2 Client Approaches to Utilizing Photo Nanny Services

Between organizing photos, organizing digital files, one-on-one computer training here in town as well as remote training via telephone and TeamViewer with individuals in two different states, I enjoyed meeting with several clients to begin new projects this week.  The similarities and differences in each appointment compelled me to write about the experience.  The great thing is our clients LOVE US, and the comments we receive are always positive when working together or delivering finished, organized, and scanned files or photo books.

Consistently we see relief in our clients’ eyes and hear it in their comments.  Today, in fact, as I packed my vehicle with all the family photos, my client’s words as I left her home were, “This is the happiest day of my life.”

Truthfully, she had been wrestling over trying to get family scrapbooks finished.  She’s needed to sort all the photo prints by child (she has three) and as the children grow taller, the photo piles grow higher.  Every year there’s more to deal with – school work, art projects, photo prints and digitals.  It just never seems to stop.

When I met this client for an initial consultation (nine months ago) we discussed her “dreams” and goals for her photos. First she wanted help creating her own digital book with assistance.  We got that under our belts, and she delivered wonderful gifts to family at Christmas.  We downloaded all her digitals and back at my office while she was busy, we got those sorted by date and events.  Great progress toward having a handle on the ongoing management of the current family photos.

She planned to tackle the rest (the old scrapbooks and prints) on her own during the summer when she felt certain she’d have time to meet her goals while the kids were at camp, all that sort of stuff.  But as life would have it, nothing got done.

The children are back in school and she called for a consultation to review things.  I walked in the door and she said, “I’ve come to a decision.”

“Okay.”

“I’m going to give you every single family photo and half-made book, and I want you to get it all organized, digitized and all the books complete.”

“No problem.  Consider it done.”

She was nervous.  “Are you sure you can do this?  I mean there are piles all around.  How will you know who is what?”

As I’ve told so many others, “Rest assured we’ve done it hundreds of times before.  Yes, we can do it, and you will not have to worry.”

Excited but scared, she said, “Okay.  Let’s go.”

We went upstairs to the room where everything was in its state of “progress,” and as we reviewed the piles and boxes she said (not seriously, but very amusingly), “Maybe I need a glass of wine for this. I’m nervous about giving it all to you, but at the same time so relieved.”

I have been in this place before, and I assured her she could come “visit” her photos at my office if she wants to touch and feel them now and then while we have the projects underway.  I also said, “We will send you photos via email periodically to show you all your goodies as we have them on the table being tended to.  It will be like a Doggie Daycare has views of your pet during the day, you’ll have views of your family keepsakes in our tender care.”

And funniest of all, as I left her home after she’d told me how thrilled she is, she also said, “And I’m not telling ANYONE about you.  You are my secret.  My husband doesn’t need to know.  My friends don’t need to know I have this “trick” for getting it all done.  You are my little secret, and THANK GOD FOR PHOTO NANNY.”

This totally cracked me up, but it also wasn’t a first.  I explained to her that several of our clients have shared with me their plan to keep mum about our help.  I always say, “Whatever works best for you.  We’re here to make life less stressful and to make you look great to your friends and family.”

Now at  my next appointment I met with a man we’ve been working with for several years.  We’ve created various books and a wonderful shadowbox project of his daughter’s field hockey memorabilia.  We’ve scanned all his old family photos and sorted them by child, and he called for a consultation after finding more boxes of “horror” in his attic.

He showed me boxes labeled “Old Photos” and “Christmas Cards,” and we discussed what we could do with them all.  I peeked in the Old Photos box and luckily, having a good memory, I could tell on sight that most of the photos I pulled from three random envelopes were duplicates of things we already scanned.  So, I assured him the “horror” probably wasn’t anything to worry about.

He said, “Take it all away.  Make it right, Dear Photo Nanny.  I know handing it to you means it will get done.”

“You’ve got it.”  And out to the car I went.

As I exited his home, his final comments were, “I tell everyone about you.  I’m constantly sharing your name with others.  Your service is the best thing that ever happened to our family.”

I grinned with pride.

So, there you have it…a “typical” week in the life of a Photo Nanny…feeling loved by clients and happy to provide a great service, and thoroughly amused by the “don’t ask, don’t tell” from some and the “singing to the rafters” of others.

We will continue our mantra (like Vegas) “What happens at Photo Nanny stays at Photo Nanny.”  So, if you want us to be your hidden treasure, great.  Or if you want to share our name and your experience, we appreciate that too.  Referrals are a wonderful compliment.”

Happy Clients – Happy Life!