What happens WHEN I get a complaint?

Oh yes, you read the question correctly. The question is not what happens IF I get a compliant, the questions is "What happen WHEN I get a compliant.?" Gasp, right? 

Reading this now, I giggle. Reading this back when I started my business, I would have been horrified, terrified, confused. You mean, I’ll get a complaint?!? There’s no way, I give my business everything. 

​Friend, I feel you, completely. ​

Over the years, I defined, re-defined, organized, re-organized every system imaginable for my photography company, Ashley Strong Photography. 
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Many are back in systems, but many, many are in direct relation to the connections I created with my clients. The more time went on, the more thorough my systems became, the more personal the experience was shared, the more I did. I did this, simply because it’s what resonated. Yet, even with doing so. The first complaint came. 
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I opened my email. “Did you do ANY editing to ANY of these photos?” That was it. Ouch. Really? What do you think I’ve been doing with these time capsules since they’ve been captured? My heart broken, tears in my eyes. But, how? I spent so much time finding the  perfect location, helping her with her outfits, encouraging supportive poses, even staying 30 minutes longer than what I was paid to shoot. I was so proud of the gallery I had delivered. My client, I thought she looked radiant, youthful, happy. Due to me being so upset, I wanted to call right away. I wanted to defend myself. I wanted to explain myself. I knew, that was not the solution.

What did I do? I put on my running shoes (advantage of working from home), grabbed my headphones, put on my favorite playlist and ran. I ran and cried. Ran and cried. The tears came from feeling defeated, from feeling so confused, from feeling like this very soul had understood me and my craft. 

After sometime I replied, replied again, and again. What I soon came to realize was that very question, that very question WAS NOT a reflection of my talent, my work, my dedication to the client experience. It was a reflection of the insecurities that resided within her soul. The time capsule I had documented enhanced her feelings. She had wanted one of those flawless instagram filter type images. The ones, I quite frankly don’t believe in as they’re not an accurate representation of you. They are a “perfected” reflection of you, but is that the real you? 

What lessons did I learn from this? 

1. If you get a complaint, do NOT respond right away. Take some time to reflect, to process the situation, to look back at all sides of the situation. 
2. Ask yourself, “Did I do the BEST I could in this situation?” Create a list and define what doing the best you can in that given situation looks like as for each soul and their business, these points are different (Ie: Did I pick a supportive location? Did I help with outfits? Did I support her with poses? Did I give my all with editing? Etc) 
3. Know that people's outer reflections are a result of their internal realities. Meaning, her complaint was not a reflection of my being, it was a reaction to her being. 
4. This was not going to be the first time something like this arises. Use this as a moment of education, of growth. Create tools for moving forward. ​

And it was very true. This was not the first time, nor the last I had complaints such as this one. Although I’ve been blessed to have very few, each complaint, I read, took a deep breath and went through the four lessons above. 

My reply, their reply always differed depending on the situation at hand. The common thread? I was always able to answer, “Yes, I did the best I could in this situation.” Their reaction quite frankly has nothing to do with me as a person, it has everything to do with what resides within their internal reality.  

Friend, please, please, I’ll say it one more time, please DO NOT let complaints discourage you. Use these situations as moments of growth. Although it may feel devastating in the moment ( I hear you there), it will soon be a feeling of the past. One in which, you and your business have grown from. 

I’ll leave you with one last helpful exercise : 

For example : 

• Complaint : Did you do any editing to any of these images? 
• Immediate Feelings : I am an awful photographer. What didn’t I edit them more? Should I have spent more time with her? Am I really doing what I’m supposed to? 
• Reflections : This is where you give yourself a list of what doing the best you could in this situation looked like. 
  • Did I help find the perfection location? 
  • Did I help prepare the most supportive outfit? 
  • Did I encourage inspirational poses? 
  • Did I thoroughly edit her images? 
  • Did I give her images back in a timely manner? 
• Action Items : What are you going to do differently in the future to do the best you can to prevent this from happening again? 
  • Ie: Within the agreement, explain in greater detail about the photographic exchange and subsequent post processing experience. Really define the whole process so the client knows what to expect. ​

​Keep shining on dear soul! This world needs your light! ​