frog116
TPF Noob!
- Joined
- May 3, 2011
- Messages
- 16
- Reaction score
- 1
- Location
- MI
- Can others edit my Photos
- Photos OK to edit
My proofing is done online with a gallery password. My client logs in, views their images, and places their order online. My shopping cart is set up so that they must meet the minimum order fee (which is only $50 for crying out loud) before they are allowed to complete check out.
However, on many occasions, another family member (such as grandma) is given the password and logs in. She wants to order 1 print and 1 print only. So, grandma's order comes to a whopping $10 and when she tries to checkout she is stopped bc she doesn't meet the minimum order charge. This turns into a phone call asking if she can bypass the fee yada yada yada.
If I don't let her bypass the fee, she just doesn't place an order at all and is left angry. (Why they don't just tell the original client what they want is beyond me. Sometimes it's family issues etc.)
But, you can probably understand the issues it creates to allow grandma, auntie, etc. to bypass the fee but yet require it of the contract holder. From a financial business stand point you all can understand why it's insane to allow them to not meet the fee. But from a personal "trying to satisfy the customer" business stand point, you can see where saying "I'm sorry grandma, you have to meet the fee no matter what" leaves a customer with a bad taste in their mouth. Not to mention, it lost me a sale. (Hey, 10 bucks is 10 bucks).
I used to allow only the contract holder to place orders, but that came with its own set of issues as well. There are so many variables and instances of "my ex husband can place his own order but we are not on speaking terms" etc. that I found I was bending the rules then as well.
I really feel like I am left in this funny grey area and I just don't know what the answer is. What do you do differently?
However, on many occasions, another family member (such as grandma) is given the password and logs in. She wants to order 1 print and 1 print only. So, grandma's order comes to a whopping $10 and when she tries to checkout she is stopped bc she doesn't meet the minimum order charge. This turns into a phone call asking if she can bypass the fee yada yada yada.
If I don't let her bypass the fee, she just doesn't place an order at all and is left angry. (Why they don't just tell the original client what they want is beyond me. Sometimes it's family issues etc.)
But, you can probably understand the issues it creates to allow grandma, auntie, etc. to bypass the fee but yet require it of the contract holder. From a financial business stand point you all can understand why it's insane to allow them to not meet the fee. But from a personal "trying to satisfy the customer" business stand point, you can see where saying "I'm sorry grandma, you have to meet the fee no matter what" leaves a customer with a bad taste in their mouth. Not to mention, it lost me a sale. (Hey, 10 bucks is 10 bucks).
I used to allow only the contract holder to place orders, but that came with its own set of issues as well. There are so many variables and instances of "my ex husband can place his own order but we are not on speaking terms" etc. that I found I was bending the rules then as well.
I really feel like I am left in this funny grey area and I just don't know what the answer is. What do you do differently?