 Ronald Ponkey |
Time Deadlines I have a wedding contract which gives clients one year to complete their wedding packge and if they fail to return they forfeit their wedding package. 12 months is quiet a long period of time to finish a wedding package. But I occassionally get clients who come back over a year and they fail to understand why they forfeited their wedding package evern though they signed the wedding contract and Proof Recipt which clearly stipulates the one year time frame. Their signature says, I agree to abide by these terms...so what do other Photographers do to handle this scenario....?
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Mark Feldstein |
Howdy. This has always been a perplexing question to me, even though I'm a photojournalist not a wedding shooter. My initial response is 12 months or 48 months, what's the difference to you? What are you out if it goes longer than a year? Pixel storage space? A file folder, perhaps with contacts or proofs? Besides and regardless of why someone might have waited over 12 months, this could be a rep. buster in a small community, i.e., "He's really a meanie and made us forfeit our package because we couldn't afford to order prints after we paid for Aunt Maude's funeral expenses this past year." AND...AND...AND....what are you going to do if they just want prints 13 months AFTER they got their package? Turn down the print order? Honestly man, what are you out? No matter how p-o'd you might be about them not doing this in 12 months, keep it to yourself, let them have what they paid for. It ain't really costing you anything and at least in my view, ain't worth the bad rep or publicity it could get ya.
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Ronald Ponkey |
Actually you are incorrect. First each year prices do change in the labs, etc. Second, I do about 50 weddings per year with about 200 Negs per wedding - you do the Math. Now if a Bride comes later, beyond 12 months, then our work load doubles... I think a responsible adult can devote 120 minutes out of 12 months. If something bad happened the studio will always work with a client but to just not come in ....that is unacceptable! A contract is a contract...just go ahead and be late on your House Insurance, Car Insurance, etc...see what happens....
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Debbie Del Tejo |
Actually, he is correct. I do about 65 weddings a year on an average. I do not advertise and I am almost booked solid for 2007....WHY??? because of customer service. The average bride comes back for her album approximatly 6 months to a year after the wedding. I put all wedding photos online so I get the orders from relatives and friends right away. By you turning that client down after one year he is going to go out and bad mouth you and your business. You know what one unhappy client can do...the word spreads because he is unhappy. I just went to a restaurant and got lousy service, I came home and a friend of mine called and it came up in the conversation how I was unhappy with this retaurant. I don't have a deadline on my contract and it works the other way around as well. I don't expect a client to call me and say 'when is my album going to be ready?' It may take me a while depending on my work load. You asked what other photographers do in this scenario and I have told you what I do.
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Mark Feldstein |
In all candor Ron, based on the face-value tone of your response, I think you need to find another line of photography to get into or at least take a vacation. Your reply is an answer to your own (original) question. Sounds a bit angry at your clients and somewhat on the bitter side. Moreover, I really disagree with everything you said in your response. You're not a bank, you're not an insurance company. I presume you're a sole proprietorship, not American Express or Travellers Ins. Group. If people want the kind of attitude you're conveying, my guess is they'll find a corporation to shoot their weddings. OTOH, I think it's certainly a worthy service to your clients that you somehow feel compelled to act as a parental figure in order to teach them about contractual responsibilities; how to best use their allowance; and how to properly use their time. Maybe family counseling is more your forte? If your lab costs go up on an annual (or any other basis) then build in a price hedge into your contract that's effective any time you get one, not just after twelve months. In contract law, we call that the "contingency clause". The choice seems to be either you give people some slack or spend your own time in small claims court waiting for their case against you to be called so they can explain to the judge one of the gazillion reasons why, in fact, a contract may not be a contract and there are lots of legal reasons to breach, reform, extend, modify terms or cancel a contract wherein you'd likely have to restore them to the position they were in before they entered the contract in the first instance, i.e., fully refund their money.
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anonymous |
I don't believe you should put a deadline on a contract, if they have paid for you to photograph their wedding, then they should get their package regardless of when then ordered them. Unfortunately, the longer they take, the less money you make as inflation rises, all you can do is encourage them to order sooner rather than later, maybe put an incentive in. I tell people, they have 12 weeks to order any additional reprints at that price, if after the 12 weeks a price increase has occurred, they will then, pay the new prices, but this definiately doesn't relate to the package, the package is set and the price doesn't change. A contract is not "binding" unless it has been typed up by a solicitor and each contract signed and witnessed by a 3rd party. Most wedding contracts are not set in stone, but fortunately, most people follow them as a rule, to ensure things run smoothly and they know where they stand. Give them their package - it is their wedding day!
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Ronald Ponkey |
I had three brides this year who did not come back and based on the feedback on this site...the studio will aske the clients to return within 12 months and if they do not then they may face minimal late fee charges. After all, each year the work piles up and old brides with current brides can really multiply the work load..
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anonymous |
Ronald, did you give them a courtesy call, I alway find that helps, but I agree, there is nothing worse then dealing with something that should of been dealt with 8 months ago, when you have new clients to deal with. But I still would always give them their work, like you said - maybe with a late fee etc, but I would never expect someone to forfeit their wedding photos.
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Debbie Del Tejo |
And how much work is it really....??? I download the photos to my album company and they do all the work.... the problem is most photographers spend the money and have no working capita...
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anonymous |
Debbie I agree, I am a bit naughty, I actually put the money in an envelope and put the couples name on it, I spend the profits, but then I know, doesn't matter how long it takes for them to come back to me, the money is in the envelope waiting for me to print their photos. I know, that it doesn't work like that for most, but I don't have 50-60 weddings a year, maybe about 10 - 15 a year. At least it seperates the costs from the profits.
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