Sears Portrait Studio problem

I went to the SEARS in the fox run mall in NH. Now I have to say the
poor girl that did my photos her name was Kristin I think, she was so
great, she took the time with me and was so so sweet!!!! NOW HER
MANGER was their I made sure I got her name, It was Lisa, she had
black hair and was very very rude! She was talking down to her
employees right in front of the customers, she was yelling at Kristin
right in front of me, telling her she did everything wrong. Kristin
told her it was only her 2nd day.. It was so hard to sit there and
let her talk down to this poor girl. AS soon as I got to this Studio
it was disappointing I could not believe how this Lisa girl got her
job, and why she was still there. I talked to my friends after and
they have gone to sears and the sad thing was is they knew what Lisa I
was talking about. NOT GOOD SEARS!!! CARE MORE ABOUT WHO YOU HAVE
WORKING FOR YOU< AND HOW THEY TREAT PEOPLE!!! VERY DISAPPOINTED!!!

I have worked as a manager photography for years (not Sears) and I can
say that two things can make any experience better, customer service,
technical ability and proper planning on all parties involved. In
this case there was an obvious error in the scheduling that did not
get fixed and the studio was overbooked, because it took so long for
you to get into the studio to take your pictures and the associate did
not have the training and skills to realize that her sessions is going
to go way over the scheduled time and you needed to be rescheduled.
Those are three problems that the studio needs to address immediatly.
Also, you as the customer should realize through your four years of
experience with going to Sears is that the studio has to schedule
appointments every 15min with a minimal amount of support staff to
continue to offer the inexspensive packages and specials. I have seen
many coupons for package in the range of $5.00 or $9.00. Gone are the
days were you your scheduled appointment is an hour long or more, that
is because of the dramatic reduction in price of the pictures.

Also, I could not help but notice that you said that your scheduled
appointment was at 3:00 and by 3:30 your son would be way past his nap
time. That is a very small window you allowed yourself and your son
for non sleepy, grumpy pictures. You need to allow more time and
schedule earlier in the day. Lastly, if you need the pictures for a
specific date, do not wait until the last minute and schedule the
pictures to be taken, allow enough time that if you do not like the
pictures you can take them again. You know from having small children
that some days are good days and some days are bad and you need to
plan for that. These are things you have control of and need to take
responsibilty of.

I WAS GETTING MY DAUGHTER'S PICTURES TAKEN AT THE SEARS PORTRAIT
STUDIO IN NEWPORT NEWS, VIRGINIA (YODER PLAZA) AND WE GO EVERY MONTH
SO I PRETTY MUCH KNOW A MAJORITY OF THE EMPLOYEES. SO DURING THE
SESSION I HAD TO USE THE RESTROOM, AS I'M WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO COME
OUT THE RESTROOM SO I CAN GO IN, I OVER HEAR THE MANAGER OF THE STUDIO
SPEAKING TO ANOTHER EMPLOYEE IN A BACK ROOM ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER I
ALWAYS GET TO DO OUR PICTURES BUT SHE HAD ALREADY LEFT FOR THE DAY,
AND SHE'S TALKING SO MUCH TRASH ABOUT HER AND CALLING HER OUT OF HER
NAME HER EXACT WORDS WERE "FU*K THAT BI**H" AND EVEN MADE A COMMENT
HOW "SHE COULDN'T WAIT TO GET RID OF HER" I WAS SO UPSET BECAUSE WE'VE
GROWN TO REALLY LIKE THAT PHOTOGRAPHER AND FOR THE MANAGER TO BLANTLY
DISRESPECT HER BEHIND HER BACK, I FELT OUR PHOTOGRAPHER SHOULD KNOW
AND ONCE I FINISHED IN THE RESTROOM I CALLED HER ON HER MOBLIE PHONE!
SHE WAS SO HURT BY WHAT I TOLD HER I OVERHEARD BUT SHE EXPLAINED THAT
SHE FELT THE MANAGER DIDN'T LIKE HER, AND SHE ACTUALLY SOUNDED LIKE
SHE WAS CRYING FROM THAT BEING SAID ABOUT HER AN HAVING A CUSTOMER
HEAR IT!! MY HEART REALLY WENT OUT TO HER. I WILL BE SO UPSET IF THE
PHOTOGRAPHER OUR FAMILY HAVE GROWN TO LOVE LEAVES BECAUSE OF THE
PETTY, HIGH-SCHOOL GOSSIPING THAT'S GOING ON ABOUT HER FROM HER OWN
MANAGER AT THAT!!! NO ONE DESERVES TO BE TREATED THAT WAY AND JULIE
(THE MANAGER) IS A POOR EXCUSE FOR A MANAGER!!! INSTEAD OF GOSSIPING
BEHIND A GREAT PHOTOGRAPHER BACK SHE SHOULD'VE BEEN DOING SOME
WORK...WHICH I REALLY CAN'T RECALL EVER SEEING HER DOING WHEN WE COME
IN!! HOW CAN SHE SLEEP AT NIGHT KNOWING THAT EVERYDAY DAY SHE HAS TO
FACE THE SAME PERSON WHO "KNOWS" ALL THE NEGATIVE THINGS SHE SAID
ABOUT HER? I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO EMAIL ALL OF MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY
MEMBERS ABOUT THIS SO THEY'LL MAKE SURE THEY DO NOT HAVE HER TAKE
THEIR PICTURES BECAUSE I'VE NEVER KNOWN SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO TAKE
PLACE..AND SOMEONE HAS TO STAND-UP FOR THIS POOR PHOTOGRAPHER!! ALSO,
MY HUSBAND WORKS FOR THE LABOR BOARD AND I'M GOING TO HAVE HIM SPEAK
TO HER ABOUT HER OPIONS AND WHAT SHE CAN DO ABOUT THIS TYPE OF
TREATMENT/DISCRIMINATION!!!

