Rant-Someone committed (kinda) my rates and schedule without me knowing!

[Kit]

Ok this is a rant thread. A friend of mine recommended me to a client and passed on my contacts to her. She contacted me and I submitted a quote and my schedule to complete the assignment. To my horror, I just discovered that this friend of mine had earlier indicated my rates and schedule to the client in an email without consulting me! The rates he gave was not even 1/5 of what I normally charge for similar assignments and worse, he told her that the assignment can be completed within 4 to 5 hours when my estimate for the actual shooting is at least 3 days!! Not including editing time!! HORROR!!!

Understandably, the client never revert. Even if she did, I wouldn't have been able to take up the work. Damn! I'm pissed!!

 

[catchlights]

One word: "Suay"!







[bad luck]

 

[yqt]

That's why I always tell my friends that this is "friendship rate" for them only and not my normal business rate :bsmilie:

 

[Kit]

To be honest, I don't have friendship rates. This friend of mine just plucked the figures out of thin air. That's what irritates me the most.

 

[kei1309]

did you contact your friend and ask why he or she did it? to prevent future occurrences of this problem.

and you definitely have an idiotic friend with no common sense

 

[richiemccaw1]

The fact that you didnt have friendship rates makes it even harder to stomach. How on earth did the friend come up with the numbers? Ridiculous..

 

[sjackal]

Think of it this way, the client was never there in the first place if the price they are intending to pay is not on the same level of your rates. Its just a mismatch that wasted time and caused irritation. The more you dwell on it, the more time wasted and irritation caused.

 

[ellery]

Kit sorry to have to say this this person is one you should really not associate with. Casual incompetence can be tolerate in friends but this is like dedicate to kill your biz. A rep is basically what a professional trades for goodwill - screw that up when the number of screamers multiple the compliant also raise 10 folder over praises. See you are doing the complaint bit.

 

[Kit]

did you contact your friend and ask why he or she did it? to prevent future occurrences of this problem.

and you definitely have an idiotic friend with no common sense

The fact that you didnt have friendship rates makes it even harder to stomach. How on earth did the friend come up with the numbers? Ridiculous..

Think of it this way, the client was never there in the first place if the price they are intending to pay is not on the same level of your rates. Its just a mismatch that wasted time and caused irritation. The more you dwell on it, the more time wasted and irritation caused.

Kit sorry to have to say this this person is one you should really not associate with. Casual incompetence can be tolerate in friends but this is like dedicate to kill your biz. A rep is basically what a professional trades for goodwill - screw that up when the number of screamers multiple the compliant also raise 10 folder over praises. See you are doing the complaint bit.

I did asked him about the email. He claimed that he thought the client's requirements were simpler. The way I saw it, the client's email to him and to me were identical. Regardless, I told him I couldn't have taken up the assignment with the rates and schedule he suggested no matter what the requirements were. I did not built up my business taking up 5 hour real estate assignments for quick bucks. I am into architectural photography and (perhaps not to a layman) there's a difference.

In all fairness, his email to the client was cc to me but it went to the junk mail folder and I only saw it after I submitted my quote to the client. What kind of impression the client had formed is anybody's guess. It could well be a miscommunication to her but its still an unfortunate incident. It could well be a lost opportunity, I don't know.

I take this as a reminder to redraw the line between friendship and business. I have a pool of clients which I work with and those work kept me going. I usually reject friends' recommendations diplomatically. Oh well, he's still a friend.