Clients standing you up

Just feel like gripping.

 

How many here have traveled out of their way to meet with a potential client who says they are ready to

sign a contract, only to have them not show up and fail to call?

 

I've had this happen to me twice.

 

The last one didn't show up for the contract signing. I called her to see if there was a problem or if I had

misunderstood the date. Left a message, no return call. I made one more call to make sure (in a very kinid

way of course) that I assumed that she didn't need my services and therefore not to expect me at the

wedding.

 

Her sleepy boyfirend answered he cell phone. I told him I was a photographer and.... well, that's when he

said "We have a photographer" and hung up the phone.

 

What I'm really hoping is that:

 

1) He thinks I'm another photographer

2) She's a fruitcake who forgot about the contract (That's already been proven, halfway at least)

3) She calls me frantically on the wedding day wondering where I'm at only for me to tell her she's out of

luck and get her friends to take photos on their cellphone cameras.

4) I get to tell her to get lost....or have $10,000 in cash (in 20's) in an envelope.

 

I can only wish..........

 

Regards.

Marc - good luck. my experience is that if you get dumped without any phone call, there is a reason, and it isn't good for you :-(

 

let us know how it goes.

If there's no contract, why on earth would someone expect you to show up on their wedding

day?

Was this the first time you were to meet with them or had you already met them previously?

Some people are just flakes. That's the way the world is. I've never had anyone just not show

up, but I've had a couple people call to cancel initial consultations. <p>

Usually this stuff happens when you are dealing with lower-end clients and not so much as

you move up the price scale. There's definately a direct correlation between prices and the

amount of value they place on their photography (and the respect they give to the

photographer).

Well, if they (or any of your other clients) read what you wrote about them, then I don't think

you'll have worry about needing to showing up on their wedding day or not. Either you need

to be more selective with your clients or change something about your approach.

Hi Anne... this is Southeast Texas. :) A place of untold mystery...and family trees that don't

always fork. As far as she is concerned, she's operating on the fact she made a call and

that's all she needs to do. Wouldn't surprise me if she knew what a contract is.

 

Ni, I think you may have hit the nail on the head. I too think that's what this is all about:

finding a photographer ASAP for their quick wedding. They probably would not have even

paid when given the final "bill". I figure that this is probably a rarity with the higher end

folks. They tend to be more organized, know what they want, and take care of business.

 

Fortunately, I have had some incredible couples. Very fun, friendly, and more of a family

atmosphere. They make it all worth all the bad apples.

 

Anyways....thanks for the posts.

 

Regards

Wow, Marc. That's harsh. I live in South Texas, too and all my couples understand how to

book a photographer.

 

Sounds like they were put off by some sort of a bad attitude.

Ian...Uh..Help me out here. I'm a little lost on what you are talking about.

 

I have good relations with all my clients. Except the ones that stand me up after an hour's

drive in a freezing rain, fail to call, and treat you rudely on the phone when you simply

(and politely, without bringing up the missed appointment), call to find out what

happened. Which, BTW, I gave her the benefit of the doubt. I assumed she forgot about the

appointment, got stuck in traffic, maybe even, God forbid, had a wreck. The wedding is

two weeks away. I'm just trying to find out what happened. I seriously bent over backwards

to help her out. I seriously doubt you would have a jolly attitude toward the whole thing

either!

 

Regards

Hi Sarah,

 

I think you may be giving her a bit more credit here. Let me explain what happened in a

bit more detail. I feel I must do this to paint the picture a bit more clearer. I hate to beat a

dead horse to death here.....

 

One month ago, the client calls and says she wants to hire me a photographer for her

wedding. I ask her about her upcoming wedding to find out more about her. Everything

goes very well. She says she's excited and wants to hire me after she asks her mother.

 

She calls back two weeks ago and says she is excited and ready to meet. She lives far away

so I tell her I will drive to her location since she will be busy takiing care of some last

details. That way she doesn't have to drive too far out of her way. I figure it's my

responsibiliity to do that since I am the person offering the service. She says it's a ago an

is eager to meet.

 

Then....nothing.

 

I wait an hour an a half wondering what the world happened. I wasn't upset because I

figure she either fogot about the appointment...which I am understanding about those

things, hoping she didn't get into a wreck, (It was bad weather), or something else came

up.

 

What this all boils down to is she just changed her mind. That's fine. I'm just saying a

phone call would have been nice. I left her a message on her cell phone stating that

perhaps I had messed up on the date. Interestingly, her phone message stated she had

lost her cellphone and to call her boyfriends phone. So I did. That's when he hung up on

me immediately after I introduced myself.

 

Sorry.. I will take blame when blame is mine to be had. But not on this one.

 

But hey....it's just one bride. There's hundreds out there who don't act like that.

 

Regards

"Ian...Uh..Help me out here. I'm a little lost on what you are talking about."<p>

I guess I'm just referring to the way you called her a "fruitcake" (a "halfway proven" one at

that), and your implied remark about hoping that her photos turn out bad and how you want

to tell her to "get lost"..... I don't know... to me that sounds a bit rough even for South Texas

:-) This is business, and just like other businesses, sometimes you need to check your

feelings at the door and move on instead of whining about potential clients that you are

probably better off not working with anyway.

