Olan Mills Inside Kmart: what would you do?

[lovesavingmoney]

Our family had an appointment at 4:00 today to get our pictures taken. We showed up about 10 minutes early and the photographer was with someone else but he guy up front said that someone came in late so they were a little behind. no problem we waited and waited and waited some more. finally about 5 minutes till 5 which is closing time the photograher ask us if we had a question about our package we had paid for. I said no we wanted to discuss getting our money back and he said loudly no refund means no refund pointing at our receipt that I had paid for the week earlier. I said yes but 4;00 means 4;00 not 5;00 and he said no refunds and the guy outside was already putting everything up for the day and they were closing at 5;00. I said in a not so nice way that we wanted our money back and that they should consider our time and not get ready to close up after we had been there an hour waiting on our appointment.

Another couple was sitting there finishing up ther photo purchases and the girl looked at me and said its not his fault that it went almost an hour over and I told her to mind her business and her steroid looking boyfriend stood up quickly and acted like he was going to hit me and the girl started holding him back lol.. I told him to bring it on!!! The photographer started screaming at me and told me to get out of his studio... I was not in the wrong at all and this photogher acted like we were trash .. What would you do in a situation like this? This made us look like the bad guys because I told that girl to mind her business and then went off on the boyfriend when he acted like he was going to hit me.. someone tell me how this could have been handled differently.. worst experience in my life!!! I did not want to leave that place without hurting someone!!

I did write Olan Mills customer service but I want to speak to a person now to hear my side and how terrible this experience was..

[jen276here]

What time did you get your photo’s taken finally, if at all? Did you pre-pay? I normally never do this - I don’t pay until services are finished and if that isn’t an option I go somewhere else. I don’t think you should have engaged anyone other than the gentleman you were working w/ and I think you should have left and contacted Olan Mills customer service before having a shouting match w/ another customer.

[sunnie_skys]

Oh man, That totally sucks! I agree with never prepaying anything. However if you paid for a service you are entitled to it. I was a manager of sears portrait studio which now owns walmart portraits and olan mills. The employee should have stayed open to take your pictures. no ifs and or buts about it! He was in the wrong by going off in the first place. You pay his salary and in this case the customer is always right. And for having you wait almost an hour he should have taken 10% off on top of it.

[mrsjschultz]

I'm confused....so you pre-paid and then were not able to get your photo's taken because they were so late. I'd be mad too but I agree that it probably wasn't the best idea to get shouting match. I'd definitely call CS though and complain.

[bali1228]

In the best of circumstances it would be wise to not engage other customers. However, after being left waiting over an hour and being treated poorly by the store employee, I can't say I blame you for telling the other customer to mind her business, after she rudely butted in to something that was none of her concern. As for roid-head making threatening gestures toward you..I would have called the police.
I would follow up with phone call to customer service, try to get a district manager's number ( if they have them).
I stopped going to photo studios, after my wedding negatives were destroyed by the photographer when they sold their 30 year business ( I had left my name/number and my sisters name/number to contact us when they were available for purchase) Also when my dd's first time sitting unsupported at her 3month photositting was somehow eaten by the machine(?). I never did get a good explanation how my film was destroyed when I had a black and white digital thumbnail on my order sheet....I buy her school and sport pics every year and the rest (birthday, Christmas, etc) I just take and print myself. I hope they all go out of business..parasites...

[bali1228]

Wish I could edit: Olan Mills were the ones that scammed me into pre-paying a $60 portrait package ages ago ...and then refused to honor the certificates, so I'm not surprised they gave you a hard time.

[lovesavingmoney]

What time did you get your photo’s taken finally, if at all? Did you pre-pay? I normally never do this - I don’t pay until services are finished and if that isn’t an option I go somewhere else. I don’t think you should have engaged anyone other than the gentleman you were working w/ and I think you should have left and contacted Olan Mills customer service before having a shouting match w/ another customer.

We didn't get our pictures made. They were closing up and he wanted to make us another appointment and we refused. We wanted our money back by this point. I did not engage the customer she actually started with me and then her boyfriend didn't like me telling her to mind her business. Well most people just don't take up for themselves in these situations and I am just not someone that lets others talk to me like I'm a dog and run away.. Thanks for replying though.. I was just curious how others would have handled this..

[lovesavingmoney]

Thanks for replying!! Just seems that these kinda things happen often to us and I wonder is it just our luck or does others really go through things like this. I never start anything with anybody but I also don't like people treating my familys time like it doesn't matter and refused to refund our money and not in a nice way. All we wanted to do was get our pictures made and it turned out looking like we were rednecks or something.. Thanks again for reading and replying. I will hopefully get in touch with the right person tomorrow to get our pictures made at some other location and or our money back because this was not our fault!!

[CW&M Mom]

I'd try and contact corporate I guess.

I've used the Olan Mills in the Kmarts before but never had to prepay.

[jen276here]

Do you really believe that someone telling you that it wasn’t the photographer’s fault is them treating you like a dog??? I think you let your emotions get the best of you there. If you would have ignored the dimwit, the boyfriend wouldn’t have had reason to respond and things wouldn’t have escalated.

Yes, absolutely I’d be pissed that they left me waiting and then cancelled my appt. I would have told them forget about it, asked for a refund, and if denied I would have called corporate right then and there to have it resolved immediately. Then of course I would never, ever go back. It didn’t need to get so heated….