Image Designer Archive
Thread: Image Designing Friends: How do you handle it?
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FuschiaD
Tue Jun 29, 2004 8:30 am
#1
This is something that has been on my mind recently, mostly since the onset of ID's migrating stats. I am the only ID in my city, and I have always been willing to help friends and anyone in my city for free (assuming I know them, I'm not gonna give someone a free makeover just because they say "but I live in Gat City"). I LOVE my PRC, and I can't ever imagine charging the other people who live there... we're pretty much share and share alike. Anyone who needs something puts out a plea and usually can find another player who can provide it. As a tailor, I make lots of free clothes for folks (which I really don't mind, I love makingclothes and my business is sponsored by a friend of mine, so I can afford a freebie now and then). But ID is a little different. It's not a necessity. People don't necessarily NEED to have blue hair, or be made shorter. So if I am doing something else, I usually tell them they have to wait till I'm not busy. This results in a lot of complaining. A lot of them hate that they have to go to an ID for stat migration, and they don't understand why we charge for it. I tell them that they can either wait on me and get it for free, or they can find someone else and pay to have it done now. I had the following conversation yesterday:
Me: Where are you? I'm coming back to Theed if you still need a migration.
Them: I'm in Theed, but I already got it done by someone else.
Me: Cool, I'm going back to Dantooine then.
Them: Yeah, you took too long.
Me: *blinking in disbelief* Yes, because it's such a PRIVILEGE to stand and do absolutely nothing for ten minutes and get absolutely nothing for my efforts.
I was just wondering... has anyone else encountered this? How do you handle dispensing services forfriends, guildmates, fellow citizens? I absolutely cannot STAND it when someone demands my services - this is the biggest reason I dropped doctor. Was constantly getting "I demand you come here and buff me!" Drove me up the wall. I'd like to hear how others deal with this. 
Sir_Voor
Tue Jun 29, 2004 8:42 am
#2
I'm not in your predicament but, when I was IDing I told customers that my fee (of 20k) was to cover theImperial Luxury Tax 
RPers and even cool dudes seem to like it.
RPers and even cool dudes seem to like it. I hope this helps
P.S. for 20k -30k they got a full ID it was up to them to decided if they want to use my service or not, but they still had to pay for it to get an Stat migration.
Message Edited by Sir_Voor on 06-29-2004 10:42 AM
RyadhiMakkar
Tue Jun 29, 2004 9:45 am
#3
It's a shame that people won't appreciate the difficulties experienced by other professions. There are always going to be the idiots out there that expect things handed to them (thank you government schools). I offer all medical/ID services at a significantly reduced rate or free to members of my faction and guild. Because of this I have almost always received tips either meeting or exceeding my usual price. When people start to abuse this exchange I'm not one to remain silent about it,although I do try to be diplomatic.One good turn deserves another and I make notes of these people. I also do this same thing with the gimme generation and if they get to bad, well...welcome to /addignore.This is exactly why the masters rarely show their title and don't make their character searchable.
Why don't you ask these gimmes to come running and kill something for you? Then offer no reimbursement.
Inform the scouts/rangers that they didn't have to pay to collect their harvests and demand them for free?
Welcome to socialism
Electro
Tue Jun 29, 2004 2:08 pm
#4
Anyone I consider a friend I drop what I'm doing to help them out and I'mupset if they try to pay me for it. But that's not a huge group of people. Everyone else gets to wait until it is convenient for me to work, and anyone who doesn't understand why that is doesn't deserve any of my time to begin with. Easy
Darkesong
Tue Jun 29, 2004 2:08 pm
#5
I typically make clothing and do ID for my guildmates for free, since they will help me out with resources and such when they are able. Friends I usually charge a discounted rate, or nothing at all though they usually tip me for my trouble anyway. I will make free outfits and do ID for new players as well if they are polite and well spoken, in exchange for advertising my services in the future.
NJ62
Tue Jun 29, 2004 2:14 pm
#6
I'll do ID for free for friends, and even stat migration, but never if I'm busy with something else. The thing is, I understand the need for me specifically to do the cosmetic alterations - a relationship of trust, and they are familiar with my aesthetic eye. But stat migration? Anyone can do that. And if they can afford it, I'm not moving my heiney (especially if I'm fully buffed with 10k worth of buffs, they're SOL). In fact, one time I needed a migration, I arranged to meet a friend of mine in the tent (can't migrate self, oh the irony). In the tent, I found an ID who was grinding up, and asked if he would migrate me (and then sent a tell to my master ID friend not to bother dragging out to Theed). The novice ID got xp, we chatted about ID, I tipped him (by TC standards pretty generously), and that was that. I might have trained him too.
Fortunes_Lady
Tue Jun 29, 2004 2:14 pm
#7
I ID my guild for free. I also give them free clothes. Of course, I was able to get a really cheap set of stun 39% composite while I was TK, and got free clothes from the last Tailor in our guild. The guild I am in is so communal we have houses set aside for supply. Some offer me credits, and I say "no needed, but welcome". Of course, I don't need armour/buffs/food/weapons from them anymore hehe.
