Anybody here have a policy on this?
I give 10% above any price or sale price I am running at the time. Really helps me get customers. A large part of my clients are senoir.
Yeah, a lot of mine are too.
That’s why I don’t offer it.
I do not give a senior discount. If my customers are are making a decision based on a few dollars I do not want them as customers.
I resist that temptation as well for the same reasons as Jeremiah. A lot of my senior citizen customers are my wealthiest customers. This is a luxury service. If a senior citizen needs some kind of break I’d much rather move a piece of furniture or fix a loose piece of siding as a favor. And what not.
Discount?! Ugh, I hate that word… unless of course I’m looking for a discount on a product or service. Haha.
Thank you Dan, Mark and Sethfenster. I knew I wasn’t the only one
You guys have all made me take another look at this idea. Maybe I should stop it. I agree that many of my senior clients are the wealthiest. My wife says I give too much away. Maybe it’s cuz I am almost a senior citizen myself. I get my discount at Denny’s…
I do not advertise senior discounts, but what I have done a few times in the past is tell people who have asked “no, unfortunately we don’t, but we’ll give you $10 off if you pay by cash or check at the time of your service!”
Many seniors (and really people in generally) just want to be made to feel that you’re looking out for them and giving them a good deal. So $10 is worth that for me.
They’re so funny though, as I fill out the invoice… “ok, now I am gonna pay you right now, so don’t forget that $10 discount!”
It’s all about the stories we tell ourselves in our head, and I don’t mind giving my clients a small reason to tell themselves the “Michael really treats me right and takes good care of me” story.
One of the things we’ve started doing is offering to change their smoke alarm batteries while we have our ladders out. A great good will effort on our part and just one more reason for us to come back in six months. Carry a supply of 9 volt and AA batteries with us.
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Could be a liability issue… I wouldn’t want to be the last one touching the smoke detector.
I’m not too worried about that. Builds an incredible amount of goodwill. They are usually right there chatting away as you put batteries in and test them. Chances are, if there is a fire, they will be very greatful that the smoke alarm, with it’s fresh batteries, saved their life. Honestly can’t see where a lawsuit would come into play.
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Woah Woah are we a bunch of skinflints here?!? JK;-)
Good to know the general pulse to help funnel my business practice.
My thoughts are to say that we don’t but I could credit them a gift card if they leave a review for me…
nope. No discounts. It takes just as long to clean them, and they are likely far better off than my younger customers. If they are not, and need a discount to make it affordable then I am not the right guy for them. They would need to hire an amateur. I agree though that helping them out with something small that they can’t do would be a nice thing to do. I once gave a senior a ride to the post office and back on my lunch break. That was far more valuable to her than a few $'s discount, and it only took me 10 mins.
Discount? Nope. I’ve actually had quite a few people who have called ask me if I could give them a senior discount. HUH? And its been HOW long since your windows were cleaned?
One house I did actually had a patio slider have a bunch of scribbles from crayons all over it FROM 25 YEARS AGO!!! I gave them a “Senior” discount like a dummy and actually PAID to clean their windows. I lost 28 bucks on that job. Yeah sure, they were happy.
So when they call me back when I’m 65 years old, and they are in their 90’s maybe I’ll charge a couple dollars more.
I got a family to feed. Ain’t running a charity here. Love to help people when I can, but that discount just don’t work for me.
I was just thinking the same thing. Perhaps if you test the battery for available strength and test the smoke alarm before you leave, BUT it does open you up for [B][U]liability[/U][/B] if for ANY reason the smoke alarm doesn’t work when needed.
I replaced batteries on smoke alarms while providing service for property management firms and realtors (foreclosure projects.)
No warranty was implied; I used a simply-worded waiver.
With seniors being all over the income scale, I have found usually the ones asking for a senior discount are not living in a custom home on a golf course in a gate guarded community
usually, lol
We do offer one. You folks are making me rethink our methods, though. 10% up until $25 off. It seems most folks who use it really need it. Most… Whats really great is when we get this "So I’m an angieslist cust.($25 off first time) and I got your flyer on my door and my mom lives with us(senior discount). That’s like, a bunch off your regular prices, huh?"
I tell them that doesn’t work at the grocery store and it doesn’t work with us, either… In a nice way.
I only offer a 10% discount to my clients who recommend me to someone who becomes a new client(I have discounted as much as $350.00 for a client’s referral)
