05/10/2021
A client asked me how much it cost to do a job.
I replied: "R 15000"
He said to me: 'For this job? That's so much!"
I asked, "How much did you think it would cost you?"
''At most R 5000 or free, it's a quick job"
"For R 5000 I invite you to do it yourself"
''It's just that I don't know how to do it"
''For R 5000 I teach you, so in addition to saving you R10000, you will have the knowledge for the next time you request it."
It felt right and he accepted.
"I will let you know what you will need to get started: you need tools: Ladder, rollers, roller trays, brushes, paint pots, drop sheets, scrapers, filler, no more gaps, sand paper etc etc…."
"But I don't have all these tools and I don't want to buy all of this for just one job."
''Well, then for R 5000 more I rent you all the necessary tools so you can do it. Plus, you need to buy all paint and materials you need for the job."
"Okay", he tells me, "Agreed! Friday I'll wait for you to come and show me how to do it."
''I can't on Friday, I am busy with my work at the moment."
''Can you do it today?"
"No, today I don't have time to teach you and lend you my tools. I can do it on Saturday. But you have to be very punctual because I have multiple jobs to go to. I'll be waiting for you Saturday morning at 7 am to start with all the work."
''Oops, no ... Buying these things takes too much time and more money. You know? It's too early. I'd better give you the R 15000 I've already done my math and it will cost me more."
Remember You don't get paid just to do a job.
It charges for: - Knowledge – Experience – Study – Tools – Instruments – Services - Time- Punctuality
- Responsibility – Guarantee and Patience
- Payment of: Insurances, Workcover and Superannuation for employees, offices, transportation and more that any legally established business needs.
Nobody can denigrate anyone's work by putting the price they want, or by belittling your work.
“It is an example of what self respect and respect for others means and why time is money, mechanics, engineers, plumbers are given less respect than Drs yet spend just as many years studying, you wouldn't ask your Dr to fix your car or fly you to London, show some respect and pay the experts,not traumatise them".
