I have a cutomer that is hard to satisfy. he keeps wanting me to change the ears. He wants a certain way the ear to look. His horns are not wide enough to do what he wants. He wants the horns to look wide but the ears to look a certain way. When do you tell him "later". I tought myself taxidermy so I'm not a professional.
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As long as it doen't cost you any additional time or money, I'd do it the way he or she wants. I have several of those types of customers that want it their way reguardless of my opinion. I do ear positions for them that don't look right with their racks or the forms they pick out. I have one customer that insists that I do open tear ducts for him. As long as it doen't cost my anything, then I'll do it thier way, but I make sure to have all those special details spelled out in the contract, which they sign of course.
I've changed it once and he is still not happy. He wants the horns to look big but the ears his way make it look small. Is there a place on this site to look at different contracts?
Keep doing it until he's happy, but charge him. If you mounted it the way he wanted, then he changed his mind you have to charge. If it's your mistake, do it for free.
Tell him this is the best you can get out of it,if you want the antlers to look wider,shoot one with a wider rack. Mike is right, as long as he is not making you work additional time or costing you money or backing you up in your work.I myself don't use a contract,they tell me what they want, and thats what they get.I'm thinking of going to a agreement form.
Maybe if you showed him several different photos with a simalar size set of horns. Anytime a client wants something we don't think will look right, we show them photos and they usually see what looks right as we have told them. Clients normally need to see photos before they understand what is right and what won't look right.
It took a long time for me to understand people. It's the most important skill in the taxidermy trade. When I get a "special attention" customer I let them talk and I listen hard. Then right there with him/her I sketch their desires. They get to see the position etc and the sketch stays with the work order. And they sign the work order. Very few customers will dispute a mount when they compare "their approved sketch" at delivery. And I am still learning about the "unmountables".
I'll do it my way and you'll like it or you wont get the fuc*er, now go away and leave me alone..I've got work to do!
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If the I.D. box has an Arab name I wont even pick up the phone! I've had it with the "How much? No..No..No.. we talk deal"
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If you wanted a deer with a 24" neck then why did you shoot this one?
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Hell yes I was sleeping, its 3:00 in the morning! Dumb-a*s
OK those are things that I only thought about saying..most of the time!LOL
Ears either forward, backward or switched in different directions to give character. After that he has to allow you artistic license to do it how you see best while giving him the general position he wanted. As long as you followed his general request. My contract details this and yours should too. That way they know coming in that that is how it's done. Don't like it? Go elsewhere!