How do you deal with impatient customers?

First of all. How long does it usually take you to get all of your photos up on a proofing site after a wedding?

I have a couple of clients that are getting impatient with me and it hasnt even been a month since their wedding. I

usually get them up in a week or 2 but I got backed up a little with editing. One clients wedding is almost finished so

that wont be a problem but there is one other one that is impatient after only a week! I feel rushed but I dont want to

fly through editing their photos and give them crappy images.

I have clients images available within 48 hrs after the event.

 

I work hard to get the image "correct" at capture therefore spending little time during the process stage.

Bill, I have a full time job on top of photography so I cant do it that quick. I also beleive that every image, even if technically perfect, can be made better with editing.

I post online gallery in 3-4 weeks, someitimes shorter 2-3 weeks. Usually let them know before the event how soon the pictures will be

ready to view...

I promise 1 month turnaround (I am also just part-time) and send several images quicker than that for them to use in thank yous to guests, family members, etc. I only shoot raw and my goal is to get them the best images I know how to produce. I find it helpful to have time between shooting and editing to reimagine how the image will best look (low-contrast, B&W, cropped, etc).

That's easy, what does it say in your contract? I get an edit of 200 or so online in a week. Final discs delivered with proofs in a month.

I quote 4 to 6 weeks, but usually it winds up being a month or less. I work a full time job, or it would be much quicker.

I did weddings for seven years. I beat my competition by delivering proofs within seven day from film weddings. I rarely

missed that and then only by a couple of days. I think this is a very competitive business where delivery times are

important for referrals. You can deliver when you want to but I believed and it was demonstrated that fast delivery really

helped my reputation and aided me in getting ahead of my local competition.

Andrew:

 

When you met with your clients, what did you quote?

 

It doesn't matter how long everybody else takes. It matters what expectations you set. Set the

appropriate expectations. And then beat that.

 

 

Eric

If the wedding is Saturday or Sunday, the proofs are up by noon Monday.

Well Andrew, one of the options I offer, among the 40 plus in my reportiore of services, is the choice of having a select

group, usually around 75 to 100 images as a slide show at the wedding reception from the clients wedding. I believe this

is a consequence of digital photography, instant gratification.

 

It's what the visual world has become from various aspects.

 

The world is a spinning, around and around, when do we get tired and get off of it and become a side-line critique?

 

It's up to each of us!

 

Best to Your Success!

The question of ``How Long`` is asked often, doing a search will be of benefit to you, here is one FYI:

 

http://www.photo.net/wedding-photography-forum/00QqmX

 

Personally, the Tuesday or Wednesday following a Saturday Wedding: we can make it Monday, afternoon (48hrs) if

the clients want that: we do not use online, but a slideshow.

 

***

 

On the question of dealing with annoyed customers, I think you need to address the reason for their annoyance:

 

You mention: ``I usually get them up in a week or 2``

 

Well the key question is: What expectaions did the clients leave with after their Wedding? [NOTE: that is not

necessarily what you ``told them``, but what did they expect?]

 

Let`s take a scenario which seems a liklely course of events . . . .

 

You used those words to the client (verbatim): ``I usually get them up in a week or 2``

 

I think it is safe to assume that most clients, would have heard only the words ``one week`` and that they would have

that, as their expectation.

 

Most likely would have enunciated that to their family and friends . . .`` he said he will have the photos up on the

website within one week, Mum.``

 

 

So I therefore assume this is the most likely cause of their annoyance.

 

It is irrelevant to them that you are behind in your work, or that you work two jobs.

 

To each client you have only one job: THEIRS.

 

And it is more annoying, if they had to contact you, rather than you first contacting them, explaining issues of

customer service and high quality images, immediately you knew you would not be able to deliver within the week.

 

Frankly put, I see the above outline, as the most likely cause of the situation you find yourself in.

 

***

 

On the question of how to address the annoyed clients, I suggest you explain about image quality, give them a firm

deadline, with days, and then exceed that deadline, by a day or two.

 

WW

"Better, cheaper, faster" is today's digital mantra. Even with a full time job, I can generally get all the images online within 3-5 days and promise 7-10 days. Gives me a cushion and then they're happy to get them sooner than they expected.

"Bill, I have a full time job on top of photography so I cant do it that quick."

 

Yes, you can. Learn a good workflow tool like Lightroom or P1C1. Even if that means finding a good local class.

 

"I also beleive that every image, even if technically perfect, can be made better with editing."

 

This is true. But it's a poor utilization of your time.

 

Here's how I use my time. I use the workflow tool (lightroom is my "axe" these days) to cull the worst images out of the shoot, touch up the rest as far as "the basics": exposure, color, noise, and sharpness.

 

Then I pick 4-6 that represent the "essence" of the wedding (something tight on the B&W, a good group formal, something from the ceremony, and a candid or two) and photoshop those to my satisfaction, and post "before and after" versions of those, along with a clear explanation of "here is how I edit the images. Each and every image that you order will receive this personal tender loving care." I always make sure there's one "effects" image in the chosen few, but the rest just clean and beautiful.

I do use lightroom. I guess I can see being able to get all the pictures up within a week but I have a very short attention span when editing and I can only do it for so long in one day before I completely go insane. I guess I just figured that I was on the quick side when I get photos up in 2 weeks, but I was wrong. I figured the average was about a month for most photographers.

It sure is tough coming back after getting behind on editing.

There's an issue of "opportunity cost". The B&W aren't going to be too concerned about ordering until after the honeymoon and a little decompression period. And they've probably purchased a package. The monster of the bride, other family members, bridal party, friends, etc. are easier to sell if you get them fast.

 

As far as "can only do it for so long in one day", 8 hours (2 days, even for a part timer) is a lot of effort to put into editing a proof book. You should be shooting for 4 hours.

 

Bill Clark had the best advice "work hard to get the image "correct" at capture therefore spending little time during the process stage."

One needs to understand that in the digital age, proof prints are still part of the wedding package. You will have lots of early grey hair if you try to 'perfect' each and every digital images taken at a wedding. Once the couple have made their choices, then you can fine-tune the images....but proof prints (or images) are not considered a bad thing. Waiting for a month or so to see the results could be in the "bad thing" category.

Consider not shooting weddings any more.

 

-Owen

When I shot weddings on film, proofs in books were generally a one week thing, and that was when I collected the balance of the package price.

 

 

If you wait a month, they may not be married any more.

It´s all about MANAGING EXPECTATIONS!

Be clear about what people can expect and why, so they are not expecting other things than you can realize.

Point out that there´s more than only downloadng the images from your camera, that there´s also post processing etc

involved.

Be clear upfront, and stick to your commitments.

 

Marcel

I ended up just posting the pictures that I had done so far and giving them a small print credit for the inconvenience along with an apology. It went against every fiber of my being but this business is way too dependant on customer referrals to be argueing with them.

I have to download the files to my computer when I get home, I'm just funny that way. While I'm downloading, I'm picking out my favorites, then export them to JPEGS, and upload to a preview gallery by mid-day the following day.

 

Generally, the rest get posted within two weeks, but I'm behind right now because I had five double wedding weekends in the past seven weeks. I'm posting the second wedding from two and a half weeks ago now. I'm also a teacher, so I work on these at night. I get things as right as I can at the wedding, adjust in Lightroom, and rarely worry about a stray hair in PS.

 

Here's my philosophy- friends are sharing on facebook and myspace the next day or even from the wedding with their iphones. I want MY photos to be circulating along with theirs.

 

Yes, digital has driven the "gotta have it now" mentality, but that's just the nature of today's culture. Why wouldn't it carryover to weddings?

I would give the B&G a choice ---2 weeks >> anything faster = is 100% rush .... or we offer them the card / film at the end of their day. We don't offer posting ....but, just to edit 2-300 RAWs and have prints made > is lazily 7 days min. After the wedding you are in full control ....any varying of your schedule has a price attached...that simple.

One key marketing tool: underpromise then overdeliver :) I work full-time elsewhere, so when I shoot weddings, I usually give a long lead time; the clients expect no photos before 3 weeks. However, I end up delivering long before that. As someone else said, this is more about managing expectations than your prowess with Lightroom, Aperture, photoshop et al. :)

Some really good advice on here. I would say the best thing is giving an accurate quote on how long it will be till the proofs are up for your particular situation. Other than that when they breathe down your neck after a week and you told them 4-6 (which I think is a pretty long time to wait, personally). You need to reiterate how long they would be as per your AGREEMENT. Of course you have a signed contract that states this; right?