Do you adjust you prices when appropriate??

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

I assume those of us who are self employed or run small businesses have set pay rates hourly/daily or weekly as appropriate?

However do you adjust them accordingly when it would not be appropriate to charge full costs?

e.g.

I have a job on the go at the moment...

elderly gentleman (probably late 80's)...

rang about problems with his bath chair lift..

I popped round..

I reckon it is the battery (12v 2.2ahr) that has reached the end of its life, (5 or more years old)

I am popping back on Monday to fit a new battery...

but I didn't have the heart to charge full labour rate plus battery...

so I told the guy

 

[Zeespark]

I know where you are coming from my friend. Once had an 80 year old ladies daughter on the phone pleading to me at 2am to help her fix her upstairs lights. It was only a 3036 fuse element melting. Her daughter was there and lined up the

 

[MR DIAZ]

Hi there Special Locations

but I didn't have the heart to charge full labour rate plus battery...so I told the guy

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

The only time i give work away is for clients that have given me a vast amount of work ( as a thank you )

As for your client who had given you 20 quid after you

 

[MR DIAZ]

Hi Mr D.I only partially agree with your points..

I agree with discount in Lu of other work..

which is the category that the lady with the light switch replacement falls into.

she had during the previous two months paid me

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

"a 10 quid battery and a couple of quid for labour i find trivial for someone who should easily be able to manage costings "

To clarify:

 

[MR DIAZ]

It all boils down to if you are happy with that..........if so then great

Carry on......there

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

It all boils down to if you are happy with that..........if so then greatCarry on......there

 

[steptoe]

I do, would, will continue to do so, adjust my pricing to meet the customer and circumstances. and have been doing so for past 20yrs ish.

why would i charge the old lady on her pension at the end of my road in her rented council house the same price to put up a new light in her living room as i would charge the millionare 30 miles away in his mini mansion to put one up in his,?

I think its called pricing to meet the market.

 

[ashgrab]

Sister-in-law cleans an elderly gentlemans house. She asked me if I could put a new light in the kitchen for him. No probs I said.

Turned up at the house with a fluorescent fitting that I had spare. He met me at the door with his zimmer, he was in his 80's. Had a cuppa with him and found out that he used to arm the spitfires during the second world war. upmost respect for the man, job done for nowt.B)

 

[Theorysparky]

Sister-in-law cleans an elderly gentlemans house. She asked me if I could put a new light in the kitchen for him. No probs I said.Turned up at the house with a fluorescent fitting that I had spare. He met me at the door with his zimmer, he was in his 80's. Had a cuppa with him and found out that he used to arm the spitfires during the second world war. upmost respect for the man, job done for nowt.B)

Old boys with their war stories........priceless !!!!!

 

[ashgrab]

Old boys with their war stories........priceless !!!!!

Absolutely m8.

 

[sparky999]

I dont take money off customer as im just an employee but my boss is the same if we go to an elderly persons house, just to change a switch or just a little job which is like 15 mins work.

He says call it a tenner i think you have to be like this to assure them that there are some good people out there and not all rip off merchants. At the end of the day you have left them happy with the work you have done.

 

[steptoe]

Old boys with their war stories........priceless !!!!!

you want to take them to the pub, buy them a few drinks and listen some more.

jeez, if it wasnt for these guys we wouldnt be able to have this discussion,

and we think we have it hard sometimes....

puts it all into perpespective dont it,!

 

[welshwizard]

Hit the nail on the head there Steptoe. I have heard some great things about their experiences in life.

 

[steptoe]

Hit the nail on the head there Steptoe. I have heard some great things about their experiences in life.

my grandfather never ever talked about it, all anyone ever knew wa he was a stoker in the ROYAL NAVY, and had gotten really badly burnt during the war,

(that was why he never talked about it)

he died a couple of years ago, and my cousin(who is high up in the marines) decided to get some history on him, found out he was due about 4 medals he had never went to receive, (why not?)

then he hit a brick wall.!

CLASSIFIED INFORMATION.!

FFS, if a f'in officer in the Royal Marines cant have access WTF is it.?!

old folks, eh?

what are they like........

F'in gold dust the lot of 'em.

Ive actually lost money working for old folks, sit listening to the stories all day and get no jobs done.!!!

dont care (on occasion) makes me realise how good i get it. B)

 

[kme]

evenin` guys.

This looks set to be a lively debate. Lots of differing points to look at this from.

I`m tending to think that Specloc`s pricing list won`t be too far out; as a general rule. I DO alter my prices; especially with the older generation, as I KNOW I won`t rip them off, but would worry about how someone else may treat them.

Yes, if it`s a small job I would waive the "per hour or part thereof" portion, and just cover my time. I also have to take into account that, as a relatively new company, we are still attempting to increase our customer base. If an elderly person gets good service, feels safe & comfortable with you in their house, and doesn`t get charged extortionately; their family or friend`s families will hear about it.

By the same score, If I`m pricing an occupied rewire, and the place is full of furniture that I`ll have to move, or untidy, then I`m going to stick a few percent on top, because it`ll annoy me.

Every comment made so far has, to my mind, produced some good points IMHO. :x B)

 

[welshwizard]

Aww Bless.

Quite right too, gentlemen.

 

[kme]

Aww Bless.QUOTE]

Get it right bud:

Bless is little cotton socks.

Come on - get with the programme........ :^O :^O:^O

 

[Theorysparky]

my grandfather never ever talked about it, all anyone ever knew wa he was a stoker in the ROYAL NAVY, and had gotten really badly burnt during the war,(that was why he never talked about it)

he died a couple of years ago, and my cousin(who is high up in the marines) decided to get some history on him, found out he was due about 4 medals he had never went to receive, (why not?)

then he hit a brick wall.!

CLASSIFIED INFORMATION.!

FFS, if a f'in officer in the Royal Marines cant have access WTF is it.?!

old folks, eh?

what are they like........

F'in gold dust the lot of 'em.

Ive actually lost money working for old folks, sit listening to the stories all day and get no jobs done.!!!

dont care (on occasion) makes me realise how good i get it. B)

My Grandad was the same would not talk about his trips and experiences

asked my dad about it and he said that he lost too many mates during the war

he used to man the deck guns on the destroyers,,he appeared in a book about them and i have a copy full of little notes he's added.

alas he's gone and taken the stories with him