Self-examination

[marcsaint]

Here's a quote from a previous thread that got me thinking:

 

"Every bride and groom and prospective customer I meet tells a tale about a

nightmare photographer they saw at a friends wedding or some poor results they

saw from a friends wedding."

 

Have you ever wondered if one of your clients could be referring to YOU this

way? I've gotten some thank you cards and referrals from clients and I know of

at least one bride who was not happy with her pictures, but the vast majority of

my clients have given me no feedback whatsoever other than "thanks" when I

deliver their pictures. Now, I know I don't become the B&G's best buddy for

shooting their wedding and I'm not bemoaning the current state of manners in

society but it does cause me to examine the whole "wedding photography

experience" I deliver to my clients.

 

Is this sort of self-examination useful or just a neurotic lack of self-confidence?

[Matt Laur]

I've seen, over the years, many a report in business journals and trade magazines (NOT limited to things photographic - just to service/professional services/businesses in general, and retail) that suggest that only 1 in at least 10 people who are genuinely unhappy with something they've bought or a service they've paid for actually TELL the supplier/vendor/professional what they really think about it. Despite (as you point out!) the unhappy erosion in our general civil discourse, I think a lot of people are still too polite, or not in the mood for a fight, to fuss about something that it's now too late to do anything about. But that doesn't mean they'd spend the same money again, or recommend the same service provider.

 

This is why so many businesses perform so many surveys, or engage third parties to try to really size up the clientel's real take on what they've paid for. It might be a little painful to really hear what they think, but could there possibly be more valuable information? By whatever means it happens, I've always valued the opportunity to "see" my work (in other industries, mostly) through other people's eyes. I'm too close to it, myself, to be either objective about it, or SUBJECTIVE about it in the way a particular client is. But if they're less than thrilled, I at least want to know why: some people are just mad that they ever have to spend money on anything, and other people genuinely had different expectations (or a fantasy) about what they'd be getting, or how the process would flow. I can't imagine it being bad to ask, and to tell people that you have very thick skin, and that your personal feelings are un-harmable, and that they should please tell it like they see it.

[greg jansen]

I wouldn't call it neuotic, I would call it good business sense. Constantly listening to what your clients say or don't say is part of any business.

 

It's not cut and dry. I have had clients say how much they love the photos, but soething inside me says they weren't satisfied with something. On the other hand, I've had clients just quick pick up the stuff with no comments, which has led me to wondor, only later to find they have sent a handful of people over because they loved the photos so much.

 

Sometimes it's hard to tell, but I never stop listening.

[annealmasy]

When we deliver a client's images, we ASK to hear back from them. The way we see it: No

Response = They're either ambivalent or displeased. Usually we get great feedback and

comments, but if we hear nothing we have to assume the worst. Of course, many times a

client is just really busy, and we might not hear anything from them for week; then all the

sudden we'll get a note raving about how much they love their images.

 

I like the idea of using a third-party survey software (like SurveyMonkey.com maybe?) to get

honest, anonymous feedback from clients. Maybe I'll start doing that every year for that

year's wedding clients...