What can we do if customer cancelled job 1 week B4 wedding?

[artbox]

Hi I need some advice. I hope I'm not in the wrong thread.
I got a few cancellation in this December for a wedding shoot.:cry:

case 1:
I have done my client Solemnization in Aug 07 and was paid $300+. Album & prints delivered. An Agreement Letter was signed with a follow up in Dec 08 for the AD job. I Had ordered a customised Magazine album for Dec job with their names on front cover. One week before wedding, the hubby called me and said they are cancelling my job & their AD wedding.
Balance payment $600.

Case 2:
Clients Big day booking was Dec 07, 2 weeks B4 the big day they called to posponed to March 08. When I asked for 2nd payment due Nov 07, the guy reply by SMS that they are cancelling my job. deposit given $100 only. Ordered personalised table top with their name, not given yet. An agreement letter was signed for Dec 07 job.
Balance payment is $900

Pls advice me on what can I expect to claim form this type of customers. My Biz is registered SP.

Had email & SMS with yet no reply from them.
Thank you in advance.

 

[Dream Merchant]

It all depends...what exactly did your written agreement say?

 

[knpan]

Hi can i know whats AD wedding? Heard of it many times.

 

[ozora]

I think such cases are hard to pursue $ from the clients. Unless in your agreement says that they will pay penalty if they cancel job after a specific time frame. Even so with the agreement I still feel its kind of hard to get back the $.

For future cases, maybe you can get them to pay a deposit incase they jump bail. Also dont order the album so early. After the shoot done then order, unless the album will take a long time to deliver then bo bian. just my thoughts.

 

[artbox]

Thank you,
I know it's hard to pursue the $. I just need advice also on how to improved my agreement letter. Also if the terms is too strong, client may not want to sign up. My agrrement only stated, no refund of deposits on cancellation.
For The Album & frame, I have to get it ordered much earlier as it's customised with names on it. But within one week B4 weddings, I must get the items on hand already right?. Can't really gamble with late delivery.

Anyone have this type of case before to share?

I think such cases are hard to pursue $ from the clients. Unless in your agreement says that they will pay penalty if they cancel job after a specific time frame. Even so with the agreement I still feel its kind of hard to get back the $.

For future cases, maybe you can get them to pay a deposit incase they jump bail. Also dont order the album so early. After the shoot done then order, unless the album will take a long time to deliver then bo bian. just my thoughts.

 

[mrfatty]

Hi can i know whats AD wedding? Heard of it many times.

I think its Actual Day

 

[xziredmp]

well..... next time do not order the albums and do any customisations until you finish the AD then.....

like that you will not lose money from the making of the albums and i am sure most clients can wait 1month or so, for the prints and albums to be ready.

not so much going to comment on your contract, but on your workflow.

and you should collect 100% on the AD itself to finish the rest of the job. i know some pgs here take 10-20 deposit while the remaining 30 on the AD and 50% on the delivery date...

but i feel that if you take 100% on ad, and do the rest of the work and deliver. its way much safer.

 

[Cheesecake]

suggest tat u include 50% upfront upon agreement of T&C n signing the quotation or agreement.

non-refundable of cos should they cancel.


collect the rest of the 50% on C.O.D terms.

dun commit on albums and such but only upon collection of the first 50% to be really safe.

 

[Barrios]

Wish those who cancelled your services all the best and tell them if they ever need your services in their future marriages, do give u a call. :bsmilie:

 

[shinken]

suggest tat u include 50% upfront upon agreement of T&C n signing the quotation or agreement.

non-refundable of cos should they cancel.


collect the rest of the 50% on C.O.D terms.

dun commit on albums and such but only upon collection of the first 50% to be really safe.

:thumbsup: I second that suggestion.

For the past year, I had insisted on 50% downpayment for all agreed goods and services to reserve them, and 50% on delivery. If they can't decide on album, but wanna book my photography, 50%. For the one single client who managed to talk me to split the payment of the downpayment because of financial difficulties, I still have difficulty getting him to pay the remainder. It had been six months already. He initially agreed to clear the downpayment in a month. Then told me Dec. Now it's Dec, he's still postponing payment.

But other than that, I had only lost one client who disagrees with the policy of 50% downpayment. This client claims that the rest of everyone else she meets (all other videographers and photographers) are either fine with a token sum for downpayment, or at most 30%, and went on for 15 mins on why I should not collect so much downpayment. I told her I understand where she comes from, and I cannot budge on this policy.

