I have jobs that sometimes requires drilling and boring round metal to be used for bushings for heavy equipment because it is sometimes hard to find the right size wall thickness tubing, but occasionally a customer thinks the price is too much. What is your thought on this and how would you handle it ?
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Drilling and boring round shaft to make bushings
- Thread starter MDC
- Start date
Your time and equipment cost money. If you need to walk away instead of losing money, that's how it goes. Your customer will find that not everyone has a machine shop in their garage that works for free when they have to find another.
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- Jan 2, 2019
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Raise your price until he goes away.
I had a simple rule in my business:
You can tell me what you want done, you can tell me when you want it done, you can even tell me how you want it done, but you can't tell me how much you're gonna pay for it.
Good customers understand that custom work isn't cheap, if you were buying it from McMaster Carr you'd still have to charge for your time looking up the part, ordering it and providing him the service.
JMHO,
John
I had a simple rule in my business:
You can tell me what you want done, you can tell me when you want it done, you can even tell me how you want it done, but you can't tell me how much you're gonna pay for it.
Good customers understand that custom work isn't cheap, if you were buying it from McMaster Carr you'd still have to charge for your time looking up the part, ordering it and providing him the service.
JMHO,
John
That’s a tough one. People and businesses both are spoiled by low price import goods. Your challenge is to show the value in doing custom parts to quickly get them up and running. The customer needs to be educated, my advice is to explain that your provide a custom repairing service that if you can find someone who can meet your needs the you welcome them to do so, if not you still would be glad to keep them
up and running. But like your business I have overhead and cost that figured in to the cost of your work. But if you can get someone else I understand
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- 10,067
I was in the trade for nearly 50 years and business for about 35 years; you want it fixed, leave it in my shop, I will fix it the way I want to, and will charge a fair price for my work, if you don't like it, don't come back!
I ve been all too nice at times in these situations only to conclude some people are never happy no matter the price and there usually the ones that bicker about everything.
No longer! It is what it is. It is never remembered or thought of again. Just the fact they know you will adjust your price.
Sometimes customers need to be educated to see what service you are really offering and just how valuable you really are to them.
No longer! It is what it is. It is never remembered or thought of again. Just the fact they know you will adjust your price.
Sometimes customers need to be educated to see what service you are really offering and just how valuable you really are to them.
- Joined
- Mar 26, 2018
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- 8,386
Buying thick wall material is not cheap either!
In my business, it’s amazing how many people will use google or YouTube to fix their car. They buy parts that don’t work, they pay some shade tree mechanic to not fix their car, when they finally get around to taking it to a professional, they ***** about the price?
The vehicle is finally repaired and on time.
Always money ahead to have a pro do the work. (Well almost always)
In my business, it’s amazing how many people will use google or YouTube to fix their car. They buy parts that don’t work, they pay some shade tree mechanic to not fix their car, when they finally get around to taking it to a professional, they ***** about the price?
The vehicle is finally repaired and on time.
Always money ahead to have a pro do the work. (Well almost always)
- Joined
- Dec 7, 2018
- Messages
- 653
custom work comes with premium pricing. High Quality comes with premium pricing. Short turnaround time comes with premium pricing. Most customers understand this, there are times when you have to turn the work away if they dont like the pricing.
If it was me, and it isnt, but if it was, I would be trying to work with them on a blanket order with an end date established that if they dont take inventory then on the due date they must take it and pay for all of it. It would be a way you could get the price down while maintaining quality and shortening your lead times.
There are creative things you can do where you should be able to increase margins and at the same time have a happier customer....
If it was me, and it isnt, but if it was, I would be trying to work with them on a blanket order with an end date established that if they dont take inventory then on the due date they must take it and pay for all of it. It would be a way you could get the price down while maintaining quality and shortening your lead times.
There are creative things you can do where you should be able to increase margins and at the same time have a happier customer....