Poor customer relations.

Health funds. No choice, unless I make the patient pay up front? (Some people do).

 

Oh Not an ideal industry. Thank you for your service Dr.

 

Once it starts ticking over, it's fine.
Mortgage brokers get the same deal.

 

I tried to help him out with another job, but he was pretty keen on leaving it behind.
But you never know...

 

I offered him work too. He deflected it. He's doing a Thomas Edison fixed on the big picture thing.

 

We've only heard one side of the story and a select side at that.

You could be right or the designer might have been trying to say "You asked for a flyer, now you want a letter head. Do you expect me to do twice the work for the same pay" - Yes, that's abrupt, but could be the truth.

Designers have known to be princesses, but so to have rocket surgeons.

 

I'm posting responses as I read them rather than after reading the whole thread. So apologies if they are a bit off the mark.

Did you make it clear you were willing to be billed for changes? A lot of designers clients demand loads of changes and don't expect to be charged for completely having to redo the job, often many times.

 

I don't think it's relevant. Why would I ask when I don't care? I just want the job done. If she wanted to charge more (I think she did anyway), then I wouldn't bat an eyelid.

Its the manner of the emails that irk me. Little digs. If she wants to dig, she should gouge me with the bill.

Anyway, it's easy. Ill use someone else. Especially if she does anything but apologises. The truth isn't really important. It's my perception. I perceived that it was non-professional and condescending. And I'm the one paying the bills, and with the power to walk.

 

Snap your fingers and I'll come running.

With your attitude I'm not surprised you've been knocked back by other designers.

 

Yeah he is pretty focused on his current work. Thought it may have been worth a shot though. I know his customer service skills would have been better than Lousise's for sure.

 

Maybe because almost everybody else she work with wants free work. I say this from personal experience where people gave you tiny nudges about more work to be done. When I said that gonna cost x, they ran. Not everyone is like you @Bran. This is also the reason when I requested more work from other service providers, I ask about cost - indicates that I am not looking for a free ride.

Again, come down to communications skills. She want to ask but got no idea how to do it tactfully.

 

I haven't. Who said I had? Did you read the whole thread this time? Or still shooting off the hip as you go?

So, your vote Ed, is that these little digs are reasonable and professional. That's fine. That's why I put it to the forum. I couldn't tell if it was just me being pedantic about the way I professionally interact, and am used to interacting.

 

Do you mean you've been knocked back by designers? You have. You said it. I wouldn't work for you.

What a loaded question. You're trying to make me agree with you, but I won't. The digs I saw in your posts were from you.

No, that's not why you put it to the forum.

More digging from you.

 

I can tell you that a designer has never refused to work for me. If I've written it somewhere, then I've made a mistake or you are misinterpreting it.

Feel free to quote it here so I can clarify it.

You are reading far more into my posts than is accurate. Even with my interactions with you. I have no hidden agenda here. I felt bad that I gave her a serve, and I wondered if my response was too harsh. Hence the post.

 

I didn't like her tone - she was not happy about the change of plan and lack of payment, fair enough. A phone call is often better in these situations because she needed to put her own case forward but in a way that wouldn't be misinterpreted. Maybe she is busy and younger than you and a liitle initmidated? Even more so now. A conversation usually clears these things up. Perhaps a phone call from you as well?

 

She has never answered my calls and prefers to communicate via email (as do I). She works a day job and does this on-the-side, after hours.

 

Seems good communication is not the top priority then.

 

Who?

 

Steven Ryan of course

 

I have said it before: "you can make a sale or you can make a customer". It's so true. I am an absolute tightarse but there are some businesses that have treated me so well I will go there and pay whatever. Just because I know I will get exactly what I paid for and they won't try to rip me off.