[capital-services]

If you do then contact 3 double glazing sales guys and ask them to do you a quote, guy been here 3hrs started with a price 2450 then with a promotion down to 1590 then after he left called 20 mins later to offer 1450 and a phone call from hes boss telling me hes doing me a favor (cheek) and still parked on my driveway I give him 10 out of 10 for persistance is this how we should sell??

[Mike Osbourne]

These guys give sales and indeed good, useful sales techniques a bad name. It's how they use them and their intent that's bad.

Having said that, sometimes I watch Rogue traders and this Granny says I can't afford it, I need to think about it ect ect and the guy gets slagged off for doing what he should do which is to find out what's behind the rebuttal and offer up a solution.

If he can't get a yes or a proper no in an hour then he's not very skilled.

And the test is... if she buys and still likes it 6months down the line and recommends it to her friends then that's fine, even if someone else could buy the same thing for half the price elsewhere, because to her it was worth it.   

[John Kelly]

Had a guy round to give a quote for a new block paved driveway. From a company with a very good name up here same name as the hills to the West
Anyway he measures up then comes in with his laptop and starts to so us a presentation of how theirs is the best and all the rest are cowboys.
The quote £14,500, but there is a 30% discount on offer which brings it down to £10,150. Still told him it was too much. He then produces a letter adressed to all sales reps "due to extra capacity on our block paving division please offer an extra 10% discount on all quotes until further notice"
Why couldn't he just give me the price they wanted for the job and be done with it.
He went out the door in a right huff.

[Joe H]

John, its just like the Kirby cleaner sales persons - start off at £1450 and Ive known someone to buy at that - but the lowest is £850 they come down to.
Your a saleman John, which would you prefer?
Its got to be a goer for them to try.

[John Kelly]

Nah, it pes people off and is un ethical in my mind. I don't mind haggling downwards sometimes from a starting price but that starting price is a fair price in the first place not some airy fairy figure. Trouble is some vunerable people such as widows etc pay that price as you say. They are being ripped off.

[Joe H]

Could'nt agree more - feel sorry for them really.

[Mike Osbourne]

If I saw a used car for sale in Autotrader for £15k and I liked it, but it said NO OFFERS I'd dismiss it. If it was £16k open to offers I'd be looking for a 'bargain'.

We assume the price is padded cos that's the way it works.

[John Kelly]

Mike its one thing padding the price but adding thousands on to try and get vunerable people to cough up and make a fatter profit stinks.
When I got a builder to give me a quote for an extension, he didn't say "normally it would be £30,000 but I have a special offer on at the moment and its only £23,000 if you sign now.
He went away and specced it up and posted out an itemised quote which was acceptable. Thats the way I like to do business.
The car trade is different altogether, I know a few people in it and we won't go there.

[mark_roberts]

I think because we're in business we can see these sales techniques for what they are but an ordinary joe will think wow thats a generous discount and buy.

Look at Woodbridge and there £1000 off offer a while back.  People where tripping over themselves to get one.

Mark

[Shaun_Ashmore]

If the rep gives a price and in the same breathe offers a discount and then a few sentences later when he doesn't hear the Yes word knocks some more off then he sound desperate to me.

How many of you offer a price and then as you are walking out of the door throw the dice one last time? of course it sounds desperate, what kind of job will a desprate man do?

I give them the price and if it's a firm no then I ask what were you expecting to pay? if they are argueing over £5-10 on a decent sized job or there is enough in it and I want it Yes I'll come down, if it's a NO I expected it to be 50% less I say thankyou for your time and off I go. But I have had people call me back because they like that approach and I would say that the % of return is high.

Shaun

[Mike Osbourne]

I agree with you Shaun, it's all about your posture. I kick myself sometimes when I don't get a job on price, but I'm sure i get more because I take a firm stance.

I might add something in but never come down on price because I think I've quoted a fair price for my services.

In addition I think it affects you unconsciously when you back down and it can start a spiral downward closing ratios.

[RAM Cleaning]

pricing is part of the english culture we all want a bargain, like was said in buying a car, if your the seller you will always ask for more than you actually want because you know someone will want to haggle the price, they always do even if it is in mint condition and listed under the book price.

When it comes to people like pro sales men for window companies they work on commision, the higher they sell the product the more they earn, also by dropping a few £1000 off the price the customer thinks they are getting a great deal and will want to buy, when in reality they are just paying a premium that they probably could have got done cheaper if they contacted there local builder for a price.

I know from carpet cleaning you sometimes give a customer a price and they start with "too expensive" sometimes when its a small job its not worth lowering your prices but giving them alternatives of multiple room discounts or other savings, some you just have to say thats your price so thats thats, (in the nicest way possible)