Aren't you the lucky one(s)

[N80]

I think having a clear and preferably printed 'fee schedule' helps too. That kind of lets the customer know that 'x' work is going to cost 'n' dollars and that's that. That may not work where work situations vary a great deal, but for basic services it can keep the haggling process in check.

I'll also mention another little trick that I'm sure everyone is aware of. If you are selling something add just a little to the price that you are willing to drop as soon as the haggling starts. It is human nature to want to think you are getting a good deal. And sometimes a small concession makes the buyer feel like he's 'won'.

For instance, I bought a used car recently. It was a 2000 Nissan Maxima in pristine condition at a dealership that mostly dealt in high end imports like BMW, Lexus, Audi, etc. They operated kind of like a luxury Car Max and the posted price was THE price, no haggling. But, this car had been on the lot a long time (it was a manual transmission and most girly-boys can't drive them these days) so I wanted to haggle. I asked the salesman if there was 'anything he could do'. He smiled and said he'd knock the $200 processing fee off the price. I asked him what the 'processing fee' was and he smiled again and said "pure profit". He was straight up and honest, he was just throwing me a little bone and he understood that that was enough to make the sale and send me home with a car.

I'll throw out another experience. I discussed it here a while back. I'd called to get an estimate on gutters for my cabin. The guy called and told my wife it would be $400. My wife tells him she will run it by me. It sounded high to me but I had no idea what to expect (ignorance is another thing that can shape a buyers expectations). Shortly he calls back and says it will be $600 dollars. I politely declined his services. I did not argue or get mad. That's what made the folks in the OP's example the jerks that they were. I generally don't think I need to get mad about an estimate, I just take my business somewhere else. Turns out after doing some research that $400 was about right and $600 was too much. So he priced himself out of a job, at least for now. I haven't gotten another estimate yet and if they are all that high, I may call this guy back because I liked him (he has done other work for me).

Now maybe he'll think I'm a jerk because I didn't accept his estimate the first time. I don't know. Its only been a few weeks but gas and aluminum prices go up daily and maybe his estimate will be higher. I'll have to see how I'd respond to that.

 

[Rowdius]

Been there. With the price of fuel and the way some customers are, I haven't tried getting back into the shredding business this year.

Sometimes kindness can sink you if you are not careful.
Last year, I was unloading my tractor at my dad's house in town to do some work for him, and this little old man saw the tractor and stopped by to talk. One thing about that little Yanmar 1500D, people like to look at that little machine! After walking around the tractor shooting the breeze for awhile, he asked me if I'd consider doing some work for him; I told him I'd have to look at it.

So, we ran over to his house, and he told me about his only son getting into an accident and losing a leg, so he had no one to take care of the place anymore. It is a small town, and I remembered hearing about the wreck, so I knew he was telling the truth. Over at the house he had about two 1/2 acres, nearly all of it grown up very tall. I explained to him that I did shredding, not mowing, and that about half his job was more in the line of mowing. But, I liked the old man, so I went over and shredded what needed shredding, mowed everything else, and pulled out the weedeater to finish up. Charged him enough to cover my costs, but I didn't make much money on the deal.

The old man loved the job, and refused to pay what I asked for. In fact, we argued over the price for quite awhile, as that he wanted to pay me double what I asked. Finally, I let him pay me what he wanted, and I left. Well, he told all his friends about me, and suddenly I was covered up in work from older people. But, of course it was mostly mowing, not shredding. Before I knew it, my tractor was sitting at home and my riding mower was being hauled all over the place. Finally, I just had to turn down most of the work he referred me, since I really did not have the equipment, and wanted to focus on the shredding.
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Had someone call about goats they other day. I have mine priced on the higher end of the scale (but not really beyond what they are worth) because I've got a pretty good feed bill on them from the winter, and now I've got plenty of browse for them, so it is not costing anything to keep them until they sell. A guy calls me, and askes me how much, and he about explodes when I name the price, "Well, you can't get that much money for them at X (a pretty big livestock auction south of me.)" I tell him that is fine, cause I'm selling them at the auction. He tells me again that he was at the auction last weeks, and _knows_ I can't get the price I want for my goats. I explain to him that I've been selling goats pretty steady at my prices, but if he wants to come out and make me a deal, I'd probably take it, as that I've only three goats left to sell, and my ad in the paper is about to expire. He still goes on about the prices, so I just thank him for calling, and ask him to give me another call if he changes his mind.

 

[EddieWalker]

I am my business, so I don't have equipment of the overhead that you guys do in order to earn a living. Just my tools and ability to put things together.

One of the things that I like the most about being self employed is that I don't have to work for people I don't like. If a person comes across in a manner that I don't care for, I just don't work for them. This doesn't happen very often, but there are a few people out there that I've met who I just said "no thanks" to. My waiting list for clients is into October right now, it's not something I'm proud of, but it also allows me to be selective in who I work for.

When I first started out on my own, I was all over the place on pricing and trying to accomodate everyone. The more willing I was to work with a client, the more they took advantage. I just think it's human nature to try to get as good a deal as you can. I've modified my approach to a set price for my labor and the client pays for all materials. If I pick up the materials, they pay for that time too. This has proven to be a very good system that the client likes and is easy for me to work with.

Since I tell them my rates and that the time it will take to do the job is just an estimate, I haven't had anybody try to get me to lower my price. It's all word of mouth too, so I'm sure that my new clients already know what to expect and have already accepted my rates.

I've never been cussed out by a client, so I'm not sure how I'd handle that. I usualy make them cry, which is sort of a benchmark that I shoot for. If the wife cries, I've accomplished my goal and outdone their expectations.

