AlanC,

Perhaps I didn't make it clear. He had provided me with the wrong tape. Yes...it was a mistake...his mistake. He had held this tape for many years thinking it contained a certain story. There was only one story on the tape and all audio was tranferred. It was simply the wrong tape. I feel that it was not my fault, although it was now my problem. A similar situation occurs often with film transfers. I've had quite a few people bring me 8mm reels to be transferred only to discover later that they have no idea who the people on the reels are. The question is...when work is ordered, should we be responsible for the content? How do you handle customer problems, specifically when it may affect other business relationships?

Granted, this is a rather petty incident, but I'm interested in getting other points of view,

May I add that there was an abundance of arrogance in this guy.

Hope that helps.

IMHO, money back is not an option unless you are in some way at fault. If I were in the situation you describe, I'd be happy to oblige the client with additional services (within reason) at no additional charge to correct his error - 'bring in the correct tape (if there really is a correct one), and I'll re-transfer/label as a one-time accommodation at no charge.

My guess - this was a calculated manipulation on his part - and, you, in your service-oriented, customer focused mode, took the bait.

In the long run, I believe, you will prevail - perhaps not with this customer, but, in a bigger way with a bigger customer. A business practice that puts customer service first will reap bounteous rewards - but, in this instance, I believe you were taken.

Whether I would have followed my own adivice if faced with the same situation, only God knows for sure. But, other than erring on the side of customer service (never a bad idea), you did nothing wrong.

Chalk this one up to experience and carry on. Your rewards will come.

Caruso

O.K. so now we are clear that it was his mistake so he isn't entitled to his money back. Perhaps if he hadn't been so arrogant I would have offered him a small discount but his attitude suggests that he wasn't going to give you any return business so I wouldn't have given him a bean.

As far as this affecting other business relationships, from what you said he is only an employee of your customer and you have good working relationships with them. I can't see his bad mouthing affecting this.

It still doesn't explain why he ordered 5 copies and asked for the photograph to be included on the label.

I know it's easy to make judgement from this side of the fence but to me it doesn't look as if you did anything wrong. In fact you did exactly what was asked of you so why refund?

Alan

How do you handle customer problems, specifically when it may affect other business relationships?

This is just one of those things... one of those things we have no control over. There will always be people like this, unfortunate as it may be.

Had it been me, I would have explained that I did exactly what he asked me to do, and that I cannot be responsible for his mistake, therefore there will be no refund. Then take whatever comes.

One thing you could have done (which is easy to suggest, now) is ask the guy a series of questions:

1. Isn't this the tape you brought me? (Yes.)
2. Aren't these the instructions you gave me? (Yes.)
3. Didn't I follow the instructions you gave me? (Yes.)
4. Didn't I deliver what you asked for? (Yes.)
5. Having done everything you asked me to do, having kept up my end of our agreement, why should I be expected to refund your money? (Uhhh...)

If the client goes back and bad-mouths you, there is little you can do. Either the others are pleased with the service you've given in the past or they are not. Either they know what kind of business person you are are they don't. In any case, there is nothing you can do about it. All this comes with the territory.

My policy is that I never make a client pay for my mistake, no matter how big or small. By the same token, I don't allow the client to make me pay for his mistake, either!

J--

I've had similar issues with film xfers. Client asks you to put the film onto DVD in the order the reels are numbered but oftenly the numbers are on the boxes, not on the reels or its even possble film has been rewound onto the wrong reel at some time in the past. If it's easy enough for me to identify what's what then I fix it up, not because I have to but because I know its difficult for a client who doesn't have the equipment to know what's on the film.
I guess in your case perhaps what's not been discussed is did you know what was supposed to be on the tape and could you have been reasonably expected to know it was the wrong tape?

Okay....here is a twist. First of - it's a $50 life lesson.

Second of all....I think you made a terrible mistake - and after reading one of the other posts regarding some clients giving you bum video to transfer - you are going to make the mistake over and over again. (which will eventually cost you more than just $50).

All you have to do to avoid any situation like this is to do a proof reel.

Of couse, call it what you want - but do a draft, give it back to the client...tell them "This is what the final will look like". Have the client sign off on it saying "yes...this is what I want". And you will never have this problem again.

People....customers....don't typically like to be told they made a mistake. Especially a mistake that is going to cost them money. You on the other hand are the business owner (runner). It is your job to make sure you cover your backside....while at the same time trying to satisfy the customer - so that you get to keep your money.


