What is it with people and prices?

[Getoutofmylobby]

Why do some customers think they are exempt from paying the same rates as everyone else?

Customer walks in, breathless and bald... it's freezing cold outside and his head is still sweaty and shiny. (Oh wait, it's raining... )

BnB: "How much is it for two people king size bed for one night? Corporate rate, or Triple A or AARP, i've got all of that."
Me: "102 plus tax."
BnB: "That's ridiculous! This far away from town?"
Me: "Uh, sorry, i don't make the prices. And, really, town is only..."
BnB: "I could go up the street to the ___ and get the same room for 20 dollars cheaper."
Me: "Yeah, you're right. I'm sure their prices are cheaper."

He turns away from the desk, takes two steps and pauses. For a second, i thought he was playing Red Light, Green Light with me because just for a moment, he stood completely motionless...

BnB: "So you're not going to fight for my business?"
Me: "If you're unwilling to pay our prices, why should I?"
BnB: "Good BYE!"

I had to go in the back and throw some stuff around before i realized i have no control over these kinds of egotistical assholes and life is too short to let stuff like this bother me.

I did however call my friend at the ___ up the street to see if he stayed there. Nope, he wanted something cheaper.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

"He turns away from the desk, takes two steps and pauses."

OMG! He did the "acting" thing. How could anyone do this and not be stricken with near-lethal levels of embarassment and shame?!

I had a grown man do this once in Kinko's. Stomped a few steps towards the exit, stopped, then ACTUALLY TURNED TO SEE IF HE HAD AN AUDIENCE.

Yes. Like a little kid trying to use all his three year old powers of manipulation to get his way. He turned to look.

He didn't have an audience, in my case. I'd moved on to the next customer, glad to be rid of his sucky ass.

OMG! How embarassing. Displays of infantile manipulation attempts fill me with utter contempt. If I see someone pulling this utterly transparent stunt, I will never, ever be able to respect that person as an adult.

[chainedbarista]

bring on the drama; i need a good laugh.

he has two choices, pay it or leave and go elsewhere (or he could stay in his car, if he's truly that cheap). complaining, threatening, etc. does nothing (in this case, at least, too bad it doesn't always hold true), but it does make for good laugh material.

oh noes, you'll go elsewhere? whatever shall we do?

[Reyneth]

Don't you know? We're supposed to give them what they want for the price they want it!

At least in your buisness, prices are expected to go up and down. At my studio there are some things that have varied prices depending upon the work involved (photo restoration for one) but most things have set prices. Period.

Except for one "pro" photographer. Last year he comissioned custom collages to be made from family photos he took. Ok, no problem - except he didn't buy them all. Very few, in fact. I discussed the situation with my manager, we agreed he had to pay a set-up fee for the ones he did not buy, to be credited towards the purchace if he did buy any of them later. Fair, right?

Wrong. He somehow weasled out of it and didn't pay for anything, including the retouching (removing phone/electric wires) that he also requested.

Two weeks ago he calls and wants the collages on a CD - FOR FREE. Excuse, me, what? No. Not happening. I bluntly told him I'd have to talk to the owner about what he would charge, and if he doesn't pay, he doesn't get the collages. *click* (yeah, I got in trouble for that one - but I will not take abuse from anyone, "customer" or not.) Manager says to work up prices for the collages in the sizes he requested. Total came to about $350 (he should've taken my offer for the setup fees alone - about $200 less).

Guess how much he paid?

NOTHING. He got the CD with the collage images (which are technically copyrighted to our store) for the price of a CD.

I was and still mad at my manager for doing that - is my work and time and effort really worth NOTHING? If this dude photographed a wedding but then the couple separated before he got them their photos, he would still expect payment for his time. So how in *bleep* is this any different?

It's not - except he has an entitlement and attitude problem and thinks he deserves whatever he wants at the price he can be bothered to pay.

I'm not doing *any* more of his work. Period. If boss tries to make me, I'll just threaten him with a lawsuit - he used a collage I made on my personal time with my personal photos (cousin's baby at her house for Christmas photos) in his promotional materials. He has no release, nada. Totally illegal. But I'm holding that one in reserve (and maybe until after I find the new job I've been desperately searching for!).

PS - if for some reason I am forced into doing any work for this jerk, I won't do it unless he signs a "contract" stating exactly what he is requiring of us and he knows that it will cost him $$, the same price every other customer would pay. No money? No services.