This will be the last post that tags along on previous days for a bit.... but I wanted to touch on other "payment agreements" -- and why those rarely work out, for the same reason as payment plans. Also, I wanted to post this as sort of a PSA (public service announcement, for those not familiar with internet lingo), so you all don't end up using the same person that screwed me over. I almost never mention names... but I don't want someone else to get screwed, so this person is on blast. Sorry, not sorry.
Back in mid June (6/18), I got a call from a Hannah Mae Ottley. She called me saying that she loved my website and loved the logo, but had a thought for how she could do another logo for me, and asked if I'd be interested to see it. I said sure, and so she sent me an email. I emailed back, saying I liked the logo, and would be happy to pay her for it, and she said we would work something out as far as payment. On 6/26, I requested a minor change to the logo, which she completed the same day. When she replied to my email about the change, she didn't send me the actual amended logo file, but rather, screenshots of the changed logo on t-shirts. I figured I would get the actual file later, and didn't bother her about it, at that time.
Around that time, she also specified that she could do an entire identity design for me, where she could change the website, come up with business cards, promotional materials... basically do all sorts of goodies. You know, offering to do all sorts of stuff. I told her, I did not need all of that done, I just would like the original logo that we talked about, and I also asked if she could come up with two shirt designs that I had ideas for. She said she could, that would be no problem.
So I hadn't heard from her for a couple days, and then randomly, I got a call one day from someone named Hannah wanting to set up an appointment. When this person came by, she told me, "oh by the way, I'm the Hannah that created the logo for you." I thought it was kind of odd that she wouldn't specify that on the phone, but whatever. She looked at the chins we had here and found one she liked. She went home to think about it, and then ended up texting me a couple days later, saying she wanted to get the chin. She asked, what if we did half off the price of the chinchilla, in exchange for the logo she did and the two t-shirt designs I wanted. I said that was fine.
On 7/7, Hannah came over and adopted the chin. It's marked on the invoice that the chinchilla she got was $200, with a $100 discount for the logo / artwork. I didn't pester Hannah for the logo / artwork, as I figured, I would just one day open my email and I would have it sitting there. However, that never happened. A few times, I would receive texted pictures of the chin, who she named Koda, but always with a note that "she couldn't talk right now" because she was at work or something. I always felt that was kinda odd, and now, looking back, I feel like it possibly was a hint for me to not ask her about the logo / artwork since she was "busy."
Well, now with expos coming up, I wanted that logo done and the artwork for the shirts done as well. So... on 9/6, I sent her a text. It was actually a fairly nice text, where I wasn't a bitch or anything, but rather, I specified that I didn't believe she'd ever sent me the actual file with the amended logo, and I also didn't have the t-shirt artwork that we'd talked about, and I needed her to send those to me. I reminded her of what I was looking for, for the t-shirt designs, and ended by saying that now was the time we needed to get those rolling, so we'd have these for upcoming expos.
For previous texts (like when she'd texted with the chin photos, and prior to adopting, when she was pushing her graphic design work), she'd always texted right back or emailed right back, but this time, I didn't hear from her for a day or two (for her, that was long), so on 9/7, I figured I would also send her an email with basically the same thing written in the email, in case she might see that first. Fast forward to 9/12, hadn't heard anything, so I went on her website -- http://designedbyhannah.com/ -- to see if I had the correct email and whatnot. Yep, her email on the website is the same as what I have, and she also had a business facebook account on there, so I messaged that account as well. Nothing. So, I sent her another email on the 12th, basically stating that I hoped this was somehow a big misunderstanding and I was waiting to hear from her... but I hate to say, I don't think it is... as she basically has been unavailable and "busy" now that she has her chin (her end of the deal), and here I am, left high and dry without my part of the deal. I told her in the email that I feel like she's intentionally avoiding me, and that I would share this story with my people, so they would know to not use her for their graphic design needs, if I didn't at least hear from her... and the fact that you're reading this means that, I never did hear from her.
Looking back, what I should have done was not hand over the chinchilla until I had my logo / artwork, or charge her the entire amount and then refund the half-off-amount once I had my logo / artwork. Unfortunately, I assumed that she would keep her word and complete her part of the deal, and she did not.
I since have had another graphic design person reach out and offer to try and do the things I need, so we shall see how that goes. I still need to send them what I have from her, and my ideas for the other shirt designs... and see if it's something they're able to do (they're a starting off person). If anyone else would like to pitch in their services, I am happy to see what other people come up with as well! Just stay away from Hannah's graphic design services, if you actually want anything done...
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