" I figure it's my responsibiliity to do that since I am the person offering the service. "<p>

This is part of the problem. It's not your responsibility. If someone really wants to book you,

they should be willing to meet you at your location. You are bending over backwards for this

person when they haven't even signed with you. You just can't do that with potential clients

and then get bent out of shape afterwards. Yes, a phone call would've been a nice courtesy

gesture, but again, it's just business. She hasn't booked you so that's not her responsibility

either. No one "needs" to do anyone any favors, and you certainly shouldn't be getting this

upset about it or you won't last very long.

Marc, I wouldn?t sweat it. I have had two of them, and I know it won?t be the last. I?m with you on the call thing. Why can?t they call us and let us know that they changed their mind, especially with gas prices today, it just plain rude. Be glad you didn?t het her, if she is like that.

Hi Jamie,

 

At least gas prices aren't hitting $4 a gallon like in CA. At least that's what I hear.

Hi Ian,

 

Southeast Texas IS rough. We are the home of opposum stew and armadillo pie. But we sure

have a good time! :)

 

Seriously, if you ever come this way, make sure to look me up. I will cook you up some

mudbugs (crawfish) that will set you on fire. (We'll skip the two stew and the pie)

 

Regards,

Opossum is way too greasy for my tastes. I've had some fantastic curried goat at Jamaican weddings. Racoon is tasty too. Somehow the crawfish seem to taste better when you don't call them mudbugs, but they taste better than any shrimp or lobster I've ever eaten.

How about calling them and you'll probably have to leave a message. In your message say "I guess I can't get in touch you but I am really excited to shoot your wedding. I've added three professional assistants to the job and three fixed video cameras as well one remote camera in the limo. A little more pricey but definitely worth it for your special day. Even if you don't get back in touch with me I'll show up at the wedding and we'll settle the account at that time. Take Care."

 

A little devious but at least she'll be forced to act like an adult and give you the respect of letting you know that they've chosen another photographer rather than have two photographers show up to the wedding.

It sounds like it's time to "move on".

Some suggestions...

 

"She lives far away so I tell her I will drive to her location... ...I figure it's my responsibiliity to do that since I am the person offering the service."

 

If it were the vendor's responsibility for merely being a vendor, then the rest of the vendor world is irresponsible. It is best to have potential clients come to you unless they truly cannot which is rare.

 

I wait an hour an a half wondering what the world happened.

 

When you meet clients or go to a shoot, make a confirmation call ahead of time. For a consultation/client signing call the day before and ask for a call back if only a message is left. Call again if there is no response. For shoots, call ahead of time in a manner relative to the importance of the event.

 

"she just changed her mind."

 

You are proabaly right. You recieved no call but, you have not independently confirmed this.

 

You should send a letter to her confirming that she did not arrive for her appointment, there was no attempt by her to reschedule, her finace represented that another phtogragher has been hired and declined to communicate further and, based on the circumstances, you are not obligated or planning to shoot the wedding. Save a copy of the letter.

 

Then move on.

Send a letter indicating the phone call and that you have reopened the date to other couples as it is a first come first serve service. That will either motivate her to get it done, or it allows you to book someone else.

Michelle

This is why clients either come to me or I can mail them the contract. Once the contract is signed and they are committed to me, then I am more the willing travel to meet with them off site.

i dont know about anywhere else, but up here in NY we always confirm appointments the day before... especially if we have to drive and hour or more ;) id be sure to confirm from now on.

Hi folks,

 

Some really great advice from seasoned pros. I greatly appreciate it and will very carfully

consider what has been written here.

 

Again, thanks for the info. Lessons learned.

 

Regards

I never close a date till I have my retainer and a contract. If some one calls for a date and make an appointments to meet that doesn't close the date. I have had this happen once were a client keep canceling the appointment, and some one else mailed in a contract and retainer, for the same date, so the date became hers. First come, first serve. With that said let her go. She stood you up; if this was a date would you try to contact her. You left a message and that is good enough, if you do any more it will only make you look desperate. A busy and good photographer doesn?t worry because there are more out there. Be happy that you didn't get her :)

I used to go and meet potential clients but don't anymore. I've had people stand me up after I drove to meet them-one time in a not so nice part of town. Now I ask them to meet me in my home office, that way if I get stood up I'm at home & can be doing something else. I had a potential client stand me up last night, but I was able to work on other stuff. I asked the last client that asked me to drive to her place "If you like what you see are you ready to hire me" She said she was still shopping & not ready to commit. Needless to say I didn't drive to her. It just seems that some people today can be real rude. If asked for a reason why I don't do house calls, I always say I have too much to carry & I do. I have several albums & framed photos that would be too much to carry around. That's just me & the way I do business. Whatever works for you-go for it.

I agree with Jamie - until there is a signed contract and a retainer the date is wide open. And I make that PERFECTLY clear to potential clients. Not my job to call, track them down, or write letters - if they want me as their photographer, they need to actually try a little. Once I'm hired I will give them a thousand percent and bend over backward ... but not until then.

 

jZ