Sorry to hear that you had to deal with such a person. The money is always out there and there is no reason to have to deal with people like that.

Eddie

 

[JSharp]

Someone has to listen to my rant, so why not you guys?

So, why is it the more obvious it is that a price change is in order, the more people squawk? Why is it people feel they can do whatever THEY want, but you're obligated to do whatever THEY want?

Rant over! I feel so much better now!

"The customer that pays the least complains the most."

I think that pretty much covers it...

 

[Noland]

I am a truck owner/operator and I get the same nonsense on occasion.
Former customers will call me up and say they want me to do some work for them again - at the same price I was charging a year or two ago!

 

[PILOON]

Farmwithjunk

I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess, that the people who got mad at you are more than able to pay for your services. These are probably the same type of people that charge an arm and a leg for services and expect everyone to pay their prices without question.

Solo

And probably a professional, like doctor or lawer or dentist that charges 'the association' book rates that end up being $400 an hour. (and to avoid taxes takes cash) then only works 4 days a week otherwise he pays too much taxes!

Remember once a doctor, was chief of staff, drove a jaguar but also flew an old beechcraft Bonanza V-tail.
At his annual I said Doc, can't sign off your airplane as the cords are showing on the tires, need to replace them.
Well airplane tires (1/2 the size of his Jag) actually cost twice the price, his response was the plane is just a hobby and I cant afford to replace them at that price, just give me another year on them.
Lost him as a customer!
But then he pleeded for a deal saying that he would refer lots of clients to me.
I responded that If all his friends were as cheap as him I did not wish to serve them!
Now actually he was the chronic worst case in our region and well known as the local mizer.
Biggest problem was his thrill was to beat you down and brag to his chums thereby introducing hoards of deadbeat el-cheepo's to your 'client list'.

I also did snow remouval as a hobby (kinda to underwrite my equipment).
That's another cut-throght area.
Some folks will change contractors for mere 1-2% (and then you generally chase them 6 months to get paid)

Some where I learned that you get 80% of your profits from 20% of your clients.
Same goes for troublesome clients.

Secret is to analize your client base and concentrate on the 20% and then you can give top service and make a decent living with decent hours as well!

 

[billbill1]

In my 56 years, I have spent the entire 56 years being hardheaded and it does not appear that it's going to change in the near future. With me it is take it or leave it, I'll leave that part up to who I'm dealing with. You pass up the opportunity that I have offered to you and that is that. When you find out that I was giving you a good deal and you return (wanting my service) you will find out that I won't work for or with you for "any price" This probably isn't the greatest stance to take but like I said, I've been like that for 56 years and it's not going to change anytime soon. I think that FWJ (Bill) and I have had some of the same schooling, even though it appears
that he was much better in school than me.

 

[rox]

She's an attorney with a very successful practice. He's a cardiologist. I wonder how many half priced triple bypass surgeries he's done this week?

That there was a good observation

 

[Skyco]

For instance, I bought a used car recently. It was a 2000 Nissan Maxima in pristine condition at a dealership that mostly dealt in high end imports like BMW, Lexus, Audi, etc. They operated kind of like a luxury Car Max and the posted price was THE price, no haggling. But, this car had been on the lot a long time (it was a manual transmission and most girly-boys can't drive them these days) so I wanted to haggle. I asked the salesman if there was 'anything he could do'. He smiled and said he'd knock the $200 processing fee off the price. I asked him what the 'processing fee' was and he smiled again and said "pure profit". He was straight up and honest, he was just throwing me a little bone and he understood that that was enough to make the sale and send me home with a car.

Doesn't that "processing fee" just get ya I know it does me.

A few months back I walked into an RV dealer to buy a travel trailer at the advertised price. Wanted it to leave on my remote mountain property, I already have an RV but figured this one would suit me as a "cabin" and I don't have to haul it back and forth as I do my toy hauler.

So sat down to do the paperwork, advertised price + tax. Then the salesman casually mentioned a $495 "processing fee". or "document fee" or some such nonsense.

No mention in the ad, no mention when I was inspecting the unit. Anyway I walked as it just hits me as dishonest to do business this way. I dodn't cuss him out though , just looked at him, told him no I'm not paying that ridiculous fee and left.

If they had included the "processing fee" in their advertised price I'd have probably still bought it as it was a pretty good deal. It just irks me when they try to pull something like that instead of being upfront.

Now I'm laughing because they have a lot full of RVs they can't sell due to the gas prices. Could have been one less

I made other plans and am building an actual cabin instead.......

 

[Farmwithjunk]

In my 56 years, I have spent the entire 56 years being hardheaded and it does not appear that it's going to change in the near future. With me it is take it or leave it, I'll leave that part up to who I'm dealing with. You pass up the opportunity that I have offered to you and that is that. When you find out that I was giving you a good deal and you return (wanting my service) you will find out that I won't work for or with you for "any price" This probably isn't the greatest stance to take but like I said, I've been like that for 56 years and it's not going to change anytime soon. I think that FWJ (Bill) and I have had some of the same schooling, even though it appears
that he was much better in school than me.

I like that reply!

I credit my father for a great deal of what I know in regards to what has led to any real success I've had in my life. He taught me that no matter what the "accepted way" is, no matter who says "this is the only way", in the end, it's all about what works best for YOU. In my case, it's been sticking to my guns. Some people call me hardheaded. (My wife at the top of that list) I say I'm persistant or dedicated to a cause. And like yourself, I have no immediate plans on changing.