Fixes
A perfect Summer’s evening in Lochgoilhead
If July brought a series of broken promises and failing equipment, the final weeks of August are beginning to see a gradual turnaround in fortune.
Frustrations and complaints with banks and energy suppliers are gradually, finally, being addressed. Compensation and apologies have been accepted. The broadband is back up and running after failing so frequently, and eventually so completely, that the TV - and yes, that broke too - was unable to show my favourite sporting events.
The car developed an expensive fault. A relentless squeak in the campervan became almost unbearable and a niggling contributor to my escalating levels of frustration and blood pressure. The lawnmower I use for the community gardens gave up the ghost. Then my most frequently used lens, my beautiful 16-55mm f/2.8, broke just when I needed it for a commission shoot. The weather-sealing ring had snapped - apparently a known weak point.
Finally, having promoted my photography prints with some overly-generous discounts, my print production and framing company let me down for the first time and delivered a sub-standard picture to one of my customers. Not impressed.
So, what to do? Knuckle down, me laddo, and address each problem stoically and calmly.
The TV, the car, the squeaky van, the lawnmower and the zoom lens were each repaired. Some at significant cost, the lens under warranty, and some through hours of wielding spanners and lubricants. One by one, they were fixed, and the world was becoming a better place.
We took a couple of restorative days out with an overnight stay at a campsite near Oban, in the now wonderfully silent Mazda Bongo. The rain was relentless at first, but even the weather eventually brightened sufficiently for an evening walk on the beach, followed by a few glasses of wine, with us wrapped in a warm blanket beneath the chilly evening skies. Bliss.
I pondered on the printing issue. The company I use - the otherwise excellent The Print Space - had also, without warning, upgraded their artist hub software, which was causing real problems in getting new images published and ready for sale. Many support emails, screenshots and bug fixes followed.
Enough.
In truth, I don’t really need a fully automated, drop-ship printing setup. I cancelled Etsy as a sales channel months ago after the administrative hassles and escalating fees became more trouble than they were worth. I think, like my commissions, it’s probably easier for me to manage my customers on a one-to-one basis and create the exact products they want, at the quality I expect. It’s not a high volume business.
So, my website has now been changed - fixed, you could say - and apart from a few items of merchandise, customers can no longer order online. Instead, a simple contact form, a conversation, and a more personal, bespoke service have replaced automation. This will, of course, introduce a little more ‘friction’ at the point of sale, but perhaps that’s not necessarily a bad thing. I’d rather lose the occasional opportunity than have to fix problems.
