Never Cut Corners

It’s tempting to want to take the easy way out, especially if it means that some benefit is available quickly. However, if better and higher quality rewards can be gained through patience, hard work, and consistent focus to detail, then it’s best to take that route, despite the addition patience and resources that may be required. While cheap products or services can initially seem impressive or appealing, we ultimately get what we pay for and it always gets revealed – it’s just a matter of time.

I was doing some online shopping a couple months ago and found a sweatshirt that looked fashionable and cool. Despite my senses telling me I should not buy the sweatshirt because the price was so cheap - I became drawn into the flashy pictures and impressive appearance it gave off. When my package finally arrived, the product was thin, cheap, and the pockets on it were fake. I requested a return due to poor quality but customer service didn’t even respond to my message.

A company that ignores customer service and sells products that give misleading images to make a quick profit is bound for failure. If their conscious doesn’t eat away at themselves, the lack of clientele, and reputation for being untrustworthy will eventually cause failure. For the sake of having a clean conscious, a common sense of decency, and a strong business ethic – don’t cut corners.

Cutting corners can mean a variety of things. For photography, I need to get the proper equipment that I need. For some jobs I could easily settle for “good enough” but if I know that something could be better, then it should be better. Customer Service, reputation, word of mouth, and consistency in photography are the most important aspects of keeping the business successful. Additionally, having the best equipment within one’s budget is the best, even if it’s possible to get by with lower costing equipment, it’s likely to cause the quality of service to suffer.

Additionally, cutting corners can be a lack of giving full attention into a project. When people want your product or service, they want to work with someone who actually cares about what they are doing. Better yet, someone who is passionate about what they do. Nothing is more uncomfortable than working with a person who acts like they are being inconvenienced by having to do their job.

Staying updated on what’s going on with competition and/or similar products is vital as well. There’s no need to be protective or over-concerned with what the competition is doing, but if you aren’t keeping up with quality or offering something better, while charging the same prices, then either quality needs to increase or costs need to go down.

While it’s hard to define who “the best” is in any field due to the relevant nature of such a description, it’s satisfying to know you are doing the best you can with what you have. That’s what matters anyways. You don’t need to make the most money or have the most expensive equipment to feel like an accomplished expert. Unless you know what you are doing, and care about your work, you’re going to feel like you’re just faking it. There’s nothing that can make up for the confidence of knowing what you are doing, doing it well, and also loving it. Enjoy what you do, and make it the best you can, for yourself and for others~

For further related reading, please check out: Art, Language, and Expression.