How Do You Deal With...

[Dynamic Entertainment]

The caller thats says "That much, ive been quoted £xxx, which is alot cheaper than you"..?

Ive started getting quite a few of these calls, and most of them i know ive no chance of converting so dont even bother trying.

My standard phrase now is along the lines of

"Im sorry sir (or madam) but we are a professional business and unfortunately we do have overheads which need covering, which is refelected in the price".

How you you guys deal, or would deal, with similar callers?

Thanks

Steve

[rob1963]

Hi Steve,

Fortunately I don't have this problem, partly because I rarely get phone calls...as nearly all my enquiries come via email, and partly because I have prices on my website, so people already know what I charge before contacting me, meaning there's no chance of me giving them a quote which shocks them due to being way over their budget.

[Shakermaker Promotions]

I think I have only ever had the "How Much?...etc" comment once before. I was about to explain that you get what you pay for and I am a full time professional but before I could say anything, they put the phone down!

[1st Choice Karaoke]

I've had a few and usually explain the usual PLI, PAT etc and that every disco is different due to experience and equipment used, but its sometimes difficult to get it across. For example, people have had quotes from some joker near us offering to undercut any other quote in the area. His total rig is worth about £300 so not the most amazing show but he must still get a few gigs due to the price he charges. I'm not saying he's no good, maybe he is. It just makes selling your services at a sensible price that little bit harder.

[Penfold42]

Politely leave the conversation. Well no point in going any further, I've got things to do. :)

[wensleydale]

I try and explain why there might be a difference- it happened just yesterday- I talked through the equipment, the experience, how I work, and exactly what the client would get for the fee.

[Penfold42]

I try and explain why there might be a difference- it happened just yesterday- I talked through the equipment, the experience, how I work, and exactly what the client would get for the fee.

Are people really interestd in equipment?....I've never had anyone say..."Oooooo Denon, Great!' :)

[wensleydale]

Are people really interestd in equipment?....I've never had anyone say..."Oooooo Denon, Great!' :)

I think they are interested in the fact that you use good quality equipment that sounds good, looks good, isnt too obtrusive and is more than up to the job.

So in short, yes, I think its a key part to the service- otherwise we would all use rigs the cost £300 surely?

[Leicester Ben]

I regularily get asked why my wedding discos are at least £150 more than every other quote that they have had, I simply point out to them that my DJ's are full time and proffesional guys and are in high demand hence the high fee, this tends to make them see the picture for wedding clients.

It dosent work as well with 18th, 21sts etc so I tell these customers that we supply DJ's to Leicester Uni and Demontfort Uni on a weekly basis and that they play to over 6,000 students a week. This tends to do the trick also.

[Megamix]

you could say "well I could get my drive tarmaced for 200 quid by a bloke knocking on my door" - it might illustrate the point

[rob1963]

I think they are interested in the fact that you use good quality equipment

Yes, but that doesn't mean they want you to talk through everything.

All you need to tell them is that you use good quality professional equipment...and then spend the rest of the time discussing what they want & the SERVICE you provide.

[CRAZY K]

The caller thats says "That much, ive been quoted £xxx, which is alot cheaper than you"..?

Ive started getting quite a few of these calls, and most of them i know ive no chance of converting so dont even bother trying.

My standard phrase now is along the lines of

"Im sorry sir (or madam) but we are a professional business and unfortunately we do have overheads which need covering, which is refelected in the price".

How you you guys deal, or would deal, with similar callers?

Thanks

Steve

Got one today, wants it next Saturday starts saying can you beat this quote language so as we are rather busy--its Summer--im afraid we say --

Thats a good quote take it ==byeeeeeeeee!

We just cant be bothered and can tell witihin seconds whether we have someone we can help or not.

I dont want our lines blocked by tyre kicking muppets when genuine clients we can help are trying to get through:mad:

[mikeee]

.....well thats fantastic, and if they are as good as me, call them straight back and book them as I don't know anyone charging that fee.....

[Solitaire Events Ltd]

The caller thats says "That much, ive been quoted £xxx, which is alot cheaper than you"..?



I don't even entertain these conversations any more.

How can you compare your prices to someone else when you don't know the kind of service they provide, how they run their company and what their overheads are?

[Dynamic Entertainment]

Cheers for the replys guys.


I don't even entertain these conversations any more.

How can you compare your prices to someone else when you don't know the kind of service they provide, how they run their company and what their overheads are?

Good point Daz.

The last one, was wanting me to drop my price to £45....either they are cowboy or the most cost effective business ive ever came across.

[ppentertainments]

TBH Steve, I don't think an 0800 number helps greatly neither. I know if I am phoning round looking for something cheap I always look at the freephone numbers and ring round

[Dynamic Entertainment]

TBH Steve, I don't think an 0800 number helps greatly neither. I know if I am phoning round looking for something cheap I always look at the freephone numbers and ring round

It was a toss up between 0800 or 0845 Chris, as i knew id be moving a round a fair bit house wise. 0800 was the lesser of two evils :)

[Vectis]

I0800 was the lesser of two evils :)

It most certainly was!

See the document linked to in the "business cards" thread ... a large chunk of consumers are uncomfortable calling 0845's but the majority are OK with 0800 as they know it's free.

Anyway, if number portability is the main concern, get a VOIP number from Vonage for a few quid a month. It's an 01xx number of your choice which just connects to any broadband router globally. You can even take it on holiday with you and it'll still ring :)

[CRAZY K]

It most certainly was!

a large chunk of consumers are uncomfortable calling 0845's


Annoying because its not included in the almost universal approach to phone packages which is "free" calls to standard land lines in the UK.

Well not mine anway

[NKR]

I don't do price discussions on the phone. If people say they can get it cheaper then they get it cheaper (if its a sensible conversation about an all day wedding then we can negotiate price a bit, but base DJ costs are not open for negotiation unless its a short job).
As most of our bookings are word of mouth we don't get that many random calls anyway, but guess that will change when we get the web going.

[CRAZY K]

I don't even entertain these conversations any more.

How can you compare your prices to someone else when you don't know the kind of service they provide, how they run their company and what their overheads are?

Agreed 100 per cent, but unfortunately these kind of people are incapable of understanding these things, therefore an intelligent conversation is not possible.

[STEVE HANLEY]

I'm not bothered about the how much? brigade anymore. I used to let it bother me but not now.

I have a price band I won't go below and if Sid can do it cheaper let him get on with it.

I will say that I do give them the old PAT/PLI spiel and sometimes even throw in the old NADJ members spiel. Which I'd be surprised if any £60 quid merchant has. But tbh I don't think the majority of Joe public cares about any of that.

So let them go for the cheaper guy. You never know what the next enquiry will bring in:beer1: :beer1: