it's our professional grade paper. The customer got glossy prints, which is a consumer-grade finish. Lustre is thicker, heavier, and more beautiful.

And if they want a reprint on the house, just have them (or you) write our Support Heroes with order# details and we'll take care of it.

Haha...Already sent an email with info and email on how to remedy this. Thanks for the guidence.

Back to the previous comment...good or bad?

Sam · April 18, 2010

Jamie,

I am curious, how many images, what size and what was the total amount they spent?

Also as to your prices. You get to set your prices based on your business model. That said it takes as much effort, disk space, administrative time to sell a 4X6 as it does an 8X10. I personally wouldn't offer a print at any size below $10.00.

In addition to the Smugmug guarantee, if a client is unhappy with any of my images I will of course want to find out why but even if unreasonable I will return their money in full.

Sam

JBHotShots · April 18, 2010

Sam wrote:

Jamie,

I am curious, how many images, what size and what was the total amount they spent?

Also as to your prices. You get to set your prices based on your business model. That said it takes as much effort, disk space, administrative time to sell a 4X6 as it does an 8X10. I personally wouldn't offer a print at any size below $10.00.

In addition to the Smugmug guarantee, if a client is unhappy with any of my images I will of course want to find out why but even if unreasonable I will return their money in full.

Sam

They purchased 4 4x6's, 1 5x7 and a white mug. The only complaint they had was of the 5x7.

As for the pricing, I understand that sites will vary from person to person. I have set my prices according to what the customer will spend. When I first started here, they were upset at the $2 for a 4x6 as the previous photographer(s) would sell theirs for $1 AND have them available at the track. I have the site to keep the overhead down, printing up X amount of pictures in the hopes of selling, by not eating $100s of dollars through a season. The 4x6 and 5x7 are like my CD's are to Best Buy. They get you in the store and sell those for dirt cheap and low and behold you walk out purchasing a flat panel TV for $1000 or more.

My target customers have many other expenses that come along with their hobby and I realize that. All I try to do is cover my costs along the way, which I do.

Image added, obviously...

MJRPHOTO · April 18, 2010

LouDoggsRuca wrote:

Haha...Already sent an email with info and email on how to remedy this. Thanks for the guidence.

Back to the previous comment...good or bad?

Your photos look fine. I just do not agree with the business model of $2 4x6 and $5 5x7.
How do you cover costs at these prices? Are you selling 100 4x6's per day? Are you doing this to make a living? Are you running a full fledged business with insurance? Would it be possible for you to go thru your time spent on the day of this event and the total number of sales from this day? I understand if you do not wish to answer the questions above. I am just trying to understand how you cover your expenses and make money. Hope I am wrong about your business and hope you are selling (200) 4x6's a day.

Here is what I do. Not saying it is right but I am making money for my time and paying for my equipment and my other business expenses. Take a look at my equipment list below.
My cheapest order from the sporting events I shoot is $30 for a 8x12. I have a minimum of (3) 4x6 from an event for $35 and (3) 5x7 for $55. Most of my events are with a small amount of possible clients. For Example a typical Basketball game there will be maybe 14 players. A soccer game I may have 25 players. But I need to make the same amount of money per game for my time. I do not sell a lot of photos per game but I do make sales. The amount varies. Some games I can get lucky and sell $900.
others $100. If I get a game that does not sell well I make a 12x18 of each person and bring them to one of that teams games and sell them there. I figure If I am only getting one sale from that parent for the year it will be a $50 print. This has not failed for me yet.

Yes there are others that sell at one half to one third of my prices but they do not last long or they are people who are retired and are not in it to make a living. I need to make money to pay the bills.

JBHotShots · April 18, 2010

First...WHEEEWWWWW!!! I was beginning to second guess my self about my abilities.

I, unfortunately for you, fit into the category of photographers that don't do this for a living. So that should answer your questions about running a full fledged business. I do cover my week to week expenses of gas, food, batteries and things of the sort. I have an advertising agreement with another forum board which costs me nothing and I use at least two other boards to get my work out to, as some would call, potential customers. The catch for me is, I have been around racing all of my life and I love it. I get into the races for free and get the best seat in the house. I could spend 12 hours at a track and if all I did was cover my fuel and food expense I would be perfectly content with that. Obviously I want to do better, and I do, so that's what lead me to my OP.

I've read over and over about not selling your self short by under pricing my work. But the same goes for not over pricing so much that you can't get a sale. What I have found that works for me in South Central Texas may not work for me in New York City or some other "super city", and vice versa for you here. When I come to that fork in the road, I will make any adjustments needed to succeed. I have a pretty decsent customer base now and we have learned to coexsist and I'm sure I will do the same when I move again.

I do appreciate the input and compliment.

Enitsugua · April 18, 2010

LouDoggsRuca wrote:

I've read over and over about not selling your self short by under pricing my work....When I come to that fork in the road, I will make any adjustments needed to succeed.

Don't count on it. Your painting yourself into a pretty tight corner and making it pretty much impossible for any other pro to make any money doing this type of photography. I doubt you will be able to change that in the future because of the foundation you are putting down now.

JBHotShots · April 18, 2010

Enitsugua wrote:

Don't count on it. Your painting yourself into a pretty tight corner and making it pretty much impossible for any other pro to make any money doing this type of photography. I doubt you will be able to change that in the future because of the foundation you are putting down now.

