Full Version: On the Ropes
From: Rodney Gold (RODNEY_GOLD) [#4]
15 Sep 2005
To: ALL
I understand where you coming from
The customer has been a pain in the ass up till now and you basically subsidsed every job and went over the call of duty rhubarb rhubarb rhubarb and so on.........and now the big one comes and he's lowballing you thinking you are beggging for work!! - The swine !!
BUT look at it from his perspective and you have promoted this image yourself preciseley cos of the service you have given him. I'n being too good and ethical and all that , you did yourself in!!!
You see , he's sees you as this guy who has basically jumped at his endless stream of "Oh do I REALLLY wanna do this????" jobs ...so obviously in his mind if you acted smartly with small jobs , you GOT to grovel for the big one :)
If I were in this situation , IF I needed the work, I would have taken it on for the $900. Tell the guy it's a special introductory thing , one time offer etc.
I think there should always be a wiggle room built in , customers love feeling they got the better end of a bargain and it really only happens you leave money on the table once
Cos next time they come to you build the discount in and haggle a little , moan a little , cry you a small guy and have 17 starving kids to take care of --- the whole sob story,
Then grudgingly give in to the cheaper price (which is what your no haggle price woulda been) and he walks away feeling great and happy to pay etc.
A nice touch is to wring your hands Uriah Heep style and mutter things like "ever so 'umble yer lordship" as they go past :)
From: basehorawards [#5]
15 Sep 2005
To: Rodney Gold (RODNEY_GOLD) [#4] 15 Sep 2005
Sir Rodney,
Uriah Heep!
You bring back my days as a long hair - 8 track tape playing - rebel without a clue.
Thanks for the invitation to walk down memory lane.
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#6]
15 Sep 2005
To: Rodney Gold (RODNEY_GOLD) [#4] 15 Sep 2005
Doing the job for $800 would have still been profitable. The way I figure, I'd already let them have the good end of the stick all this time, which is, as you say, where I went wrong.
From: Ed (EMANA) [#7]
15 Sep 2005
To: ALL
What's an 8 Track? Just kidding.
David,
I think you did the right thing. Whenever I am told about "future work", I always tell them that I would be happy to offer them some sort of discount on that "future work", but right now, do it by the book.
As for the lost work, think of it this way: If you are fair in pricing (which I assume you are) then you could have taken that time to do $1000 worth of work instead of $800 for someone else. Or, you could take that time to find $1000 clients instead of the $800 ones.
A 20% discount for a PITA customer....no way!
Ed
PromoCreation, Inc.
How do you PromoCreate? =)
From: PenTrophy (PENINSULATROPHY) [#8]
15 Sep 2005
To: Ed (EMANA) [#7] 16 Sep 2005
From: sawdr73 [#9]
15 Sep 2005
To: PenTrophy (PENINSULATROPHY) [#8] 15 Sep 2005
From: UncleSteve [#10]
15 Sep 2005
To: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#6] 15 Sep 2005
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#11]
15 Sep 2005
To: ALL
I knew it would go this way, but I didn't want to count my chickens.
I received a call from the "economy-minded" company today, saying they'll go with me at my price.
I doubt they did any shopping, but if they had, I'm sure they discovered what I could have easily told them:
1. They couldn't find an engraver willing to take a risk on expensive items.
2. Of those engravers willing to take the risk, they couldn't find one who knew how to hold this item in their machine.
3. They couldn't find an engraver who would have the items back within 3 days.
4. They couldn't find an engraver who would engrave the items for less than my price.
Could have been one, or all of the above.
One thing they did discover -- I'm not the person to run the grind card on. :-)
EDITED: 17 Sep 2005 by DGL
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#12]
15 Sep 2005
To: Ed (EMANA) [#7] 23 Sep 2005
There was a time, when I let people grind me so often, and so hard, that I was on the verge of being evicted from my (rented) home. Your suggested mindset, was what I had to employ to work my way off the ropes.
This time around, it was easy for me to dismiss this company. I actually have substantial jobs waiting in the wings.
It wasn't always that way. When I was struggling, I didn't have those types of jobs on deck. Regardless, my attitude had to become one of confidence and I would bluff as if I were swamped.
It became important to advance the notion that I was a skilled craftsman, in high demand, and the quality in workmanship and level of service I offered made my pricing a bargain.
Naturally, all that is true, but in the days when I was on the ropes, the only person who didn't believe it was me.
EDITED: 17 Sep 2005 by DGL
From: Cindy (CINDYM) [#13]
23 Sep 2005
To: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#1] 23 Sep 2005
You know there is nothing that will get your back up better and faster than a client "telling" you what you will charge. To me, that is insulting and I'd just as soon not complete the work for them with that attitude. Add in the other state payroll, which to me equals 60-90 day payments, and their price would be higher than $1,000.
Good for you David for standing firm. We need to have some dignity and belief in our work value.
Cindy M