Sorry but gotta give you a little history here...
About a year ago, when I was just starting up my business and desperate for clients, I had a cocker owner call wanting information. Long story short, she haggled with me about the price, and me, being desperate and all, gave in and agreed to only charge $XX ($15 less than my normal cocker price). So, she's been coming to me ever since for that original quote. Not a recurring customer but a semi-regular. This Christmas, she wanted to buy her neighbor a gift certificate for a groom for her new cocker pup. Well, when she said that, I reminded her that my "real" price is not what SHE pays and that she gets a special deal. She was like..."REALLY?" Like she didn't know!! So, anyways, she didn't want to spend that much (surprise, surprise) so I told her I could do a bath/dry, nails, etc. (everything but the whole body cut) for $XX and she thought that would be fine...and maybe, get me a new client to boot!
Fast forward to today....a lady calls that got a gift certificate for my services from a friend. I said, "Great"...when would you like your appt?" We started setting the appt, then she wants to know what is included? I explained to her that for that price she would get the bath/tidy, etc...no full cut. (Lady)..."Well, how much is a full groom?" I tell her. (Lady)..."Well, my friend said that she pays something starting with, she thought she said, a "4". (I'm not editing it...that's what she said...lol) Ok...by this time, I'm getting a little irritated (at her for being annoying and at my client for discussing our special deal). I told her, that was a deal I made with just her friend, and that my normal cocker price is quite a bit higher than that. (Lady)..."Why would I pay $XX, when I can go a block down the street to my vet, and pay only $XX (the price of her gift certificate)? I said, well, I don't know? Maybe for the convenience of me coming to you and the quality of the groom you will get?? Umm?? I didn't know how to respond to that?? She went on and on repeating the fact that she could walk a block down the road and get it done for a lot less. "Well, I can do the bath and nails at home so she wouldn't need that part done??" (Me) "I'm sorry, but I don't do just cuts"...I can't guarantee the final results if I don't do the bath/dry that's the most important step, IMO. I finally told her that I guess she could use the gift certificate and apply a little extra with it to get the full groom. So she was like, "Well, I guess I'm going to have to think about it!...OK, let me know.
You know, I'm about ready to call my client and let her know how I feel about her making someone else think they would get the same deal I gave to her (full well knowing that she (EDITED OUT) me down from my real price when I was desperate). Maybe I'll just call her and let her know that with the New Year comes a new price! And if she balks, you know what, I have plenty of clients that are more than willing to pay my price and then some...she's been a PITA from day 1 anyways!! Of course, these are both people who live in nice big houses in a nice new subdivision! In contrast, my last groom today...a couple; both on disability, living in a small house in older neighborhood. First time doing their poodle, they want to set her up for every 4 weeks and they pay just as much as the cocker and they never even thought about questioning the price. They loved the results and the convenience, that's all that mattered!
Owning my own business has sure made me a stronger person...I use to feel guilty about asking people for money!! Not so much anymore
lol...
About a year ago, when I was just starting up my business and desperate for clients, I had a cocker owner call wanting information. Long story short, she haggled with me about the price, and me, being desperate and all, gave in and agreed to only charge $XX ($15 less than my normal cocker price). So, she's been coming to me ever since for that original quote. Not a recurring customer but a semi-regular. This Christmas, she wanted to buy her neighbor a gift certificate for a groom for her new cocker pup. Well, when she said that, I reminded her that my "real" price is not what SHE pays and that she gets a special deal. She was like..."REALLY?" Like she didn't know!! So, anyways, she didn't want to spend that much (surprise, surprise) so I told her I could do a bath/dry, nails, etc. (everything but the whole body cut) for $XX and she thought that would be fine...and maybe, get me a new client to boot!
Fast forward to today....a lady calls that got a gift certificate for my services from a friend. I said, "Great"...when would you like your appt?" We started setting the appt, then she wants to know what is included? I explained to her that for that price she would get the bath/tidy, etc...no full cut. (Lady)..."Well, how much is a full groom?" I tell her. (Lady)..."Well, my friend said that she pays something starting with, she thought she said, a "4". (I'm not editing it...that's what she said...lol) Ok...by this time, I'm getting a little irritated (at her for being annoying and at my client for discussing our special deal). I told her, that was a deal I made with just her friend, and that my normal cocker price is quite a bit higher than that. (Lady)..."Why would I pay $XX, when I can go a block down the street to my vet, and pay only $XX (the price of her gift certificate)? I said, well, I don't know? Maybe for the convenience of me coming to you and the quality of the groom you will get?? Umm?? I didn't know how to respond to that?? She went on and on repeating the fact that she could walk a block down the road and get it done for a lot less. "Well, I can do the bath and nails at home so she wouldn't need that part done??" (Me) "I'm sorry, but I don't do just cuts"...I can't guarantee the final results if I don't do the bath/dry that's the most important step, IMO. I finally told her that I guess she could use the gift certificate and apply a little extra with it to get the full groom. So she was like, "Well, I guess I'm going to have to think about it!...OK, let me know.
You know, I'm about ready to call my client and let her know how I feel about her making someone else think they would get the same deal I gave to her (full well knowing that she (EDITED OUT) me down from my real price when I was desperate). Maybe I'll just call her and let her know that with the New Year comes a new price! And if she balks, you know what, I have plenty of clients that are more than willing to pay my price and then some...she's been a PITA from day 1 anyways!! Of course, these are both people who live in nice big houses in a nice new subdivision! In contrast, my last groom today...a couple; both on disability, living in a small house in older neighborhood. First time doing their poodle, they want to set her up for every 4 weeks and they pay just as much as the cocker and they never even thought about questioning the price. They loved the results and the convenience, that's all that mattered!
Owning my own business has sure made me a stronger person...I use to feel guilty about asking people for money!! Not so much anymore

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