Hard headed customer

M

Mbroussard13

New Member
how do yall suggest handling or explaining to customers that sometimes the picture that they give you will not work on the application that they want to use it on?

Example: the graphic design that I work on is for my husband's vinyl wrap company. I have a customer who sent me a blurry screen shot over text message of what he wants on his hood. Its a square picture to go on a rectangle hood. See pics below. I looked up the image online and no matter what I do to it, it is still pixalated and a square peg doesn't fit in a round hole. I found an image that was better suited, and he stated nope, wrong picture. I've tried to explain to him on other jobs and this job that it is not a good fit. But he insist that he wants his picture.
IMG_4167.pngResized_stormtrooper_444443513133267.jpeg
What do you do in this situation
 
You use what they sent. Garbage in, Garbage Out, the old GIGO rule, or as we called it the SISO (you can decipher that one).

The image you have sent is too low quality and the wrong aspect ratio to be used correctly. You can proceed with this if you specifically request that it is ok to proceed, but the quality will not be sufficient and the print will be poor.

Please advise if you would like to proceed based on the above.


If they say yes, then go for it.
 
As above, sometimes it's not worth the hassle trying to 'teach' them with words.

If they're so adamant then get them to agree, in writing, that they understand the issues you're raising and they want it anyway, take the payment, then do the job as requested... then show them the email when they don't like it.
 
As above, make it perfectly clear the issues and then let them make the final decision at their risk. Some customers just don't listen unfortunately!
 
Also, there is the legality of using a copyright image to consider. I suspect your customer is not Lucas Film. Could it end you in hot water? Certainly could your customer if they don’t have the licence to use it.
 
sprout said:
Also, there is the legality of using a copyright image to consider. I suspect your customer is not Lucas Film. Could it end you in hot water? Certainly could your customer if they don’t have the licence to use it.
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I thought that would only be the case if you soruced the image for the client.

If it's supplied, then the onus is on them, surely?
 
hankscorpio said:
If it's supplied, then the onus is on them, surely?
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You are probably right, but I don’t know enough about copyright law to know for certain. However, f you knowingly reproduce copyright protected material, are you an accessory and therefore, in some way, culpable?

Also, even if the onus is entirely on the customer, it would be good practice to point it out to them and document the fact you have, I’d have thought.

I think I’d want to take advice on it.
 
@hankscorpio @sprout

Personally I cover myself in my t&c's on this.

Things like (not exact terms):
  1. I do everything I can to ensure that no infringement is caused by any designs I produce but final responsibility is on the client/their legal department. Basically I'm only as good as the online directories/search engines because I'm not a walking directory of copyright's and trademark's etc
  2. The client is responsible for all licenses, copyright etc when they supply any images/files
  3. I get the client to buy any images so that they're responsible for getting the 'right license'
 
Levi said:
@hankscorpio @sprout

Personally I cover myself in my t&c's on this.

Things like (not exact terms):
  1. I do everything I can to ensure that no infringement is caused by any designs I produce but final responsibility is on the client/their legal department. Basically I'm only as good as the only directories/search engines because I'm not a walking directory of copyright's and trademark's etc
  2. The client is responsible for all licenses, copyright etc when they supply any images/files
  3. I get the client to buy any images so that they're responsible for getting the 'right license'
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I have something similar in mine, but I wouldn’t really want to pitch it against lawyers working for the likes of Lucas films (now owned by Disney)!
 
sprout said:
I have something similar in mine, but I wouldn’t really want to pitch it against lawyers working for the likes of Lucas films (now owned by Disney)!
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You wouldn't really have to deal with them because you can just say something like 'I assumed due to my t&c's, which the client agreed to, that the client had ensured they had all the necessary licenses etc before using it. If you have an issue please go see my client at such and such address'.

In most cases it wouldn't be us up against Lucas films anyway, Lucas films would go after our client, who would then basically try and blame us... so we'd basically be up against our client.
 
I've had a lot of experience with this when I worked for a company that did promotional products.

The production people needed vector graphics but the customers would almost always send in a low res, raster versions of their logos that were grabbed from their websites.
I would spend ages redrawing them in Illustrator and I'm sure my time would have cut into the end profits considerably.
I even made an infographic to explain the differences between vectors and low res rasters for customers to no avail.

Sometimes you can't fix stupid.
 
We have this all the time with clients. We usually get on the phone, or speak face to face and let the client know that the image is going to look poor.
If they still want it, we send a PDF proof and covering letter to say that the image will look, pixelated or fuzzy and all that it won't fit.
We generally try and keep away from technical terms in these situations.

You just have to cover yourself as much as you can. Sometimes being in the trade you may think somethings not that good and the client loves it.

I can disagree with Hankcorpio's "You use what they sent. Garbage in, Garbage Out,"

You have to think "garbage in, the best product that you can do out", this is what will help you beat the competition and get you a good reputation.
If you take this stance customers just won't come back, at the end of the day your the expert.

It's not easy, and every company has there own view, but this problem has been happening for years, and it will always be there.
 
Simon Lewington said:
I can disagree with Hankcorpio's "You use what they sent. Garbage in, Garbage Out,"

You have to think "garbage in, the best product that you can do out", this is what will help you beat the competition and get you a good reputation.
If you take this stance customers just won't come back, at the end of the day your the expert.
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Oh, and no offence to Hankscorpio, I'm just showing a different perspective.
 
Garbage in Garbage Out is a very standard industry term.

Basically if someone sends you something useless, and you inform them their image is terrible and won't print well, or the brochure is not very good and well designed.

It doesn't matter the quality of the product that you produce, the image or the layout etc will look terrible.

The term simply means if you send me Garbage I can't turn into something amazing that looks great.
 
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