How to handle a situation, it's all about business

[BenE]

We see threads about, "what to say", "how to handle this or that", so my wife just had a new situation occur that might qualify as, "What do you do if....."

A young lady and her mom came in to talk about senior portraits. While my wife was showing samples and trying to talk to them, the girl evidently got a text message, so she proceeded to ignore my wife, while she was speaking directly to her and began to text.

My wife then turned to the mom, and tried to continue the conversation, without much luck. After they left, we discussed how to handle this from now on.
By the way, I have had people either answer their phone or text while I was showing previews, so here is what I came up with:

If showing previews, and they do either, I stop the slideshow and tell them we can continue from the beginning after they are finished.

If discussing our work, and showing samples, we will simply hand them a price list and tell them that they can take it and let us know if we can be of any help.

I am certain others will have a different thought, and it may sound rude (to do what I have mentioned), but in my opinion it is also rude to ignore us when we are here to help them.

I need a sign with a big red circle with a cell phone icon, and slash through it, and a cell phone icon.

[HotHolly]

Its not rude at all. In fact, I think they are doing themselves a great disservice to you both. We have a no cell phone rule during shooting and proofing. It wastes your time and theirs. And the chirp of the phone is HARD to ignore. Its like leaving a phone ringing and ringing and ringing. Someone will break and want to answer it.

If there is a teen there, start with what u guys r gonna be talking about and how important it is that she's involved. Then ask if they would mind muting their phones until you are done. Ive never had anyone say no.

Also, handing them a price list and letting them walk out the door isnt good. You just lost control of that sale entirely and are allowing the client's only point of comparison to be your price list. Unless you are photo mill, you dont want to do that.

[JWCustomPhotography]

This happens at my day job. I stop what I'm doing, ignore them and occupy myself with something else while I wait.

If in my photo biz this were to happen, I'd stop what I was doing, wait impatiently, and when they finished... Just start over.


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[Howard Barlow]

I may wait one time, but if they did it a second time, I would tell them we need to reschedule, at an additional fee, when they can schedule uninterrupted time.

[surlynkid]

this is everywhere. whether you are delayed trying to check out at walmart or whataburger because the idiot in front of you cannot hang up the cell phone, or in a photography business situation, it is all the same. i think the rules like "leave it on mute" are best. everyone thinks their time is more important than yours.

Nobody put it better than Coach Dean Smith of the North Carolina Tarheels NCAA men's basketball team. His quote:

Tardiness is the height of arrogance. In effect, you're saying, 'My time is more important than yours.'


This is on the same level as the cell phone issue.

[brad]

I've never really had it be a problem, honestly, but I probably would just patiently wait... and wait.

Originally Posted by surlynkid

Nobody put it better than Coach Dean Smith of the North Carolina Tarheels NCAA men's basketball team. His quote:

Tardiness is the height of arrogance. In effect, you're saying, 'My time is more important than yours.'

I've long held that too early is just as rude... more than 15 minutes early says the same thing to me... "Whatever you were doing before I got here isn't as important as me." I've had appointments show up 45 minutes to an HOUR before their appointment and expect to start shooting.

[Noel Hankamer]

I just stop talking or showing and see how long it takes the offender to realize that I am no longer paying attention.
My pet peeve here is the people who talk on the headset while in a conversation with me.

[BenE]

Originally Posted by HotHolly

Its not rude at all. In fact, I think they are doing themselves a great disservice to you both. We have a no cell phone rule during shooting and proofing. It wastes your time and theirs. And the chirp of the phone is HARD to ignore. Its like leaving a phone ringing and ringing and ringing. Someone will break and want to answer it.

If there is a teen there, start with what u guys r gonna be talking about and how important it is that she's involved. Then ask if they would mind muting their phones until you are done. Ive never had anyone say no.

Also, handing them a price list and letting them walk out the door isnt good. You just lost control of that sale entirely and are allowing the client's only point of comparison to be your price list. Unless you are photo mill, you dont want to do that.

Good points. Do you wait until the first interruption before you ask them to mute the phone or do you ask before it happens?

And after thinking about it, and your comments, I realize that handing them the price list is not the best option, but to be honest there are some people I prefer to not photograph, and if they are rude in the beginning, I wonder how it will end?

Lastly, a question about your no cell phone rule. Do you have a sign posted, or is that something you tell everyone when they first come in?

I hate to begin my conversation with, "Turn the darned phone off!..... LOL

[HotHolly]

Good points. Do you wait until the first interruption before you ask them to mute the phone or do you ask before it happens?

Depends. If I saw them on the phone, talking, texting non stop since they pulled up - then I'll mention to mute it for the rest of their appointment. When I had the bridal shop, I asked everyone to mute it when we sat down. Some people have stuff going on, like doctors, so you dont want to be an ass. At the same time those folks arent the problem.