I have to say ... I have been going to Sears Portrait Studios for
years now. I have spent close to $200 for a single session, too, but
I think what is being forgotten is that you really need to research
something before you just jump into it. Sears has one of the best
coupons for portraits! They have a $9.99 package that seems to have
been around forever and still going strong. I guess I don't expect
much when I take my child in to have pictures taken, and that is why I
have never been disappointed. I always expect the unexpected when it
comes to kids and scheduling. Always. It's better to stay calm and not
let the situation get out of hand. You should know what to expect
before you get there and try to relax. No one is going to have a fun
time there if you're stressing out. Besides, when you compare Sears
portrait quality to some of the others ... Sears really is a good
place to have your pictures taken at an affordable price. You just
need to know what to expect and work with what you are given.

There are no excuses for mistaken apts & bad service but it does
happen. I do hope that dad did get his affordable portraits on time,
and I pray everyday that my neighbours little boy receives his kidney
transplant before christmas. As a Professional Photographer for many
years, with most of my subjects being younger children I must ask of
this customer the reason for scheduling an appointment for cute
proffessional portraits just 30mins BEFORE nap time. That alone spells
disaster. Most independent Photographers will cost around $300.00
before they take the first picture and time allotment is not usually
set to work around childrens nap and lunch times. There would be no
refund or opportunity for re-scheduling.
Everybody has to start somewhere and the young people who sign up for
this experience (and I'm sure they do not qualify for any shares,
profits or even benefits) are given a hard time by consistant
irresponsible parents who often love to take children for portraits
just before lunch, almost at nap time, on the way home from the Dr's
office after their shots, when its pouring with rain outside and they
might be bored and cranky already, wet diapers a cold/flu bug or just
generally having a bad day. I am sure that if this customer thinks
honestly about the part that her actions played in this not so
traumatic miserable experience, she could maybe learn a thing or two
for her next apt. Unlike this company I do not have to endorse such
values as "THE CUSTOMER IS ALWAYS RIGHT".
A few pointers for Mommies & Daddies who plan to have some awesome
cute portraits taken, hopefully without too much fuss!
1. Feed your child (& any adult male) BEFORE you leave the house.
2. Your child will need a nap BEFORE their portraits are taken.
3. Do not drag your children around the mall for 3 hrs promising them
all & sundry if they smile cute. They will want Sponge Bob, Dora and
candy NOW, and may not smile at all untill they have been paid off.
4. If you and your child can stick ridgidly to the nearest second of
your daily schedule, I congratulate you and your traffic free city,
you guys are awesome. Unfortunately other children and caretakers are
not on your schedule and I can guarantee you that they do not care
about you and your childs pictures. Take something to help occupy
your child while you wait.
Entertain them, chat with them play eye spy if you have to (this will
help to keep you from complaining to the whole world thus lowering the
morale of everyone within hearing distance).
5. NO CANDY, unless you want cute pictures of Charlie with his mouth
full and slobber down his chin and shirt. I can not even airbrush
that crap.
6. Every child is cute, every one of their smiles is a precious gift
from God and it will not make either one happy to be told its not a
good smile,real smile, normal smile,too big, not big enough etc. Good
job! you're the best! Dad will love that one!, these are words of
encouragement to help your child warm to the situation and become more
comfortable, producing more natural expressions.
7. Do not invite Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt Hattie & Uncle Jeff and Cousin
Gerome along to help make them smile the child will have no idea where
to look,
8. Do not take your lifelong woes, It is Charlies portrait session
not Mom's therapist. Others are waiting. Turn off your cell phone,
it's just 20mins.
9. Know their tolerence level, 15 mins is forever to them and its not
a Disney experience. If its a bad day for them try re-scheduling.
10. Help out with your child, you're not at the childminders house.
Come on guys a little common sense PLEASE!, its not rocket science,
these are to be YOUR treasured memories, so think ahead about time
frames and book in advance so that you have plenty of time for delays.
Do not incorporate half your weeks schedule the same day because
eveything is at that end of town, unless you are willing to admit that
YOU have overbooked. NOBODY cares about your hair apt.
We reap what we sow. LOVE, TOLERANCE, ACCEPTANCE, ATTITUDE and
RESPONSIBILITY are key ingredients to a HAPPY LIFE. Please do not pass
on your misery to the next generation. Take a look at how good you've
got things really are for you.
And last but not least, young Suzie will probably be running her own
studio in a few years and will have well learned that complainers will
do nothing else but complain, they are just unhappy no matter what.
She will see them coming from a mile away, put up her CLOSED FOR LUNCH
sign and take the rest of the day off. And if they happen to return
the next day with the same attitude she will suddenly realize how
completely booked her calender is.
Have a nice life & Keep Smiling.

