They advised me they already pay for the services they need by belonging to such excellent support groups such as SRT, PHCC, ACCA, QSC, IIAQC, and the like. Why, I was asked, would they want to pay more for a product so they can be told either how to use it, or what works for other people. Most of the information that is passed on in the so-called free consultation services is the same things they have heard before or that is available through the professional services they already pay to belong to.
One contractor asked me if it cost money to print and mail newsletters and catalogs and to send out a plethora of information that he doesn't have time to read anyway. He said he would rather me not do this and take the cost out of the products he is currently buying. He said what he needed from me is low cost, high quality products and services. After all, he was in Las Vegas attending a SRT meeting with all the costs that entails and he was perfectly happy with their services and level of consultation. What he wanted from me were shoe covers and safety supplies.
This made me think about how we do things. I have always been so proud that we offer a FREE consultation service along with our products. So let us tell you how to grow your business and of course as you grow we grow. Sounds good doesn't it? But guess what? It costs money to provide those supposedly free services. Money for marketing our FREE consultation service. Ads, newsletters, mail-outs, postage, hours of employees time making up free consultation pieces and on and on. Who pays for that?
Ultimately the customer does. It is after all part of the overhead costs of doing business. The customer does have to pay more for FREE consulting services. It is an old adage of business that lower overhead produces lower costs. Our customers are telling us that they would rather pay 10 or 20 percent less for the products than get our FREE consultation. They already pay to belong to their success groups and coaching services, so why pay again for something you already have.
We will still offer the tips and consultation if asked or during a presentation at trade shows and meetings. We wont call it FREE any more, though. It will be included or available at no extra charge. We will stop spending money on marketing such obviously NON FREE services and will put that money towards keeping our prices low and our quality of products and services high.
The business owners have talked, and we have listened. If they want to be consulted, they will ask. If they already pay for services from SRT, they just need us to help them with their bottom line when it comes to supplies. Wal-Mart is the most successful retail company in the world. Why? Product, price, and customer service is what they offer. They don't charge you more to show you how to get ketchup out of the bottle when you first open it.
