Olan Mills Goes Bust!

I've just been e-mailed that Olan Mills have gone bust! The BBC news report states "Photography company Olan Mills, which employs 950 staff in 97 stores across the UK, has gone into administration."

To make it even worse having looked on the Olan Mills web site it would apear they've been shooting right up untill the last second, taken the money then closed the doors. This leaves the customers with no way of getting their moneyback or their pictures.

Apparently they have been running at a loss for the last three years and could no longer afford to continue. Personally I find it sad a huge company like this was unable to modernise its approach to the photographic world. I guess they continued in the old style of photography that so many studio's shoot (white background brigade).

As such they all merge in the customers mind to being the same and at that stage it becomes a case of who's cheapest. Any business will tell you if you're only getting business because your cheap your not going to be in business long.

I find the key to any business success is to find out what the client wants and then make sure you offer it to them (and more). Treating clients as part of a production line by forcing your own styles and ideals onto people is a sure fire way to make sure your customers are left unhappy and worse that they tell others about it.

Interestingly i just read this on another blog. A true account of a real customer that Olan Mills put through the production line service. As I said before, give the client what they want, not what you think they want ..


Mr. Olan Mills Photo Dude,

I realize it's your job to sell me pictures. And I realize that you don't make any money off of me when I just bring my family in to get a free church directory photo taken. But, can I be honest with you Mr. Olan Mills Photo Dude? You're pictures? They're not so good. My family doesn't look attractive lined up in a row in front of a blue marbled background with fake smiles plastered on their faces. I wish we did, but we don't. Ok, now I've lied to you, I don't wish we did. And also, Mr. Olan Mills Photo Dude, it's ok if Presley wants to put her fingers in her mouth when you take the picture. She's a baby, that's what she does. It's actually considered a good thing to capture her personality in the photo. It's not, however, considered a good thing when she's screaming her head off because you keep pulling her fingers out of her mouth in attempts to make us look like the Cleavers. Just a friendly tip. I mean, I'm not a photographer or anything. :)

In closing, I'd like to apologize for cutting our photo session short and, in doing so, preventing you from taking loads of pictures that I have no inclination to purchase. I can see that you were more than a little irked about that. But, to be honest Mr. Olan Mills Photo Dude, I'm more than a little irked that our staff got Jason photos and we didnt. So ;p.

Good day,