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Artists, Writers, & Customer Service
14 years ago
General
Art and writing is a business. It's a customer service based business. Sometimes I think artists and commissioners alike forget this.
I've come across artists that were amazingly nice and a pleasure to work with. They actively work on ideas and give their own if they think it might help things. Some are quick turn arounds, others may take longer, but keep in contact or show status updates that make me think that they genuinely care about good customer service and making sure the commissioner is happy with the end product. Often times they e-mail it first for approval before posting it or note you to link you to the picture letting you know its up.
I've also come across artists that pretty much take the money, the description and that's it. They don't try to have interactions to come up with ideas. You don't hear how your commission is going. Months can go by and they won't say anything. Some you can note and they'll let you know where you stand or they act like you've noted or e-mailed them every day for three months when you've only done it the once. If you're lucky they'll comment, note or e-mail you when the commission is finished. Most often I find out its done by looking at my watch list and finding my character there and once by someone else pointing it out.
Then there are middle of the road artists who are neither excellent with customer service skills or horrible with it. They'll take your money, offer a few comments working out things (if that), and do your commission. They'll answer notes politely enough, but minimize any and all contact with the 'customer'.
In many ways I wish artists would realize that this is a customer service they offer. Yes they have a talent and product we the commissioners want. But at times it DOES feel like some artists make it feel like a hassle for taking a commission. Some have made disparaging comments about my character design or annoyed if I have a question. Being made to feel as if you should be fawningly grateful for spending a few hundred dollars on a commission is often times hard to swallow. Yes, commissioners are grateful, but THEY are paying for a service. Their money pays for bills, extras, rent, food, games...whatever. It's a give and take relationship.
I've always held 'vote with your $$$". Artists that I've had bad or middling experiences with I tend to not frequent. Artists that have offered good customer service throughout the process normally get a LOT of my commissions. I enjoy working with them and I enjoy the art they produce. I'd prefer giving my money to someone who genuinely tries to work with their customers vs someone who snatches the money and ignores me.
On the other hand of the fence, commissioners are a varied group. Some of them seem to act like the creepy customer that sees someone being nice or polite to them as meaning their best friends. We've all seen them. If you've worked in customer service you've likely found yourself with someone who insists on talking to you about their life, dreams, uncle twice removed and expect you to show genuine interest and friendship. When its not responded to they get creepy/angry/hurt and blow things all out of proportion. I've had people call my boss to complain about me, call corporate, etc in the past. All because they wanted to press a business relationship out of bounds of what it is.
It's something I've noticed for a while and always felt a bit strongly about. Too many people seem to expect to be BFFs just because someone responds to an IM or they've had a commission done. I don't go get my coffee at Starbucks and expect to be BFFs with the barista or go to my dentist and assume he's going to really care about the fact I was thinking about him in Krogers or not feel creeped out by it.
On my own half, I do give probably middle of the road with many commissions. I try to exceed in expectations, but I know I often get busy and do respond as I can and sometimes go silent. I try to post up weekly writing lists and work through communications that way, but things happen.
Now...friendships can happen. They do all the time. I have commissioners I can honestly think of as friends and quite fondly so! Normally its built up over time and not forced. So remember that the next time you might try to ask an artist if they like silk or cotton panties, friendships are made not forced. ;) And don't take things personally if they don't happen.
I've come across artists that were amazingly nice and a pleasure to work with. They actively work on ideas and give their own if they think it might help things. Some are quick turn arounds, others may take longer, but keep in contact or show status updates that make me think that they genuinely care about good customer service and making sure the commissioner is happy with the end product. Often times they e-mail it first for approval before posting it or note you to link you to the picture letting you know its up.
I've also come across artists that pretty much take the money, the description and that's it. They don't try to have interactions to come up with ideas. You don't hear how your commission is going. Months can go by and they won't say anything. Some you can note and they'll let you know where you stand or they act like you've noted or e-mailed them every day for three months when you've only done it the once. If you're lucky they'll comment, note or e-mail you when the commission is finished. Most often I find out its done by looking at my watch list and finding my character there and once by someone else pointing it out.
Then there are middle of the road artists who are neither excellent with customer service skills or horrible with it. They'll take your money, offer a few comments working out things (if that), and do your commission. They'll answer notes politely enough, but minimize any and all contact with the 'customer'.
In many ways I wish artists would realize that this is a customer service they offer. Yes they have a talent and product we the commissioners want. But at times it DOES feel like some artists make it feel like a hassle for taking a commission. Some have made disparaging comments about my character design or annoyed if I have a question. Being made to feel as if you should be fawningly grateful for spending a few hundred dollars on a commission is often times hard to swallow. Yes, commissioners are grateful, but THEY are paying for a service. Their money pays for bills, extras, rent, food, games...whatever. It's a give and take relationship.
I've always held 'vote with your $$$". Artists that I've had bad or middling experiences with I tend to not frequent. Artists that have offered good customer service throughout the process normally get a LOT of my commissions. I enjoy working with them and I enjoy the art they produce. I'd prefer giving my money to someone who genuinely tries to work with their customers vs someone who snatches the money and ignores me.
On the other hand of the fence, commissioners are a varied group. Some of them seem to act like the creepy customer that sees someone being nice or polite to them as meaning their best friends. We've all seen them. If you've worked in customer service you've likely found yourself with someone who insists on talking to you about their life, dreams, uncle twice removed and expect you to show genuine interest and friendship. When its not responded to they get creepy/angry/hurt and blow things all out of proportion. I've had people call my boss to complain about me, call corporate, etc in the past. All because they wanted to press a business relationship out of bounds of what it is.
It's something I've noticed for a while and always felt a bit strongly about. Too many people seem to expect to be BFFs just because someone responds to an IM or they've had a commission done. I don't go get my coffee at Starbucks and expect to be BFFs with the barista or go to my dentist and assume he's going to really care about the fact I was thinking about him in Krogers or not feel creeped out by it.
On my own half, I do give probably middle of the road with many commissions. I try to exceed in expectations, but I know I often get busy and do respond as I can and sometimes go silent. I try to post up weekly writing lists and work through communications that way, but things happen.
Now...friendships can happen. They do all the time. I have commissioners I can honestly think of as friends and quite fondly so! Normally its built up over time and not forced. So remember that the next time you might try to ask an artist if they like silk or cotton panties, friendships are made not forced. ;) And don't take things personally if they don't happen.
I have others though whom I adore to commission. Some are truly breathtakingly fantastic artists - others are not the greatest but what they lack in finesse they make up for in just being a pleasure to deal with and actively wanting to be involved in the process. There are a rare few (3-4 maybe out of the dozens I've commissioned over the years) that are both.