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Archive 2014 · Wedding cancelled. What I did.

  
 
TTLKurtis
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p.2 #1 · p.2 #1 · Wedding cancelled. What I did.


friscoron wrote:
Yeah, five in one year would probably change the way we look at it. Where we are and given the situation, it made sense. No matter what, I lost the remaining $3-4k I would have made with this wedding. The way I look at it was: will the $600 (I kept $350 for the e-session) that I would have returned to them worth it? I know that I can recoup the $600 even if I get just one photo session that day. The extra $3-4k doesn't matter, it's gone the moment they cancelled.

So I get why you guys keep
...Show more

I would suggest that you consider changing your payment schedule and policies / contract so that you don't end up losing SO much when somebody cancels. Our payment schedule is 25% retainer, 25% due 6 months out, 25% due 3 months out, final balance due 30 days out. And I've been considering for a while making it 50% retainer and dropping the 6 month payment.

Also I don't think I would feel too sorry for them only being out $650 or whatever - that's pretty lucky for them when some photographers contracts would actually require they still pay the full balance.



Nov 16, 2014 at 12:11 PM
ricardovaste
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p.2 #2 · p.2 #2 · Wedding cancelled. What I did.


glort wrote:
At the end of the day, refund or not is really what makes you feel best for a given situation.


Is this how we should run our businesses, based on feelings for given situations? Shouldn't it be policy, protocol?

Just speculating



Nov 16, 2014 at 12:16 PM
Mark_L
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p.2 #3 · p.2 #3 · Wedding cancelled. What I did.


I wonder how this worked out with the venue and any other vendors they had booked.


Nov 16, 2014 at 12:21 PM
jmraso
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p.2 #4 · p.2 #4 · Wedding cancelled. What I did.


It is quite selfish to book a photographer who will reject other couples for the date booked then cancel and ask for the money back not giving a shit about the photographer.

When someone cancels long after the reservation should expect some money lost I beleive !!



Nov 16, 2014 at 12:43 PM
glort
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p.2 #5 · p.2 #5 · Wedding cancelled. What I did.


ricardovaste wrote:
Is this how we should run our businesses, based on feelings for given situations? Shouldn't it be policy, protocol?

Just speculating


If that's what makes you happy, then that's fine too!

My own policy is to have the hard case in my contract.
No other cameras allowed at the wedding, amateur, professional, media or otherwise. That's what is pointed out and that's what they sign.
Now, I don't give a fig if grandma wants to take a happy snap, I can bend my own policy and contract as much as I want. If some pain in the arse comes along and won't take the hint, I can point out that policy to the B&G and they are gone in seconds. Saves me the trouble i'd have to go through If I punched them out with being arrested etc. Works nicely.

Same as refunds.
Says none for any reason in my contract. If I want to bend my own rules, no one is going to complain. Should I only work to policy? I could if I wanted to feel a right bastard at times but part of the satisfaction of being in your own business is being the boss and that means I get to make decisions and bend the rules as I see fit.

If I think someone is trying something on with me, I can pull out the piece of paper and enforce the policy. If I want to do the right thing now and then, I can do that too.
I learned a long time ago money isn't everyting and while my friends regularly tell me I can be the Hardest SOB they ever came across, I also enjoy racking up some points in the good karma stakes now and then and helping out someone I think deserves it. When I need every single cent I can lay my hands on. then my idea may change but so far in life I haven't got that desperate.

Far as I'm concerned, I'm running the show, doing what I like on things like this is one of the priveledges I put up with so much other crap in having my own business to earn that right.



Nov 16, 2014 at 12:48 PM
eephoto
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p.2 #6 · p.2 #6 · Wedding cancelled. What I did.


ricardovaste wrote:
Is this how we should run our businesses, based on feelings for given situations? Shouldn't it be policy, protocol?

Just speculating


However YOU want to run YOUR business is how YOU should do it. (capitalizing the YOUs because that's why you are doing what you are doing, to be in business for yourself and follow your own protocol).

Used to work in retail for many years as a cashier at the service desk. Managers would tell us ABSOLUTELY NO REFUND WITHOUT A RECEIPT. Then lo and behold we would get customers come in with no receipts. We would tell them we can't do it. Absolutely not. Then they would ask for the manager. Manager comes over and before you can say "Sugar Pie Honey Bun" they are issuing them a refund. We would just stand there like "WTF?"

When I asked the manager why the first time, he said it was better for business to issue the refund then not. Made perfect sense. So whatever is better for your business, do it.

I can see both sides and think if 4 ccx happened to me in a year, that would hurt me financially. One in 4 years, well I could deal with that...





Nov 20, 2014 at 06:08 PM
TTLKurtis
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p.2 #7 · p.2 #7 · Wedding cancelled. What I did.


Retail business selling commodities to many thousands of customers is a little different than a photographer with finite time and scalability.


Nov 20, 2014 at 09:36 PM
ricardovaste
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p.2 #8 · p.2 #8 · Wedding cancelled. What I did.


eephoto wrote:
However YOU want to run YOUR business is how YOU should do it.

-------------

So whatever is better for your business, do it.


I think these are two different things .

This can also create a whole bunch of problems, if we go into business to do what we and run our businesses simply how we want to. Most of us became a photographer because we wanted to become a photographer... we didn't go into it thinking about how we can fill a need for the market and clients. But if your business does have a plan for how to serve clients and their needs, your business can then guide you for pretty much anything. It's not a right or wrong thing, but there will definitely be better or worse choices which are determined by the business, rather than what you want to do (or your personal feelings).

I realise that is quite pedantic of me, I am just expanding on my sentiments.



Nov 21, 2014 at 10:03 AM
Nikon_14
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p.2 #9 · p.2 #9 · Wedding cancelled. What I did.


eephoto wroteif 4 ccx happened to me in a year, that would hurt me financially. One in 4 years, well I could deal with that...



Therein lies the problem.

You feel sorry for the 1st couple, and "cut them a break". Because those tears look so real, right?

Then the next 3 couples expect the same treatment, and before you know it, you're falling down a very slippery slope.



Nov 21, 2014 at 10:05 AM
jmraso
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p.2 #10 · p.2 #10 · Wedding cancelled. What I did.


All the ones that want to cancel will come back crying and if they get the cancellation we will know shit about our next season amount of work, incomes ...

Nikon_14 wrote:
Therein lies the problem.

You feel sorry for the 1st couple, and "cut them a break". Because those tears look so real, right?

Then the next 3 couples expect the same treatment, and before you know it, you're falling down a very slippery slope.





Nov 21, 2014 at 10:21 AM
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