When the Buyer Wants a Big Change - What To Do?

[goodgift]

Okay, gonna put this out there. If anyone has a good solution, I’m all ears. 🙂 I know this a bit lengthy, and I apologize. I just couldn’t think of a good way to condense it. 🙂



I had someone order my book trailer gig. He provided all the images, but some of them required an image credit, which was not on the image. My assumption (which turned out to be correct) was that he wanted me to put the image credit on each image that needed it. I didn’t realize this until about halfway through the trailer (he gave me a script, and the readability was strange, so there were a few things I had to go back and change). So I added the credits to the images I was able to, using my imaging program.



This was a time-consuming process, as I also had to “fix” every image that was sent (and there is not a slide in the video without an image). He wanted text with every image, but almost all the images were not good for putting text on. I ended up using a black background to put each image on, then added the text next to it in the imaging program (so they’re all basically one image - black background, image, and text all in one). I couldn’t add the image credit until after the image and text were put together, since adjusting the image to fit the background would change the size and readability of the credit.



To fix the images I wasn’t able to credit, I used Movie Maker’s text option to add the credit. It didn’t look as “good” as the embedded credits, but I had already imported and inserted each image into the video, which was time-consuming in itself, since the script required each image to show for a certain number of seconds. It was much easier to use MM’s text option than to re-do every image I missed and then try to fix all the time stamps again.



It turned out well, I thought. He likes it, but he wants the text “a bit larger”, and he wants every image that needs a credit to have the credit embedded in the image. Another text-related change he wants is where a long bit of text was broken into two slides because the images were dissimilar in structure and the text would have been unreadable over the second image if I had left it as one large block of text over two slides. He wants the text changed to read a different way.



Doing all of this would require several hours, and it would basically be re-doing the whole thing from scratch. I’m tired just thinking about the extra work. Would it be unfair of me to ask for another gig or for a tip or something? Or what are your thoughts on this?

[ehelper888]

I would probably do the work making it clear that this change aside any errors will be the last. but change your description for future sales being clearly descriptive about what the gig offers.

[blackfolder1]

hmmm, sounds just like customer I had- and I went ahead and redid the entire video, and she came back wanting another “small change”- which was something totally ridiculous. I realized at that time she just wanted the video for free, so I suggested a mutual cancellation, which she happily did. Luckily, this is the only time this has happened to me.

[goodgift]

Thank you, everyone, for all of your input. 🙂



I had a look at other Fiverr sellers that make book trailers, and many of them offer one free re-do. So I decided to go ahead and do one. However, I did explain to the buyer that I will need to do the video over from the beginning and why. He said he didn’t have any problems giving me more time, and then he asked for two different versions - one with a particular background and the end, and one without. It may end up in an Extras sale, so I’m going to go ahead and do it.



I’ve also decided to add another tidbit to the buyer’s instructions - that if they provide images, any images requiring a credit must be edited by the buyer to show the credit on the image.



And madmoo - Your post is especially helpful. I suppose you could say it was my “fault” for not realizing that adding an image credit to an image would be an issue, and for not specifying that not all images can handle text over them and may need editing. I’m not sure how to handle the text thing yet. Think I’ll wait and see if it becomes a regular issue.



And just to be clear, the guy hasn’t been snarky or anything like that. He’s been plenty patient and pleasant. I think the biggest thing is misunderstanding about the amount of work involved.



But live and learn, right? 🙂



Thanks again, everyone!

[musiclover]

Wow, that’s a lot of work. Kudos to you! I already go well beyond for each customer, so if someone requires a lot more work, I would tell them to order another gig, and the reason why. People usually comply and value the work I do.

[musiclover]

Reply to @madmoo: Lol. That is so true. I’m almost certain people half read the description before ordering.