Sadly, I did not add this business to sing my praises. Prepare for a long review.
From beginning to end, the process was a headache.
Once we actually met James at his residence to book our photo booth, he was, well, scatterbrained and not present in the moment while talking to us. It was weird. I understand you are slammed with business and that's great, but when meeting with clients, be present in the moment and acknowledge them. We decided what we wanted, a three hour party package, a 495 dollar value, went down to about 470 because we did not get invitations from him because he was on vacation and would not get back in time to make them. That's fine, whatever, no big deal. But when it came to everything else I paid for I wanted it. I sent him the layouts few days later.
About three weeks go by, I tell my bf to get a hold of him because I need to know if he was going to make my favors? When my bf got a hold of him, he said that he couldn't make them because they need to know three weeks in advance?!? Three weeks in advance?!?! I paid you three weeks ago?!? Nothing was said at that time! So I call, and I was pissed. But he told me to send him the layout and he will let his wife know, I guess she makes everything.
The next morning, my phone starts going off at like 6am, I ignore it because just like every other human being, I am asleep that early in the morning. He leaves me a message saying that they can't make it because it was in my contract, and that if I wanted to get it done, I would have to pay the 25 dollars he took off for the invitations!!!! Wtf?!?! I look at my contract and sure enough, he's right, it's right there...no invitations/favors. Let me state that while we should have looked over everything before we signed, nothing was mentioned about us not getting favors. The whole reason I booked him was for a party package that came with the works. If I wanted just a photo booth, I could have found just a photo booth for probably about the same price. We knew we were not getting the invitations but I didnt know no invitations meant no favors too. So of course, like a bat out of hell I call him. At this time I'm furious. I tell him that I did read my contract and nothing was said to me about not getting favors and that I knew the invitations were a no go but I wanted the favors. He told me that he could make the favors but he would charge me for them, I told him absolutely not! I did not book him to just get my photobooth, I wanted the package deal, everything but the invitations. Then he started to blame my bf, saying that he told him and he agreed to no favors....I WAS RIGHT THERE WHEN YOU WERE TALKING TO HIM! Don't pass blame to others. I told him clearly there was a misunderstanding somewhere and that had I known this was going to happen I would have gone somewhere else. He apologized, once again, said anything to get me off the phone. I told him I was going to get my favors off of etsy, and that I wanted to support local companies and how mad I was that I had to go somewhere else to get it done. After all was said and done, he apologized and offered to make them for me, free of charge, I told him no because it was already a week to the party, and I couldn't wait anymore. So I ended up just getting them from etsy. He called me later to offer to make thank you cards, to make up for the favors, I agreed and thanked him. They didn't have to do that, that was a nice and thoughtful gesture though.
Day of the party: Like all those before me who know how stressful party planning is, I had a lot to do. Sonia(James wife) and their son got there about 10-1030. Keep in mind, I booked them for three hours 12-3. So she asked me if she could set up, I told her that was fine. I'm running around getting stuff put where they need to be. She came over and told me that they wanted to take pictures of my family first, that's fine but we were busy. My kids came up to me saying she told me they couldn't take pictures. I told her to start already because I was busy. I was a gracious party host, I offered them food and shave ice that we had there. Then @ 2:30 they told me that they were leaving early because they started early. I DID NOT ASK YOU TO START EARLY, you did that on your own. I didn't make a scene I said fine, paid my balance, and they left.
I would not recommend booking them, after the headache I had after this process, it's not worth it. Their photo layouts are awesome! And they looked great. But that's it.
To the business: you are in the customer service industry. If you are too busy to accommodate your customers, hire more people or watch how much clients you book so you don't over book yourself. James, you should have personally been at our party especially with everything that happened, you looked like a chicken for not showing up. If I book you from 12-3, you stay from 12-3, I should not have to pay for you being overbooked. I can't refer you to others after our experience. read more