No...the customer is not always right. If you did what they asked you to do - then you did the job. But $50 isn't really a great deal of money to fight over. I'd impliment a step to have the client check off what the final will look like before going final - problem solved.

It is a thin line maybe in this case. On the one hand it is a no brainer if a client comes in, hands over all material and tells you what they want. You do the work and that is it. Unless there is some clear error on *your* part (bad encoding, unplayable DVD, mis-spelled credits/label, etc) than you should either provide a refund or re-do it. However if it is the client handing over the wrong elements that is not *your* fault.

but here is the thin line - what did you agree to do and how. What have you done in the past? 'The customer is always right' can only go so far IMO. If someone handed you a blank tape is that your fault? What would you do if the client says "I know there is something on that tape!" ? Is the customer still always right? And in your case - the client hands over a tape with something on it, however it is not the correct material. From your post you took the "cutsormer is always right" road. I would not have done that and would have explained to him that I had provided all services as expected, and agreed upon, prior to job start.

I would have showed them the original work order that explained the details of the job (and they had signed) and showed that they handed over one tape with no indication of what the story was (ie - the recording on the tape), or that there may be another tape with the "correct" story. I probably would have offered to re do the audio portion for either a very small fee or for free but under no circumstances would I have offered their money back in this scenerio.

Really the "easy" way to handle this is the future is to make sure the work order is as detailed as can be. Make sure it has what elements are to be included, what is supplied by the customer and what you are supposed to do. Make sure the customer looks it over and signs it. You can, as an option, offer one preview/workprint/screening copy/in house viewing as an additional cost (or worked into your cost) to be sure it is correct. We susually put a SMPTE TC window burn on the tape. Sometimes we even put whose screening copy it is - this is more for feature films though. At that time make a list of changes to be made, if any, and again have the client sign off on the list. When you turn over the complete product if there are complaints you can look at the work order and see if it is a valid complaint. "Gee I don't see anything on here about a custom title sequence incorporating your logo on here." for example.

This is what I have figured out - in the "old days" people understood, for the most part, that once you cut a negative and made a workprint there was only so much you could do. Once you sent your layout to have a color sep done, aprroved it, and had a gang run of 5,000 or more labels/boxes/posters etc run off there wasn't too much you could do. One you authored a DVD menu and dumped it out to DLT and had a glass master made and had your copies made there wasn't too much you could do about it. Now everyone has the attitude of being able to change it and re-do it up until "release date" or "I can do this myself in 5 minutes, you suck...and your mommy dresses you funny"

I always provide the customer with a "draft" copy. If it is video then a track is added with a logo watermark in the center of screen. Audio projects have a extra audio track with a sound clip repeating often. If the "draft" is OK then the extra track is deleted from the project and the project is rendered to its final version.

Great idea, Ron!

J--

I was going to say the same thing...draft or proff copies are great, but if it is just the content they want then it kind of defeats the purpose. If they take it home to look at it, then they can easily copy it and bring it back to you and say I don't like the way this looks or sounds and you have still done all the work. You need to add the watermark over video or audio to make sure they can't just copy what you've done and then return the proof.

>>You need to add the watermark over video or audio to make sure they can't just copy what you've done and then return the proof.

How would you do this for audio?

Just add an additional track with a sound clip every 5 secs or what ever fits the situation. Render the project into a single track. After the customer OKs the version then rerender the project without the sound clip track. Check the demos from www.shockwave-sound.com.

Caruso is on the money.

Re-do the project with the correct audio tape. All it will cost you is some time and a few cds. If the customer doesn't accept this, he's scamming.

If you HAVE to refund, keep some of the money to cover your material costs.

To quote Monty Python: There's no pleasing some people!

Andy

Having started two successful businesses after I "retired" at 41 I learned several lessons. The most important is know when to go to "war" and when to shrug it off. Getting upset over a $50 job is foolish. Some customers won't be happy no matter what you do. To do the job again and again only puts YOU deeper in the hole and may very well make you more upset, because that kind of customer will nitpick and want something else for nothing.

I kinda let this one set on the board a few days and just watched. At the volume of work we produce, the $50 is certainly no big deal. Actually, I've done a little research on this guy and discovered that this is his standard MO. There's several people in town that prefer not to do business with him, so I'm certainly not alone.

With that said, thanks for all your input. My departed Dad was in politics for most of his life and he always told me to never ask a question in public that you don't know the answer to.

Thanks again.