Bottom line is, if the downpayment is not substantial, the client can just swap vendors according to their fancy.

 

[Cheesecake]

:thumbsup: I second that suggestion.

For the past year, I had insisted on 50% downpayment for all agreed goods and services to reserve them, and 50% on delivery. If they can't decide on album, but wanna book my photography, 50%. For the one single client who managed to talk me to split the payment of the downpayment because of financial difficulties, I still have difficulty getting him to pay the remainder. It had been six months already. He initially agreed to clear the downpayment in a month. Then told me Dec. Now it's Dec, he's still postponing payment.

But other than that, I had only lost one client who disagrees with the policy of 50% downpayment. This client claims that the rest of everyone else she meets (all other videographers and photographers) are either fine with a token sum for downpayment, or at most 30%, and went on for 15 mins on why I should not collect so much downpayment. I told her I understand where she comes from, and I cannot budge on this policy.

Bottom line is, if the downpayment is not substantial, the client can just swap vendors according to their fancy.

correct. remain firm on ur pricing n payment method.

u need to look after ur own wellbeing n interest, ur clients will not be bothered abt those things for u.

 

[catchlights]

...............................

Bottom line is, if the downpayment is not substantial, the client can just swap vendors according to their fancy.

agreed with Cheesecake and shinken,


FYI, bridal shops ask couple finish with all the payment in full before proceed with their wedding album, and make them put a deposit before the can bring the wedding grown and suit out of shop.

 

[joe]

why not you change your agreen letter to pay up 50% for the deposit and there is no refund.On top of that just add a pently on the agreenment. lets say $200.If they cancel the photoshoot.Don't purchase anything first.If not you'll be in the loosing end.If they agreen with the 50% deposit and there is no refund and Pently,Then you van forget about this deal,no point talking to them.Just ignore them,let them go look for another photographer and it not easy to find one.All they want is cheap and good,no need to pay so much for the photo and album.

 

[xxxger]

You mean you after took their ROM .... and you pass them the photo, and they go cancel your AD wedding ?

I think it is quite obvious .... i think they dun like your styles and way of your photography. Maybe it is very different from your sample you show them ... :embrass:

i think that no choice lor ... and you already earn their money from the ROM le, so that additional album wont make you loss money right? .. just keep that album and nexttime use it do another sample for presentation lar ...

 

[hongsien]

You still can try to sell them the album just to get your costs back, it can not be used for other couples anymore isn't it?

HS

 

[varf]

you might want to consider structuring the payment schedule to cover your expenses; eg. deposit at booking, 2nd payment to cover cost-plus before you order the personalized album, 3rd payment on AD itself, 4th payment on delivery of goods.

 

[StrifeYun]

hmm, set a cancell deposit fee (i.e. 10%) as per your old contract,
then explain that due to ordering of customised materials you will need to have a upfront 40% more deposit
which totals to 50%
and you will inform them first if you wish to buy customised materials which will be charged to the 40% of their upfront deposit.
and if they cancel, they will get back the remainding 40% "material" deposit which was not used.

just a suggestion

 

[Belle&Sebastain]

why not you change your agreen letter to pay up 50% for the deposit and there is no refund.On top of that just add a pently on the agreenment. lets say $200.If they cancel the photoshoot.Don't purchase anything first.If not you'll be in the loosing end.If they agreen with the 50% deposit and there is no refund and Pently,Then you van forget about this deal,no point talking to them.Just ignore them,let them go look for another photographer and it not easy to find one.All they want is cheap and good,no need to pay so much for the photo and album.

you should not use the word deposit as but rather a retainer fee to retainer the day for the client.

 

[slaam]

you should not use the word deposit as but rather a retainer fee to retainer the day for the client.

i like this phrase haha
yeah i think if you follow catchlight's advice (follow wat the bridal ppl do) u are unlikely to be caught in a losing end.
if ur client complains u can cite the bridal studios' e.g. as the industry standard.
and explain that u have encountered losses before and the amount is not to 'cheat' them or get more cash out but to pay for ur losses in event of cancellation.
if u were not using hard sell tactics I dun see why any client would refuse to sign up in the end..

that being said.. jus being kaypoh are the cancellation due to the wedding being cancelled? or ur services being rejected?
if its the former yeah i think hard to chase for more money. even though they were at fault..

 

[Cheesecake]

jus to add, its NEVER easy to chase for money.

it's an art. :bsmilie: