On June 17, 2018 at 10:58, Ernie Gilman said...
You realize, though, that many people fail tests like that because they don't read the instructions, right?
yes I do they also don't read the questions, make up their own question and then give an irrelevant answer. Just like
On June 17, 2018 at 12:03, punter16 said...
It's actually like:
Client: (Looks at bid) "That's expensive"
You: (without asking questions) "It takes a lot to put this together...finest automation products today...this is an 85" 4K blahblahblah, Monitor Audio is an incredible speaker...we're put speakers in the Dining Room, Butler's Pantry, Master Bedroom...we have this OVRC...etc."
When you ask questions like ANY salesperson should:
Client: (Looks at bid) "That's expensive"
You: "Is there something you're comparing it to?"
Client: "I thought I saw that TV at Best Buy for $400.00 less."
Communication helps us get to the root of the objection, situation or implied thought. We're assuming that the customer in the original post had a problem with our labor rates. You don't know if he did until you ask.
In my opinion, the above is a better option than not answering the e-mail or pretending the question didn't happen. If the customer ends up asking you in person the next time you see him, do you just look at him, smile and say nothing?
The OP clearly stated
On June 6, 2018 at 23:21, tca said...
We just had a good, long-time client email us to ask if the tech really makes $x per hour (x is our service rate).
Where did he say the client (Looks at bid) "That's expensive" or "I thought I saw that TV at Best Buy for $400.00 less."
as for your scenario(s)
IMHO
1)
Client: (Looks at bid) "That's expensive"
should not normally happen. That is why you sit down with a customer and play 1000 questions before you start on the design. Yes sometimes you will get a customer that wants a Lamborghini but only has the budget for a Civic but it is during that process that you need to make him realize what is happening and come up with something that is acceptable in features and budget to the customer.
There is no sense designing a system with a 30k$+ projector if the guy can only afford a 1K$- projector.
That being said there was this one time when during the wait period ( the time between the design and us starting to work on his project) the client was let go from work and so it became hard for him to afford plan A and so we did a redesigned scaled down plan B.
2) "I thought I saw that TV at Best Buy for $400.00 less."
a) We itemize the equipment (i.e. TV brand x model Y....) but just give a total equipment cost for them, so unless it is a "swap" (i.e. what will it cost to replace the TV I have now with a bigger one) he can't exactly compare the cost of the TV.
We don't do it to stop comparisons but because it is a "package" , it is an all or nothing choice so why make it look differently. Otherwise if the client decided to go buy the TV at BB because there is a special what would it mean for support? will he call BB? will he call us? will we need to try and fix it for free (not fair for us), will we need to charge him labour (there go the savings) and then say "sorry we can't do anything about it, the issue is with the TV and you now need to call BB (plus call us back after they come and mess it up and we need to charge for a second service charge)"
b)We don't negotiate on prices (work or stuff), so if he can get the stuff cheaper somewhere else he can say no and get it from there and ask them to install it. There will be no hard feelings on our part. We charge for designing so we got paid for all the work that went into the project already. The way we see it a project can have one or more of three parts: 1) design; 2)pre-wire/build; 3) equipment and installation. each needs to be seen kind of like their own job and a client can choose what he wants from the three.
