If you are a photographer, I can assure you that somewhere, you will have a client who is not satisfied with your work. In fact, I’m sorry to say that there will be more than one, especially if you have a thriving business. When the dreaded “I’m not happy with my photos” email arrives, it can easily suck up all the fun from your day. But not all is lost, and in this article and accompanying video, I present six tips for dealing with unhappy customers.
1. Not responding based on your initial emotional reaction
One of the worst things we can do when faced with conflict in our lives is to react immediately based on our initial feelings. The same is true when we have a conflict with one of our clients. If you respond too quickly, chances are, you will say or do something hastily that you will eventually regret. And, to be clear, I’m not just referring to an angry or defensive reaction. An equally bad response might be to put all the blame or demand a full refund before taking enough time to absorb the facts of the particular problem.
Another reason for not reacting or replying to an email immediately is because when you read it in a high emotional state, chances are you don’t fully understand the problem being addressed. A much better plan of action is to read the email and then spend a few minutes (or an hour) reading it and finding your emotional center before replying. You can use this time to plan a well-thought-out response and factor in all aspects of the issue being presented to you.
Of course, this is much harder to do if the customer calls you to complain. But even in this situation, it’s important to gather information and not respond without carefully considering where the customer is coming from. Early in my journey as a portrait photographer, I had one such client call me to complain about a pricing issue they didn’t know in their head. Looking back, I should have been tougher on this person before giving in to their demands, because they were just a bully trying to get me to quit my job based on the fact that they felt have the right to. If I had taken the time to understand the situation, I would have reacted very differently to this particular person.
2. Don’t Stop Troubleshooting
My first piece of advice should not be construed as that we must avoid resolving conflicts with customers. In fact, once a problem has been addressed in a thoughtful and balanced manner, the next step is to address it as soon as possible. Not only is this best for your business, but it’s also best for your own mental health. When I have photos that a customer is not happy with, I fix the problem as soon as I can, because otherwise it will distract me and weigh on my mind until it’s done. Additionally, my goal is to convert an unhappy customer into an enthusiastic happy customer at the end of our interaction. I also recommend going above and beyond when trying to troubleshoot. I will give you an example.
I had a client about a year ago who came to me for a live photo shoot. Everything went well, and she was happy during the session, but after providing the final images, she told me she was not satisfied with them. Since I had a normal working relationship with this person and her family, I immediately asked her to take a picture and told her my goal was that she be satisfied with the photos. . Unfortunately, she never replied to my emails. I sent a few more emails over the next few weeks, and she didn’t reply to them either. At this point, I could easily give up as she most likely won’t come back for another shoot. But, I ran into her husband in the local snack shop and asked him if she had told him about the photos. He was not aware of the situation, so I told him to let her know that I wanted her to come in for a reshoot and again that my goal was for her to be happy with the results. I’m glad I persisted because she finally came back and we tried a completely different lighting setup that she loves. She not only bought more photos and left extremely happy, but also introduced her friends who came and also had a great experience. I’m not saying this will always be the case, but it should serve as a reminder that going the extra mile can be beneficial.
3. Avoid potential conflicts before they happen
Sometimes you don’t have to be Nostradamus to predict the future. In fact, anticipating what customers won’t be happy with will help you avoid most potential conflicts, that’s your goal. For example, if your pricing policy isn’t clearly displayed on your website and clearly repeated by you to your potential customers, eventually someone will get upset about a fee. I’ve found that many advertisers avoid talking about money or see it as an afterthought, choosing instead to talk about the more creative part of the process. Detailing your process and why you are the best person for the job is certainly important, but being extremely clear about your pricing structure is equally important and will certainly avoid confusing customers. confused or upset about the price.
In addition to being clear on pricing, you also have to be clear on how your process works. Early on, I will tell my clients something like “retouching fees included in my images”. The problem with this saying is that most people think that Photoshop is a magic wand that can cure any disease. Also, since my statement is so open, it’s easy to misinterpret to mean loads of edits included (and yes, I’ve had a few clients think this was the case before I learned my lesson). their studies).
