07/17/2022
ATTENTION CLIENTS:
I’m amending my paperwork with new policies. All clients will have to review and sign before I continue work on your tattoos.
When I meet a new client I always schedule a consultation to ensure we both have a clear path to what they want. From there they sign a form with conditions.
The condition I want to address is forfeiture of deposit. If you do not reschedule in advance and/or no call no show you lose the deposit and must make another to schedule a new appointment.
I’ve been pretty lax on that policy to my detriment. I have too many clients habitually rescheduling and no call/no show to the point that I can’t afford to keep the studio running.
To accommodate those people I end up scheduling them on my days off (which are supposed to be drawing days) in order to keep from losing income. That interferes with my workflow and keeps new clients waiting. I then watch the sun rise every morning to catch up on artwork for new clients who don’t deserve to be kept waiting. That ends today.
When a client books a date they are my only client that day. When they reschedule, or no call no show, I lose anticipated earnings. Tattooers don’t get paid unless they tattoo. Let me reiterate: TATTOOERS DONT GET PAID, MAKE MONEY, KEEP THE BUSINESS OPEN, PAY MORTGAGE, EAT, etc, UNLESS THEY TATTOO.
It’s rare that I can fill the spot quickly enough the same day. Who can you call at a moments notice to say “ Do you have tattoo money right this second? Okay next.”
I have tattooed too many people for too little or nothing at all. I am no longer accepting trades or prepayments for sessions. All of these issues bring out the worst in people. When they feel like they are owed money as if I asked for a loan. They are pushy, overbearing, and expect front of the line treatment. This ends today.
I was warned by my former partners that once I had my own studio my over the top catering to my clients would cost me everything. DJ Minor you were right, but I thought I could balance it. I used to cut my clients discounts and then pay the studio the percentage that was due for the amount that should have been charged. Not only did it hurt me financially, but suspicion reared it’s eye on me for being a thief and destroyed our friendship. After all, who the f**k would do that?
Me. The guy who feels like he doesn’t do enough and ends up going too far to make a client happy when there was no issue to make up for to begin with, and realizes he can’t short change the studio/friends he works with.
All of this ends today.
If you’re a client, and made it to the end, know that many of you are the reason I keep tattooing despite the others.
