just had a run in with the maternity ward bounty photographer

[StateofConfusion]

And having previously defended them and loved my pictures of my eldest children todays 'rep' has made me agree they need to be removed from wards!

She arrived originally before breakfast turned on the lights and opened curtains waking me and the other Mum up, then continued to talk over the peadiatrician who was checking my dd over.

Eventually she sulked off but apparently came back when I was asleep (how dare I?) Last time she came back as I'd just settled dd and was eating lunch which had just arrived.

I said No photos at the minute thanks she got most insistant that its for security reasons?? (I'm going home today) and said she'd just lean round and take them, dd was asleep on my lap in a v pillow whilst I ate. I said again, not right now I'm eating she left brochures and went off muttering quite loudly.

I'm hormonal so ofc this has upset me, but not as much as the first time mum across they way! WHY are these people allowed to just walk around a maternity ward being so fucking rude!

I had a Tempest photographer on my ward. Chose her timing well and no hard sell etc.. If Bounty had come my way I'd have told 'em to do one! When I got the first pack in pregnancy my MW was insistent that my notes went in it. Er no, I said, I don't advertise for free.

I plain file for my handhelds.

Refuse all 'freebies' from the off!

Tempest aren't much better ime and don't get me started on pixifoto in mothercare. Granted they aren't hounding you on the wards post partum, but they lay it on thick "don't y love your baby enough to buy the £200 photo in an acrylic block we have already made up for you to take today??" "Everyone else buys them" etc etc! Truth is these companies have based their business model on tugging on the heart strings of new parents. Nearly every company y will deal with will sell on your details now.

I'm not trying to excuse bounty in anyway, what they do is unacceptable at best and immoral. If bounty get kicked off the wards, and they should IMHO, they will find another way of targeting us. Pcts need to stand up to them and say no. But what does that mean for the money they give and what it pays for? Maternity services are over stretched now as it is. its possibly become a necessity for thenm to give bounty access.

Perhaps there is a middle ground? They aren't given free reign to stalk the wards, but you are made aware of the service in a room down the hall. In no uncertain terms should you be approached. It is all on your own terms?

Having read similar threads before, with dc2 I declined the photo and was expecting pressure but didn't get any - I didn't decline the pack though (I quite like junk) so that might have provoked a reaction. I consciously spent the equivalent of the bounty photos on a new digital camera with which I've taken a thousand photos, rather than one awful one.

Just emailed Bounty to complain about the remarks about Child Benefit forms and the utterly wrong behaviour of the photographers. I included a link to this thread. Will come back with the reply (if there is one). The photographers will in all likelihood not be employees but franchisees so I made sure that I covered that in the complaint. The company may well say that a franchise arrangement means they have no control over the photographers - in that case they clearly are not capable of finding and signing up people with the right temperaments. How one woman can behave in this way to another who is exhausted and vulnerable I really cannot understand.

I find this just so awful. Again like some others, I was very lucky to have a straightforward birth with DC2 so went straight home and never saw a bounty rep. DC1 was born before the photo thing started. I do remember believing I HAD to give them my details though.

I really think we should harness the collective voice we have here to put a stop to this.

Do the Bounty people only take your details if you have pictures taken or do they take them if they just give you a pack too?

It's clear that Bounty don't really care about their reputation- once they have your details then that's all they need and they have no further contact with you- but the companies that buy your details and that advertise with Bounty might be more concerned. How about letting them know what we think? 'Yes, I do need an alarm system but I'm not buying one from you because you got my details from Bounty' or 'Yes, I do need to buy nursery furniture/nappies/whatever but I'm buying from another company that doesn't advertise with Bounty.'

Our local NHS hospital has a box on the counter for the forms to be put in and the midwives hand out the bags. I have not known of a photographer from a outside company be on the wards taking photos with out being requested by the parents. The have a sort of office type room with an phone that patients can call. If I'm remembering correctly I'm pretty sure it used to be the patients smoking room/ cupboard years ago when you could smoke in hospital.

But as far as I am aware they do not advertise that they are in essence a data sale company, even if done tactfully with no pressure ect they should be open and honest about that aspect of it so people can make a informed choice.

But I still don't think its ok to rip in to someone because of there job if they are at the bottom. It weakens the very valid complaint makes it lose power and makes the person doing it appear irrational.

We wouldn't accept it towards council admin staff, police officers, hospital staff or cleaners or bin men or anyone else we would even be a bit at people who do it even if the staff member has personally pissed us off. So no you don't have to expect to experience verbal abuse because your employers are con merchants.

sockreturning pixie:

"So do you really need to rip into her about watching a newborn in a ward... "Obviously as long as mum was not pressured to buy the photo because of this,what's the big deal?"

Actually I did not 'rip into' anyone.

I think you should re-read my post.

I expressed my shock that it would seem acceptable to anyone that the boundaries of being a sales rep around vulnerable women would be blurred in this way.

In my opinion, I don't think that the photographers should be allowed on the ward at all...but if they are I think it is much better if they at least stay photographers.

