Price Quotes? (Updated 7/2/08)
Everyday I receive e-mails and phone calls for a "Price Quote" as if "One size fits all." Here are two samples I'd like to share.
Every June I do a “Free” party for the MDA at their summer camps for the kids who live with Muscular Dystrophy.
It is one of several “Free” events I do each year as a way to give back and help others.
With the sudden increases in gas prices I had to make the decision this year to ask those whom I perform the “Free” events for the nominal rate of mileage charge.
When the MDA booked me a few months back I knew that it would take a complete tank of gas for my truck with its trailer each direction. The trip is over a two hour drive each way from my home to the camp.
I also knew at that time it was costing me approximately $32.00 to fill my tank so I quoted them $64.00 as the charge for mileage.
I performed the event this week and had to fill the tank once to get there and once when I returned. My total cost was approximately $80.00 for the gas.
That is a difference of $16.00. In just those few months from hiring me to the day of performing the event gas had jumped and it was now a profit loss to the business.
Who would have guessed that the gas rates would have jumped that much?
My second example of a “Price quote” error is that I have received an e-mail from a Bride through a “Wedding site” that I advertise on who will be getting married late in 2010. Yes, over two years from now!
After her first “give me a price quote” with out any information except the date, I e-mailed her a nice letter saying that I would need more information about her entertainment needs and to check out my web site about my services and reception packages, then for her to call me to schedule a meeting to talk about her needs so that I could give her an accurate price quote in person. I asked for more info and got only this…..
“did you get my e-mail? We are looking at other dj's until we know how much your total would be for our wedding...thank you and e-mail me back. thanks”
It is obvious that this Bride only has one thing on her mind, and that is to find the cheapest DJ in June 2008 for her wedding in Sept. of 2010.
Without trying to sound rude or unprofessional I e-mailed her back explaining that without any information other then the date, I could not possibly give her an accurate “Price Quote”
What frightens me about this is that she is talking with “other DJ’s” who are more then likely quoting her a price by e-mail without getting any of the important information that would be needed.
It is more than likely that they are quoting her the same LOW price that they are presently charging which is most likely the same or lower price then they were charging for the last year or more.
The price of gas has risen over $1.00 per gallon in the last year and is expect to continue to go up. The economy is sinking fast and the rates of everything you purchase on a daily, weekly and monthly basis is also continuing to go up.
Why would any DJ give a “Price Quote” for an event two years in the future without figuring in a rate increase to try and cover the cost of living for the future?
I felt like (but didn’t do it) telling her that any DJ who would give her a price quote with out any important information and also without figuring in a rate increase most likely will NOT be in business in Sept. of 2010!
I’ll keep you updated as to the outcome of this…… (To be continued)
Jeff Richards: Party Time Productions
http://http://www.PartyTimeProductions.biz
UPDATE: 7-2-08
This young lady e-mailed me back a week after the original e-mail saying that the wedding has been moved to September of 2009, now only one year and four months ahead.
I again said that I would need information like the location, the hours needed and the wedding package they were interested in and to see my web site for her selection.
She e-mailed me back a few days later with the package she liked and the location site. Now I was more prepared to quote her a price. To be fair, the price is on the web site (on sale at the moment) and there would not have been a mileage fee because it was very close to my office. For what ever reason, evidently she couldn't figure this out for herself so I e-mailed her the quote.
Her answer seemed a little rude in nature but she said her fiancée and her would like to meet and talk things over. She gave some times and dates and asked if I was free.
I was free on two of the three days she asked about.
She said she would call to set up an appointment but in three weeks I still have not heard back from her. I'm guessing this is a good thing because she wasn't the most pleasant person to speak with and I don't think I would have enjoyed working with her and would have had to turn her down.