With my wife being in the military change is common place with us. The downside is starting over, the upside is well starting over. Trust me, I'd like to think that I have enough common sense and courtesy that if a full time photographer wanted to come where I was to take pictures, I would gladly let them do their thing. I beat the odds once, $1 4x6 at the track, and I'm pretty sure I can adapt and overcome some more. Isn't that what makes us the greatest species on Earth?

Exactly what type of photography are you talking about? I've been on here lurking around for several years and don't really see too many people posting the same time of work I do, which puts me at a disadvantage for not being able to compare my work against someone elses. The photographers I do know that do this around my area aren't super successful due to the fact they are rude by pushing their printed work in the faces of crew members or drivers for the sale. I on the other hand just hand them a card with contact information on it and wish them the best of luck for the night.

I know I'm not a one of a kind but with the research I've done looking at others like me I feel I can compete with just about all of them when it comes to price and quality.

Before any of this gets taken out of context, I'm very humble and appreciate what the "pro" does.

Sam · April 18, 2010

Jamie,

Please don't misunderstand my pricing comments. You asked, I answered.

You get to set your prices anywhere you want. I think what I and some others are trying to convey is you may want to think about your business model. If your happy with your prices and reasoning, you don't have to justify it to me.

If your willing to spend a day / night at the track, spend whatever additional time at home sorting, processing, uploading, etc. Buying maintaining camera gear, computer gear, etc for gas and a hot dog, then great!

Seriously...great. If your customer base in reality won't spend more than $2.00 on a 4X6 then no professional could possibly make a living there.

That said you are under no obligation to change your pricing or step aside for a "pro".

Please thank your wife for her service.

I do need to set you straight on your comment about us being the greatest species on earth. We are not! Dogs are! We are here only to care for them. :-)

Sam

JBHotShots · April 18, 2010

Sam wrote:

Jamie,

Please don't misunderstand my pricing comments. You asked, I answered.

You get to set your prices anywhere you want. I think what I and some others are trying to convey is you may want to think about your business model. If your happy with your prices and reasoning, you don't have to justify it to me.

If your willing to spend a day / night at the track, spend whatever additional time at home sorting, processing, uploading, etc. Buying maintaining camera gear, computer gear, etc for gas and a hot dog, then great!

Seriously...great. If your customer base in reality won't spend more than $2.00 on a 4X6 then no professional could possibly make a living there.

That said you are under no obligation to change your pricing or step aside for a "pro".

Please thank your wife for her service.

I do need to set you straight on your comment about us being the greatest species on earth. We are not! Dogs are! We are here only to care for them. :-)

Sam

Sam,

I don't misunderstand your comments at all. I was reading the board guidelines and can see where this could lead to a pro not pro discussion. I was taught that there is no such thing as a bad question. The older I have become the more I realize that may be true; as long as you ask the proper question to the proper people.

Love your comment about dogs too!

Again, I want to make sure that I convey I do appreciate any and all input.

System · April 19, 2010

Jamie, the only thing I might have done with that photo is crop it a little tighter. There is a lot of "dead" space all around the car.

JohnBiggs · April 19, 2010

captain78 wrote:

Jamie, the only thing I might have done with that photo is crop it a little tighter. There is a lot of "dead" space all around the car.

I thought I was the only one...

angevin1 · April 23, 2010

LouDoggsRuca wrote:

So I've been stock car photography for about 4 years now and just got my first photo complaint. A customer complained about a picture they received, said it was "poor quality and very thin paper" and said "I will no longer purchase any more pictures from you." In the 4 years I have been doing this, this is my first complaint. So what do I do? I mean, I know for a fact that I'm not the best photog in the world, although some of my customers think I'm the best thing since sliced bread, but this was the first complaint I had ever received. I'm at some what of a loss as this is new territory for me. I have a good reputation with my target audience and I would like to keep it that way. For what it is worth, this is the first time this particular customer had purchased from me.

A little background: I started here about 2 years ago. Had a falling out with the new ownership group. They had at least 2 other photogs do the job and have since left. Now as of the second week of the season I got back on board. I was compared, by this customer, to one of the previous photogs in a negative way, again as by others as "thank goodness you are back."

Am I looking too deep into one customers complaint or should I take to heart what they are saying?

SM will def take care and print them another 'on the house'....thats a perk of being here!!

As for the customer....funny even though HE picked the photo out to buy, HE is blaming you....it prob is just the paper~ Of course if HE wants fine Paper and printing on it, HE'll need to pony up a bit more change.

Frankly I am impressed that you get sales at all in that particular area of photography. It would seem that most folks would just go with their gal's P&S and be done with it, so personally, KUDO's to you for being able to market in that realm. I know, cause I've been there with the race cars and all~

JBHotShots · April 24, 2010

angevin1 wrote:

SM will def take care and print them another 'on the house'....thats a perk of being here!!

As for the customer....funny even though HE picked the photo out to buy, HE is blaming you....it prob is just the paper~ Of course if HE wants fine Paper and printing on it, HE'll need to pony up a bit more change.

Frankly I am impressed that you get sales at all in that particular area of photography. It would seem that most folks would just go with their gal's P&S and be done with it, so personally, KUDO's to you for being able to market in that realm. I know, cause I've been there with the race cars and all~

I've had more people come up to me and just say, "I can't do what you can do..." I'm pretty sure they can't get there P&S to take a picture like DSLR. Like I said before, these drivers have other areas they need to be spending their $$$. It's just local boys having a good time, racing for pride and bragging rights.

Customer Complaints

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