How often do you treat customers?

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Or give them breaks? I'm doing an invoice for a shop now, they tried like hell to get the winding mounting screws out of a 356 generator housing and couldn't. I said I can do it, part of a decent clear cadmium order. A year or two ago I made a machine that does the job. I normally charge an hour to do it. But he's such a nice guy, I just put a NC in the end column. The machine works really well and feels good to give him a break.

Other shops I know, in my place, would bill 2 hours. I was talking to a local customer today about one of them.

Anyway, what's your experience? Softy or cold hard capitalist?

[pwd72s]

When I was a retail store owner, it was like you...once in a while, a break. Depended on the customer.

[RNajarian]

Good patients who referred friends and family got a lot of N/C s from me. In the long run the income from the new patients (customers) far outweighed the free treatment.

[Dantilla]

Much wiser to build repeat customers than try to maximize every invoice.

[Tobra]

Practically every single day

[rwest]

I try and toss in some little freebie on most of the orders I send out.

About 30 years ago, I used to stop at an independent Burger King almost every morning for breakfast and the owner would occasionally give me my order for free. Clearly a memorable gesture as I still remember it to this day.

For a good customer who brings in large sales regularly, I wouldn’t ever charge them for something that just took a few minutes to do.

[LWJ]

This is how to build loyal and strong customers.

As much as possible.

[rfuerst911sc]

The little freebie now and then goes a long way in a customer's mind . He will tell friends/relatives about great service . You will get your $$$ back ten times over . Think karma bank .

[unclebilly]

Every day. Cheapest advertising is a happy customer.

[look 171]

All the time unless they are jerks but I weed those out from the get go. Did the whole house for my real estate agent. This will be their retirement home. Got done, everyone is happy then about 10 years later on my way up to Alaska, phone rings when we were driving through OR. Water heater stopped working and leaking, dang it! I called my plumber and have him install a new one within the same day. Done, no issues and I get a call from her couple months later asking how much. My answer was nothing enjoy. They were shocked a bit but always knew we did stuff like that for people. From that, she got us a couple of huge restoration projects through her office. It all comes back with a smile. Yep, cheap but extremely effective advertisement.

[70SATMan]

Best I can do is free drinks at the hotel bar while reviewing site compliance testing data trying to get customer signatures to buy off on a site.

Been known to work, lol.

Not like I can comp them a free amplifier at $250k a pop.

[Zeke]

I gave away too much. Way too much. Never once had a doctor or dentist go light on me. I have no dental ins.

[917_Langheck]

My first real and regular job was at a watch and clock repair shop (great experience, lousy pay, but that is the fate of the apprentice). Lots of minor things were done up with free or minimal charge to the customer. Battery replacements, or fixing a janky band clasp, or the like, usually were done on the spot and for only the cost of materials, and sometimes not even for that. As noted above, it ensured when it was time for the big job the customer chose the shop where great service was given.

[Gogar]

I think you're doing well with the line item on the invoice and the price backed out. And then you do it once. Do it twice or forever if you want but every single occurrence makes your chances of returning to the right number more unlikely.

[id10t]

I do give extra credit opportunities on exams, and I will bump the entire classes grades a percent or two if it will reward those who deserve it but not the ones who dont. Also bring donuts on final exam night

Not exactly same-same but close enough

[DWBOX2000]

My grandfather built clocks, banjo, grandfather, granddaughter… I remember when I worked for him going for a ride to a customers house that had bought a clock 20 years earlier. He took it apart, cleaned the mechanics and off we went. No bill. He just liked helping people.

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by Gogar

I think you're doing well with the line item on the invoice and the price backed out. And then you do it once. Do it twice or forever if you want but every single occurrence makes your chances of returning to the right number more unlikely.

I was thinking that and didn't post it. It's true. it will go unnoticed but that feeling of "where's my discount?" will always be in the back of the mind. Rounding off hours is good enough. I really hate paying a quarter hour for 2 extra minutes.

Just the amount of time spent talking and explaining is your time not being paid. All but for attorneys. If I had the money for all the time spent in the background I could have paid for a new truck.

[911 Rod]

If I do something and don't charge for it I always put it on the invoice as N/C., but still put it on the invoice. Otherwise people don't realize you did it and it also makes them feel good.

When my bigger clients have a family member need a small printing job, usually no charge as well.

Seniors come in for one print and we always take the time to help them and just charge them for the print. Not sure if I'm being nice or just look at them and see me in the future.

[LWJ]

I need to clarify.

Today I quoted an apartment building that has been plagued with claims. Premium is 10x what they paid last year.

This is a long term valuable client.

I explained why. I provided a strategy to reduce cost over time. I made a plan to reduce their cost (and my income) in the coming year.

I will be donating my time and effort to reduce their cost/my income.

It is the right thing to do and this builds relationships.

If that makes sense. I am not discounting my commission, but rather partnering with them for a better future outcome.

[jhynesrockmtn]

I have a buddy who's a contractor. He hired a tree guy to take out a couple of trees where he is building a lean to roof on the side of my shed. The big tree was $2,000. The guy asked me to come out and look at something. He had dropped a large cutting and it bounced and put a dent in the side of my metal pole building. Maybe the size of a softball. The side I can't see normally. He was a bit freaked out and asked if I had any idea of how he might make it right. I said don't worry about it. S*&t happens. I'm not going to ask you to spend a few thousand to fix a ding in my shop I'll never see. The next day my friend called and said the tree guy had taken out three stumps and cleared the site. Work he had another guy lined up to do. "He was so appreciative you didn't make a big deal out of the mistake, he spent a bunch of time doing that extra work"

It's a good business strategy for a guy who my buddy uses quite a bit. He's also just a good guy who was relieved I wasn't some a-hole who was going to make him put new siding on my shop.