And after thinking about it, and your comments, I realize that handing them the price list is not the best option, but to be honest there are some people I prefer to not photograph, and if they are rude in the beginning, I wonder how it will end?
Kids are naturally self-centered. I think they need to be reminded. Kids take reminders better than correction, so you can ask if everyone has their phone muted before you start if a teen is there. Also if the kid is talking on the phone, they aren't engaged and will hinder the selling process. That kid needs to be involved and they cant be if they are on the phone.

Lastly, a question about your no cell phone rule. Do you have a sign posted, or is that something you tell everyone when they first come in?
It's worked into the conversation. No signs.

My biggest pet peeve is wasting my time. Godzilla holly comes out and eats everyone. My clients know ahead of time that they only get one ordering session, and that they have to be prompt. Make your expectations clear on your site and in how you word things. And word things positively - tell them what you expect, not what you don't want them to do. You want them to mute their phones and put them down for a little bit. That sounds much nicer than saying NO CELL PHONES!!!

[stacyreeves]

I understand the desire to have a phone-free interaction with someone, but I think you need to weigh that desire with the possible consequences of insulting or offending them. If I sat down with a vendor and they said to me "Could you please silence your phone?" I would immediately feel like I was being patronized and treated like a child, and I think it would really start the experience off on a bad note. It would be even worse if they made the comment after the call or text interrupted, because then I would KNOW I was being scolded. I'd probably get up and walk out, or at the very least I would check out and no longer have any interest in what that person had to say.

Just be careful about how you approach it, because you could potentially turn a good client into an annoyed one if you are too aggressive with it.

[BenE]

Originally Posted by stacyreeves

I understand the desire to have a phone-free interaction with someone, but I think you need to weigh that desire with the possible consequences of insulting or offending them. If I sat down with a vendor and they said to me "Could you please silence your phone?" I would immediately feel like I was being patronized and treated like a child, and I think it would really start the experience off on a bad note. It would be even worse if they made the comment after the call or text interrupted, because then I would KNOW I was being scolded. I'd probably get up and walk out, or at the very least I would check out and no longer have any interest in what that person had to say.

Just be careful about how you approach it, because you could potentially turn a good client into an annoyed one if you are too aggressive with it.

As has been said, those are not the customers I want... let them go to someone who does not offer personal service.

Customers who sit and text or talk on the phone while I am trying to talk to them do not deserve me.

[JWCustomPhotography]

Originally Posted by stacyreeves

I understand the desire to have a phone-free interaction with someone, but I think you need to weigh that desire with the possible consequences of insulting or offending them. If I sat down with a vendor and they said to me "Could you please silence your phone?" I would immediately feel like I was being patronized and treated like a child, and I think it would really start the experience off on a bad note. It would be even worse if they made the comment after the call or text interrupted, because then I would KNOW I was being scolded. I'd probably get up and walk out, or at the very least I would check out and no longer have any interest in what that person had to say.

Just be careful about how you approach it, because you could potentially turn a good client into an annoyed one if you are too aggressive with it.

I imagine though, you don't put yourself in that position, or you wouldn't have that firm of a stance. You are looking at this from a person with manners, not the type of jerk that whips out a phone like this.


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[stacyreeves]

I think with that attitude, it's you that doesn't deserve them.. People have a myriad of reasons why they may need to take a call. Maybe they have a sick relative who is in the midst of a medical emergency. Maybe they have a job where they have to be on call 24/7. Maybe they have a friend or sibling who is in jail and only gets to call once or twice a month, at random and unpredictable times. Maybe they're in the middle of a work crisis and they don't want to inconvenience the people in the office who need answers or decisions from them. There are hundreds of reasons why a person might want or need to take a phone call or respond to a text while in the middle of a not-that-important-in-the-grand-scheme-of-things meeting with a photographer, and not all of them are based on rudeness or lack of respect for your time. Believe it or not, there are some situations in the world that are slightly more important than a discussion about package prices or album cover options.

Of course there are situations where people are being rude and disrespectful and sure, in those cases, it might be best to go ahead and put an end to the meeting because you know you won't be a good fit. However, treating everyone who takes a call or a text with contempt means you could insult and make enemies out of a lot of good, well-meaning people.

[BenE]

Originally Posted by stacyreeves

========maybe they have a friend or sibling who is in jail and only gets to call once or twice a month, at random and unpredictable times.==========

That is my best type of customer.

[stacyreeves]

I'm glad you are so lucky that you and everyone you work with has never ever had a friend or relative who made bad decisions and got themselves into trouble. We should all be so blessed.