How much am I worth? What makes me worth more?

[Benny Smyth]

And this is just a list of the types businesses that have given me a discount just for asking. I may have put in a large order, said it's just too much money or suggested I could find it cheaper elsewhere, but I still got a discount.

Oh, I see. Your argument being that because it happens everywhere, it's fair?

If I want the gig and I'm not sure if I'll get another and they still want money off surely it's a bit silly to stand your ground?

I wonder how the client would feel if they were told by their employers that they would be getting a cut in pay and if they don't take it, they'd lose their job. Sure it's a cut in pay and that is completely unacceptable, but it'd be silly to just stand your ground, right? I mean, there are absolutely no other jobs out there on this planet that would pay them the wage they expect for their field of work that they specialise in and let's not dance around this: what we do is a specialist area. A lot of people say that they can DJ but how many actually can? We are no different to solicitors, accountants or any other specialist field.

[Excalibur]

It might be standard business practice but if I found out paid £100 more for my insurance than someone I know just because they asked for a discount it would be the last time I used that particular insurer. Same with pretty much the rest of the examples you gave.

Mobile phones. When you come to upgrade, you'll be given an awful deal, especially compared to what you can get as a new customer elsewhere.

If you ring disconnections, and threaten to leave, then magically, you get a better deal than you could get if you move. Market forces.