How to Handle Negative Reviews as a Wedding Videographer

Even the most experienced wedding videographer could experience client disapproval every now and then. Poor communication, unrealistic expectations and having to partner up with a difficult customer can all contribute to criticism in the end of the collaboration. In today’s day and age, maintaining a positive reputation will be of paramount importance for the attraction of new customers.

Did you know that happy clients are likely to tell nine friends about a service they enjoy, while unhappy clients will tell 16 people about their experience?

Learning about negative client experiences and feedback could be gut-wrenching.

You may even think that the end of your career as a wedding videographer has come. You can do many things to turn the situation around. As a wedding videographer, you’ll be responsible for client relationship management. There are several things you can do in the event of negative feedback to turn things around. Even a dissatisfied customer can be turned into a loyal fan if you address the situation in the most adequate way.

Listen and Don’t Get Defensive

Many wedding videographers will get quite defensive when their work is being criticized. Getting defensive, however, isn’t going to accomplish anything. Even if you know that your client is incorrect, there’s little you can do to convince them that they made a mistake or had unrealistically high expectations. The best thing to do in the very beginning is listen, even if you feel like responding immediately.

At the time you’re being criticized, you’ll probably respond emotionally. Getting angry over customer criticism and responding right away will lead to more trouble down the road. Give your customer a chance to explain their position. Listen, empathize and if necessary – take notes.

Tell your client that you’ll review the situation and respond within a specified timeframe. This way, you’ll give yourself a few days to think things over and determine what to do next.

Respond Immediately

If you know that a client is unhappy with the work you’ve done, you need to respond immediately. The more you leave matters unattended, the more the situation will get out of control. Customers are used to immediate responses from brands and professionals that they work with. Leaving the situation unaddressed could indicate to your disgruntled customer that you simply cannot be bothered to rectify the situation.

Try to discuss the situation as soon as you understand that someone is unhappy with the work you’ve done. Find out where the dissatisfaction stems from – is the outcome different from what the client expected, are they unhappy with the completion deadline, the price or something else? The more information you can get, the easier it will be to respond.

Offer a Solution

As a wedding videographer, you’re in charge of the outcome. Hence, you should attempt to craft a mutually-beneficial solution. The right solution can turn the situation 180 degrees around. Even if you disagree with a bride who believes her wedding video is terrible, you can edit in a way that she prefers. This way, everybody will be content with the outcome of the interaction.

In case a customer has a problem with the price, the deadline or any other preliminary aspect of working together, you can point to the contract that you signed (always sign a contract before moving forward with wedding videography work). In such instances, it would be up to you to determine whether you’re going to make a concession or stick to your ground.

Usually, throwing in a little extra will be sufficient to appease a client. You can give them a bonus video clip featuring wishes from loved ones or a little online teaser they could share online. What matters the most is understanding that it’s not personal and that you can turn things around if you demonstrate a little bit of flexibility.

Know When to Quit

Sometimes, there will be no solution. All professionals have come across angry clients that can never be pleased. As a wedding videographer, you’ll sometimes engage with couples that want much more than what you have to offer.

These couples will be dissatisfied even if you manage to deliver. There are some situations in which a resolution is impossible. As you gain more experience, you’ll become more skilled at identifying such situations. In these scenarios, offering compensations and trying to work out a compromise could result in a much worse outcome. We all know the saying “the customer is always right.”

Every single service provider out there will tell you that the saying isn’t always true and applicable. If you offer a few solutions and the client is still unhappy, you should definitely cut your losses. End the conversation firmly but politely. If they go ahead to leave online feedback, respond with your side of the story. It’s crucial to refrain from attacking your client, no matter how hard they are to please. An aggressive response on your behalf will only work to destroy your reputation.

Final Verdict

Dissatisfied clients can hurt your wedding videography business. Thus, you should manage expectations in advance, you should communicate openly and you should do your best to deliver the promised services. Even when you tick all of the boxes, however, some customers will be dissatisfied.

Dealing with angry or hurt customers is never easy. Still, you should view such interactions as opportunities rather than as attempts to ruin your reputation. Brides and grooms want the best wedding day and because of the importance of the occasion, they could be too emotional and difficult to manage.

The heat of the moment and the adrenaline rush could contribute to wanting way too much, even when such services are impossible to deliver. Tell your clients what you can and cannot do. It’s even better to have some of the communication in written form (email) for future reference. Customer dissatisfaction is occasionally inevitable. When a client is unhappy, you should listen, understand and attempt to respond adequately. Most issues stem from misunderstandings and poor communication.

A few simple efforts on your behalf could be sufficient to give customers the wedding video they were hoping for. It’s unlikely that you’ll go through your entire wedding videographer career without a complaint. Be prepared to deal with dissatisfied clients. Most importantly – remember that their criticism isn’t personal. When you understand this fact, you’ll become much more efficient in your dealing with dissatisfied brides and grooms.