Picture This...

OK, here's the deal...I wanted to get some professional pictures taken of my kids, so I figured I'd go back to the same studio that I'd used before. (It's the studio inside our local Super Wal-Mart...I'd used them before to get some group pics of the kids back around Christmastime.) I was hoping to have the pictures with me when I took my trip up to Wisconsin next week, so when I called I asked if that would be possible. The man who answered the phone said that if I made an appointment for May 9th, the pictures would be ready to be picked up on the 18th, so I made an appointment for that day. I should've known that was the beginning of an absolute nightmare for me...

We ran late that morning so we didn't get to the store until 5 minutes after our appointment was supposed to begin (that was my own fault though), & then Isaac didn't want to behave while the other two were being photographed so he was screaming & trying to escape from the studio the entire time. Finally, the photographer finished the session & I decided on which packages to purchase. As we got ready to leave, I anticipated getting the "preview printout" of pictures so I could show folks (& also claim my session on the website), but the guy said his printer wasn't working properly so I didn't receive that printout. I was disappointed, but he said I'd be receiving an e-mail with the activation code within 24 to 48 hours. Well...

Tuesday arrived & I still hadn't received anything, so I called the studio (I actually talked to the guy who was our photographer). He apologized for the delay (you know, the usual crap they tell you...I know, I work in customer service too) & told me that due to security reasons he didn't actually have the password for my session photos...but I could call the toll-free hotline & the folks there could help me out. As soon as I got home later that day, I called that number & the lady I talked to assured me she'd look into the problem and pretty much told me the same thing, to allow 24 to 48 hours for the pictures to show up online. Well...

It's now been 48 hours since that phone call & STILL no pictures!!!! I called them again today & the lady (who just happened to be the same lady I talked to on Tuesday) apologized again & promised me that I'd have my pictures by the end of the day. To be honest I'm not too confident about that happening...I plan on checking when I get home from work tomorrow morning & if they're still not there, I will NOT be happy! I have a receipt that shows I paid for the session, & I know for damn sure that if my pictures are not at the studio on the 18th like they promised, I will be lodging a complaint with the Better Business Bureau against this place & I may even call the police to complain to them as well.

I admit, I know that not all the Super Wal-Mart photography studios are probably not all like this, but I am extremely disappointed in my recent experience there. The previous two times I'd used that studio things were great & there were no problems at all...the third time was definitely not the charm this time though! As far as I'm concerned, unless certain things happen (I have a list of things in my mind that they need to do for me before I will be happy), I will never be a customer at that photography studio ever again.