If you knew your child would be long over due for a nap at 3:30 why in
the world would you take your child to get pictures done at 3pm? YOU
as a mother should know that the best time to take pictures of your
child would be in the AM when they are wide awake! Oh and by the way
you could have had your pictures made on Feb. 14th and got your
pictures that day (its called sameday printing!) As for picture
quality..Your pictures are only as good as your children are! And if
you were stupid enough to sit for an hour to wait well that sounds
like your fault! Why would you keep your LONG OVER DUE NAP NEEDING
CHILD sitting for an hour? Did you think his attitude would change for
the better in an hour!? Maybe you should think about that! :)

I do agree with the staff of SPS. I work for Sears Portrait Studio in
New Jersey and it's hard for all of us to
Photograph,Sales,Phone,Deliver portraits when there is just one
photographer on duty. During Christmas, our company (CPI) will allow
us more hours and approve for more people to work for us. Some
employees that I have worked with do not have the same passion for
photography as I do, and it does show when you go back and 5 star
there portraits. Some associates will rush through sales instead of
taking the time to listen to what the customer wants and than trying
to work them into a collection that will give you more for less money.
Another issue that I must bring up is the wait time. If the manager
schedules 2 people to work at a certain time and the night before if
that employee calls off sick and the manager doesnt have enough staff
to cover that shift, than the employee who opens that day is than
stuck to have to call these customers (who may not answer the phone)
and ask them to either reschedule for another day or to choose a time
later that day. If we are an employee short we schedule on the hour.
But if home office doesnt know this, they just schedule appointment
every half hour. How can we handle this? We cant.

I'm truly sorry that you were a regular SPS customer and was'nt
satisfied with your most recent experience. But I do have to agree
with the other staff members on this page when they did ask "Why did
you return if you felt your previous session was bad?"

If any customer comes on here to read these posts and you wanna try to
give your local Sears Portrait Studio a try, Please call them and ask
for their most experienced photographer, and ask what the appointments
forcast is for your scheduled day.

Like I stated before I am really sorry about your expeience...just
keep in mind...that not everybody is perfect...some photographers will
have there moments and it shouldnt be reflected on the customer, but
if you felt your session wasnt the best your should have rescheduled,
made the manager do the session and than GET THEM PRINTED ONSITE for
just $3. a sheet. You would have recieved better portraits with a
managers experince to them, taken them home so you wouldnt have to
travel back and also you would get them before Valentines Day.

