The Price we Pay

So, here is a thoughtful post for you today.

How much is convenience and price worth? You may remember me blogging about my experiences with a certain picture studio. I am not saying all studios of this franchise are like this, but dang if it wasn't completely frustrating!

The first time I went in, they were experiencing technical difficulties. Not their fault. I understand. We took some pictures. They got lost in the fix, and had to reschedule a re-shoot, because by the time we waited to try to fix it, then take the pictures anyway before fixing it, then fix it and discover the loss the kids were waaaaay past picture taking time.

Fast forward to a week later, where they are super busy, I wait for almost an hour an a half before I can actually get the pictures taken. By then, the kids are pretty much past the point of taking pictures, but we still get some decent ones. They comp me a few for the past technical difficulties, and send me on my way with a promise to call into the plant with a special request on one of the pictures to try to edit out a shadow in one of the poses.

Fast forward 2 weeks later to my pick up date. I take my children out of their car seats, haul them all inside to ask for my pictures, only to find they aren't there. When the lady at the studio calls headquarters to find out where they are, they were pulled to do the editing, and for some reason put on hold and never finished. They are at a complete stand still, not edited, not printed, and certainly not ready to pick up. It takes an hour to find all this out, on the phone with different people. They comp me some more picture, and tell me that they put a rush on it, and hopefully they will be back in a week. The studio lady says she will call me when they come in.

Fast forward to last week (which was 2.5 weeks later). Lady from the studio calls me and says the pictures are finally in. Apparently, they have been back for a few days, but no one bothered to call me.

So, my dilemma is this. They are cheaper than my previous picture taking franchise. They are closer than my previous picture taking franchise. And, the pictures are decent quality. But, how much frustration is it worth to save a few bucks and not have to drive the extra 10 minutes? Nothing in my experience with these people suggest anything will change.