Someone walking in saying 'would you like to buy my lovely photos' is a LOT clearer than someone helping out vulnerable women whose family and friends aren't around to help them which makes it easy to misunderstand what they are actually doing on the ward.

To my mind it is this kind of behaviour that makes it extremely difficult to refuse consent and, whether unintentional or not, is emotionally manipulative. Even if not deliberate, THIS IS a subtle way of pressuring someone into buying a photo, so it is big deal.

I'm worried enough about giving birth and now I also have to worry about having my personal details stolen when I don't consent to give them? Thanks Bounty!

I will definitely be signing the petition, I think it is outrageous that so many people have been treated so appallingly.

Only had Bounty photos taken once, with dd2. I'd paid for a private room. She did knock, took some photos, which were really nice. I bought a few. Liked my bounty pack which had lots of good stuff in. Can't remember getting any unwanted phone calls or junk mail afterwards. Bounty photo of dd2, who is now almost 10, is one of my favourite photos of her. But judging by this thread, mine might be the only positive experience.

So why on earth did you not specify that you felt it was a high pressure sale technique.

Rather than a eye brow raising inappropriate baby sitter issue.

I wonder how much the company strategy has changed in recent years. A bit like some charities - I have had so many cold calls from them over the last year or so. GOSH, Save the Children, RSPCA, saying, "but children are dying...don't you want to help them?". This is after I have explained I already have my chosen charities.

Bounty's job spec states its aim: to become the largest club for new parents in the country. It would seem they will now employ all tactics to ensure that happens. Mercenary is how I now consider them to be.

Sock, I have a huge issue with women not being allowed to see their partners or own mothers, but a fucking Bounty rep is allowed to be on the ward and 'babysit' a newborn while its mother has a shower.

I havnt run away (yet ), tbh if I had witnessed any of the experiences that I have been mentioned on here I would be as upset and angry as you felt, and still do. They are horrendous, I cannot and will not defend my enployers on whether they should be in the wards. However, I was given strict guidleines on how/when to approach a Mum, to never ever mention security photos or you cannot receive CB form without the information being taken. It sadly seems that some employees do not value their job as much as I do.

I will however defend myself. I have always loved photography and babies so this is my dream job, I consider myself a photographer first and foremost and a distributor secondly. As mentioned previously I very rarely even sell in the hospital as I give the mums a secure pin number to look at the photos once they get home. If they decide to buy them that means I have taken some lovely images and they are happy. If they dont, I dont even hear about it. As far as data capture is concerned I always ask if they are happy to be contacted by 3rd parties, if they say no I simply tick a box.

I would just like to clarify "looking after" sorry, probably not the best terminology. After I have seen the Mums, regardless if they have given me details had photos taken or if family members are there. I ask if there is anything I could do for them before I leave. This has involved, filling up jugs of water, getting tea, milk for babies, fresh sheets for cots, towels, borrowing my mobile phone, getting a parking permit for Dad, getting sweets from vending machine for big brother, even putting up christmas lights. So Louis I hope you can see that I find your above post hurtful there is no ulteria motive or financial gain in doing this.

Bounty take no notice of the no 3rd party box. I am very careful to always tick these type of boxes. I have received mail from other companies and when I asked them where they got my details from they said Bounty.

I think the practice of selling details should be made illegal.

I have a huge issue with them being there full stop regardless of what they are doing.

But if you are employed to be there your employer sends you, the hospital welcome you because they are paid to and you are expected to be on the ward. Then your choice is be on the ward or get sacked/quit.

We have no idea if she did pressure the mum after she watched the baby perhaps she didnt.

Dontbeatmeupitsxmas - In order to get the Bounty pack do Mum's have to hand over their name and details?

Don'tbeatmeup, I don't know where the fuck you get the idea that you're looking after women. You are a sales rep; nothing more, and the way your company preys on us is cruel.

And the photos are shit.

sock,
" So why on earth did you not specify that you felt it was a high pressure sale technique.

Rather than a eye brow raising inappropriate baby sitter issue. " ??

Well, I didn't specify it was shock as a sales tactic as it didn't occur to me anyone would interpret it in the way that you chose to, that is your issue, not mine.

My baby info card, that went in DDs clear plastic cot, was sponsored by Tempest. Never saw them though. There was just a phone number on it.

Is there a petition? Can someone post me the link? I had no idea about any of this having had a hb with an im. It's utterly disgraceful that any form of commercial advertising or data collection happens in maternity wards

Jesus Christ, back the fuck off! She's doing a job, which some people appreciate and people are within their rights to say 'No'.
One. Simple. Word.
I bought Bounty photos and know others who bought them and didn't have a nasty, awful, hideous experience.. and were actually disappointed that they'd missed the Bounty photographer when they were in hospital!

Nappy addict, no they don't a few Mums don't want to but most do as they like the weekly updates by e mail on development. Those who leave at night time are just handed a bag by the midwives.

Commander, actually my photos are lovely. Seriously? After you had your baby wasn't there anything that you wanted done but it was too trivial to ask the nurse for? The nurses and patients are always happy which is all that matters to me.

high pressure sales techniques? Someone with a camera walking around a ward, asking if you want a photo? Don't make me laugh.