I realize this was posted last year but I feel that this still needs
to be recognized.

Thanks
Kelly
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I totaly agree with you. I work for another portrait studio (not
sears). I know what you mean about good customer service. Apparently
the Sears portraits in our town dont have any people or photography
skills either. That is why we get all of their business. I have never
heard one good thing about them plus their pictures are crappy and
poor quality and quite frankly just look really generic with thoes
silly backgrounds they have. I understand that working with kids is
not easy but if you cant handle it dont apply for the job. You know if
you apply for that job you are gonna have to deal with kids and
customers. It is a hard job to do and you have to have a certain knack
for it. I tell all my new hires that I can show you how to operate all
this stuff but when it comes to takeing wow portraits you have to have
it in you. I think more portrait studios need to spend more time
training with photography and customer service issues. This is not
just a casual part time job. You have to be mature and professional. I
have delt with customers that were just horrible to me and I gave 100%
and just smiled through the pain. I love my work and have amazing
photographers. Sears you need to wake up you are loseing your
customers. I tell my new customers if they have a smiles saver card, I
will trade them one of my cards for free if they let me cut it up!!!!

I am a manager for CPI (Sears Portrait Studio), and I want customers
to know how bad the comapny is to work for. I am expected to staff my
studio with only 1 person for each shift, which is ridiculous because
there needs to be someone answering the phone and greeting customers.
They over book the schedule like crazy and you are not supposed to
turn anyone away.
We're expected to do it all (photography, sales, answer the phone--all
by ourselves!) and deal with angry customers all day who
don't know that we are just doing what the company wants us to. Many
days I go for 6 hours without a break to go to the bathroom or eat,
etc. It is terrible. The company says they are committed to customer
service, but that is crap because all they care about is the bottom
line. Associates are expected to sell an average of $100 per customer
or they are eventually let go after being written up. Part time Staff
is only making minimum wage too, so it is really hard to keep the
studio staffed with qualified people. Many customers complain about
the minimal staffing, but the company has no plans to let us use more
staff. There are many questionable sales practices that they require
us to use too. Take your business elsewhere. It is a bad company all
around.

Such crappy corporate practices. I just had an awful experience at
Sears Portrait Studio, and I don't think it was the associates fault.

She had to keep stopping my session to answer the phone, assist people
picking up pictures, and do the big old sales pitch at the end.

What should've taken 15 minutes, took FOREVER, and by the time she was
able to photograph my kids, they were in NO mood for it.

For this reason, and not because I don't love the pictures - I do, I
won't be going back to Sears Portrait Studio. I'd much rather go
somewhere and pay the same amount of money ($130) and feel like my
kids are her focus for that 15 minutes instead of the phone.

I am also an employee (a general manager) and although the company
does have some practices that I do no agree with I will tell you that
over all you are facing the same kind of problems ANYWHERE you go.
All portrait studios have the same kind of keep customers happy, take
beautiful portraits, sell as much as you can and cram as many
customers you can. Strangely the business is in the business of
MAKING MONEY! What a thought.

Try the Picture People if you have one in your area. they were
wonderful!

I don't understand why you kept going back if the place was going
downhill. Are there no other places in your area you could've been
taking your kids to?

I worked at Sears Portrait for a few months in college and your
experience is typical. I can tell you from experience though that it's
not entirely the employees' fault. That place is horribly managed.
Training on the photographic equipment is minimal, and the scheduling
is ridiculous. We would have to book appointments in 15 minute
increments, and were supposed to take the pictures and make the sale
of prints within that timeframe, then move on to the next customer. Of
course it is next to impossible to get cranky toddlers to smile when
they don't want to, or to satisfy cranky parents who expect their kids
to look like fashion models. This would result in long backups, and
more cranky parents and toddlers. Also, very often, only ONE person
would be scheduled to work a shift during the "off season"... which
didn't really exist. That meant that in addition to trying to get the
photos taken and sold, we'd also have to answer the phones and assist
customers coming in to pick up their prints. Trust me when I say that
the girl taking your photos was exhausted, overworked, and underpaid
(we barely made over minimum wage). Not that it excuses rudeness, but
that is a thankless job. I suggest you take your next pictures at a
professional photographer's studio. More expensive, but you'll be
treated better and your photos will be better.