As with your rates, your policies need to be clearly laid out both on your website and then communicated to the customer during the booking. For example, if they know that you include (or don’t include) basic editing, or that you charge (or don’t charge) for the proof library before they reserve the session, you’re guaranteed to avoid potential conflicts. hidden and scary things unhappy customers. Whether by phone, email or text, I try to be as detailed as possible when discussing my services and fees.
4. Be compassionate
I spoke recently with Chicago portrait photographer Michael Schacht on this very topic, and he offered this simple but often overlooked piece of advice. When dealing with an unhappy customer, especially for those of us who are portrait and portrait photographers, it’s important to remember to be compassionate and approachable. them with empathy. One thing I’ve learned is that the way I see someone’s face is not the way they see it at all. Everyone has their own cognitive impairments, real or imagined, and this has a huge impact on how they see their own face, no matter how you look at it. Sadly, many people have ingrained physical problems that can be traced back to the way they were treated as children. I even had a client tell me that her whole family mocked the way she laughed, which was heartbreaking to hear, but also helped me empathize with her and make sure I worked. works as hard as she can to help create photos that she feels good about, addressing her specific concerns. Needless to say, this special person had one of the best smiles. She just needed an empathetic and patient photographer to help her realize that.
One point that I want to make clear is that compassion does not mean avoiding a possible problem at the time of shooting. For example, if I have a client with a noticeable eye difference, instead of avoiding or ignoring it, I skillfully address the issue to understand how the client wants to address the perceived vulnerability. I’ve found that people value honesty and sincerity, and as I mentioned in the third tip, this is another way to avoid a potential problem before it develops. There needs to be a balance in this approach, as you don’t want to accidentally offend your customers.
5. Learn from your mistakes and move on
I want to tell you that by using the tips in this article, you can avoid any conflicts, but that’s definitely not the case. There will come a time in your professional life when you give it your all, go the extra mile (or ten miles) and still run into an unhappy customer. Sometimes, it’s just unavoidable. I know firsthand how difficult it can be to do this. We creators put our heart and soul into our work, and the thought of our photos going unpopular can leave us feeling overwhelmed and frustrated. Ironically, we learn more from our mistakes than from our successes, so my next piece of advice is to accept the conflict, learn from the experience, and then continue. If you learn from a negative experience, you can avoid making the same mistake in the future. This mindset will make the agonizing conflict much less painful. Whatever situation confronts you in your business, good or bad, embrace it and use it to grow.
6. Play the long game
If you are a new entrepreneur and currently starting a photography business, the most important advice I can give you is to think long term. How you interact with each customer will have a cumulative impact on your business, whether it’s good or bad. This means that sometimes, you’ll need to make a dent to create a happy customer, even if you’ve done everything right. You must remember that each client you work with will help build your reputation in the community, and an unhappy customer will tell friends and family about their experience more often than a satisfied one. heart. I have seen many photographers refuse to re-shoot clients without full charge or charge if the client cancels and reschedules last minute. None of us like these situations, but if you build your business foundation on these principles, in the end, your reputation will go ahead of you and not in a good direction.
In my conversation with Michael Schacht, he also offered this sage wisdom, which I think sums up how we should play the long game as photographers and entrepreneurs:
You can never tell what someone is going through when they call or text you to postpone a session, and honestly, the reason doesn’t matter. If someone walks into my studio with the negative energy of the situation, it will negatively impact the shoot and negatively impact sales. A little grace can have many benefits in the long run, and while it’s something I try not to take advantage of as a consumer, it’s ultimately how I want to be treated.
When I first started my previous business (now in its 16th successful year), I had a partner who had no empathy for anyone. This person only cares about money. It wasn’t long before clients, acquaintances, friends, and even family members began to take notice and tell me that their interactions with this person were horrible. To them, it was clear that his priority was not serving their needs and he had absolutely no passion for the business we were in. Since my goal was to provide a valuable service in an industry I was passionate about, the client focused on me and away from him. Looking back, the fact that I interacted more directly with the client than my former partner is what made the business successful, and if he were self-sufficient, I’m sure the business would fail in the future. the first few years when he kept shutting down. from one person to another.
In short, challenging customers are part of running any successful business. But when we address them patiently, empathically, and think about the long-term goals we have for our business and our lives, we set ourselves on a winning path as individuals. entrepreneurs.