But for those non guild friends, well, it depends. Since I work on tips (and never re-ID someone who tipped nothing), most friends know this, but sometimes I'll give them the session for free. If they've waited for me while I finish a couple Tailor orders, or run from planet to planet doing something for my resource company, I'll often say "free today, hun". For those rude people, I'd hesistate to call them friends...
Thankfully, I've never had a problem with friends. If I'm not available, or away from SWG for a few days, they either get it from someone else, or wait for me, but never complain either way.
FuschiaD
Tue Jun 29, 2004 3:51 pm
#8
Wow, thanks for the responses. Interesting to read. My city (we're not one massive guild, we're just a largegroup of people who have fun together) is EXTREMELY communal. Our weaponsmith makes everyone's weapons for free (or cost, at most),I make everyone's clothes for free, we even had a guy who made a master armorsmith SPECIFICALLY to give away sets of armor to anyone in the city. Overall, they're a wonderful group of people and I'm really proud to be associated with them, most of the time. But some of them don't really seem to understand that it's offensive to me to be taken for granted. Part of the problem, also, is that I am female. There are VERY few females in the city, and I think I'm the only one who's really active within the city. I'm the city's cantina owner, tailor and ID. I don't mind doing things for them - I don't even mind not being paid. All I really want is a little respect, but that, unfortunately, is somethingI am never going to receive from most of them. I had the following exchange with one of them today:
Person: FUSCH! I demand ID work.
Me: That's just too damn bad, isn't it?
Person: 
saaaaaad panda.
Me: From now on, I am not going to do anything for anyone unless it's asked in a respectful manner.
Person: Fuschia, when you have a few minutes, could you possibly squeeze me in for an image design consultation?
Me: Certainly.
Granted, he didn't really mean it, but I don't even care, LOL. I gave him his makeover, he was pleased and said thank you, and that was the end of it. ...You know, the more I think about it, the more I realize that my gripe is just with these people. LOL
Carry on!
IssogiKa
Tue Jun 29, 2004 4:11 pm
#9
Another thing you might try is this....it has shut many people up for me....
Them: 10k??? You can't charge 10k for something you don't craft....
Me: I can't? Really? See that little box that says required credits? It says I can.
Them: But you can't.....
Me: Ok, you can make 10k-50k or so doing missions depending on your profession, so why can't I make 10k doing a session at mine?
Them: Oh, I see.
or
Them: But I am in a hurry I need them done now
Me: They are paying customers, I am doing you a service by giving it to you free, so you will have to wait a few moments please.
Them: Oh, alright, I'll go get something to drink then.
It usually works pretty good for me.
Maisland
Tue Jun 29, 2004 11:41 pm
#10
I will ID guildmates and friends for free... BUT, they have to schedule an appointment (date and time) that is convenient for both of us.
Reiella
Wed Jun 30, 2004 12:32 am
#11
I do ID work for friends [Clarification: A close set of friends] for free. Pretty much at that. I end up with the better half of the 'deal' anyway, I get free weapons, armor, clothes, etc from them.
For a more broad set of friends/acquaintances, I really am more lax and typically waive my fixed fee service and let them decide what to pay me. Of course, lot of it depends on the time/etc.
TechnoCan
Wed Jun 30, 2004 5:15 am
#12
As most here, I will do anything to help my friends or guildies, if I can. In the case I'm busy with something else or somewhere else it depends how urgent their need is, but if I can, I will help. So giving a free migration or ID-workover, or in other cases help with some pet-stims from my CH/BE-char is rarely a problem for me. And my friends accept it, too, when I'm busy or just too far away to help right now.
In the rare occasions that players start to complain about prices/fees or waiting times I usually explain the situation and everything is fine. I, too, use the example with other professions being able to run missions in the same time to make imense sums of money while we ID's just stand there and wait, either for customers or for the timer.
With being nice and staying polite all the time (which can be very difficult some times of course) I have made the best experiences and nearly all my customers are happy with me and my work or atleast accept it as it is.
May the Force be with you all!
Technocan
In the rare occasions that players start to complain about prices/fees or waiting times I usually explain the situation and everything is fine. I, too, use the example with other professions being able to run missions in the same time to make imense sums of money while we ID's just stand there and wait, either for customers or for the timer.
With being nice and staying polite all the time (which can be very difficult some times of course) I have made the best experiences and nearly all my customers are happy with me and my work or atleast accept it as it is.
May the Force be with you all!
Technocan
Plagvreugd
Wed Jun 30, 2004 12:59 pm
#13
I ID my guild (the lovely Pink Kreetles)for free, but only when I'm IDing. If I'm busy doing something else (which mostly involves getting killed by something or other) they, like the rest of the world, can wait until I'm available. Fortunately, I'm in a guild where everyone understands this and where everyone treats each other with respect. People who would say things like "I demand a stat migration" would never get in the guild.
Thewt
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