Cheese With Your Whine?
You may as well have some cheese with your whine because it may be all you get. The days of whining are over. My clients don’t need whining, they need results.
Recently I was contracted to shoot portraits of some award winners at the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce. As is the norm for a larger city, not all the winners could be at the shoot at the same time. One winner, Taylor Fernley of Fernley & Fernley could not attend, yet the chamber still needed a portrait. I offered to go to his office at Mr. Fernley’s convenience and get the shot needed. Although my client said that would be going above and beyond I did anyway; for no extra charge.
My contact at the chamber said the day of the shoot that I didn’t need to go to their office for the shot and that they would just make due. ‘Make due’ usually means they will have an intern go over with a point and shoot and take a snapshot of the subject. That snapshot would be included with all the other winners, problem solved. Wrong.
I want the client to have consistent quality. I want my name to be known as the photographer that will go above and beyond; the one that will do whatever it takes to get the job done and done right. So I spoke to Mr. Fernley’s representative and told them to call me when he was available and I would be there. Last week I got the call.
What this did was give my client, and subsequently their client, the confidence that they would consistently have quality photography for the publication and they didn’t have to do anything, not even ask.
For me there was no whining or complaining to be done. It was about just doing what was needed to get the shots needed, no matter how convenient or inconvenient. I did my job and I did it with a smile. My client was happy, Fernley & Fernley was happy and I was proud of the work I delivered before the deadline for the printer.
No whine, no cheese. Just results.
“Just results.” . . . also known as high quality service. Congratulations, the world needs so much more high quality service and so many more “results.”
Yes, I agree. I also believe that a client can have what ever they want, when ever they want it as long as they pay for it. Last week a client wanted me to swing by their office, which was about 25 minutes from my studio, and pick up a piece of clothing for a shoot. As the photographer, not the stylist or make up person I did not feel it was my job, but I did it, and I charged them for my time. They paid it and everyone was happy.
This is how I like to work as well. Fantastic work!