Customer insists on a Sunday pickup, then wants a discount!

So for me to work Sundays it has to be something really special, or, as in the case of this woman, a good tug at the heartstrings. She has to move, has excess junk to dispose of, landlord wants her stuff out by Sunday, she has a crazy work schedule and can ONLY do this on Sunday at 6:30 pm. She's called EVERYBODY and NOBODY can do this for her on Sunday. Reluctantly, I agree, after agreeing on a price with her of $200.00. "Do you take credit cards?" she asks. Of course.

In fact, since I've been burned on this kind of stuff before, I'm not leaving her the opportunity to shop for somebody cheaper while I make the hour drive to her place, or get her family to come and do it and conveniently forget to call me. Therefore, pay me now, and it is non-refundable.

She agrees, continues to whine. "I'm 58 years old and am working really hard at my job!" (I'm three years younger.) And I'm coming to haul your crap ON A SUNDAY! WHEN I DON'T WORK!

"Since I'm such an old lady, can you give me any better price than that?"

I'm stunned into silence for a moment. "So you're telling me NOBODY else will do this, you've cajoled me into working on SUNDAY, and now you want a DISCOUNT?" Shall I hang up now, or do you want to do this for the price we agreed upon?"

She paid, I'm doing it Sunday.

That being said, I thank God every day that I have customers. Even this one! :-)

i thought rescuing damsels in distress was part of your motto, keep up the good work burly it will all pay off in the end

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jghilino

i thought rescuing damsels in distress was part of your motto

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Yep, that's why I'm doing it!

Double time here on Sundays. 84$ per man per hour. As far as securing payment I would up front. 18 years in the moving business, I've seen my share if every scenario.

If you price your services cheaply. You invite more than your share of sob stories, who may or may.not pay you come Bill time.

There is no money in local moving, anymore. There's too many companies and too many guys willing to work cheaply. We do very little local work. The real money international and certain interstate work. Specialized freight and commercial/ industrial work pays better. Too many fly by nighters in the local raquet fighting over people who demand cheap service.

See I don't mind Sundays so much. My company is 7 days a week pick ups or drop offs unless I am out of town. But I do think it was over the top of her to ask for a better price from you. She should be happy you are doing her this much if you don't normally work on Sunday.

Wow John.. How Timely your post is. I had a guy that was getting kicked out of the complex I do general contracting work at. He said "Hey could you bring your trailer over here, help me move- I gotta be out by Sunday.. I'll pay you $50 bucks.. but I won't have it for 2 weeks!" I told him- Dude you can rent a Uhaul for $19.99 a day- for a full 24 hour period.. His response "Well that would be great.. but I have a suspended license" Since I'm not a mover- and duck doing it for ANYONE except family (I learned the hard way) I was having trailer plating issues (still waiting on a replacement plate) I passed and used that as my excuse.

I relised a while ago via mowing lawns.

If you don't get the ca$h up front. You might as well mow everyones lawns & then a few days later turn up on their doorstep & say...

"Hello, I mowed your lawn a few days ago & would you, if you want too, like only if you really really want to, give me some money, whatever amount you want to pay, whenever you want to, for mowing your lawns?"

......................

Sounds like that lady was possibly going through a really hard time financially, and/or has a lot of other stuff to deal with at the same time. Can't blame her at all for trying. God knows, I read "the worst they can do is say no" given as advice on these forums often enough. You can simply say "No I'm sorry, I'm already giving you as much of a discount as I possibly can by not charging you my usual weekend rate", or whatever you prefer. No need to be a Richard about it.