Why do customers ask for discounts?

Today’s episode is sponsored by the Price Increase Masterclass, a 6 module masterclass where we teach you all about increasing your prices

What do you say when clients ask for a discount? Everyone has different business models and different ways of going about their business. There are things that you like to do that I might hate and vice versa. You have to do what’s best for your business and don’t let anyone tell you what’s best for your business unless they're your business coach.

So my answer when someone asks for a discount is that I ask them, “Why”. It’s an opportunity to educate them and consider their feelings. A lot of times they simply don’t understand what we do and why we charge what we do.

I’ve heard in a lot of grooming groups that people think it’s rude for clients to ask for a discount and that no one should do that. So let’s think about why someone might ask for a discount for a moment.

What are some potential answers they’re going to give me?

They may ask if you offer multi-pet discounts.

They’re probably going to ask, “Do you do multiple pets?” Now this may be somebody who’s considering getting another dog or maybe even two puppies. That’s up to you if you want to offer a multi-pet discount. You may end up saying, “It takes the same amount of time to groom four dogs no matter if they’re in the same household or not.” That is the case for the salon. In a mobile, it would take a lot less drive time if you were to groom the 4 pets at a single household.

It’s up to you to educate them in a polite manner.

Clients just want to know what discounts you offer.

As someone who spends an obscene amount of money at Starbucks, I asked them if there were any discounts, and there was. I wouldn’t have known unless they told me about it or I asked about it.

Did you know that Tiffany’s offers a discount on engagement rings to military personnel? My ex husband is a Navy veteran and he would ask all the time, “Do you offer a military discount?” We would always be surprised at how many places were so generous to help out veterans and we really appreciate that. I think we saved about 10-20% on my engagement ring.

Now you’re probably not going to get a discount at Nordstrom, but they created a whole other business, Nordstrom Rack, for those who are more discount shoppers. So you may say to Nordstrom, “Do you have any sales? Or do you offer discounts?” They may say, “At this store we don’t, however, we have an outlet.”

It’s not rude to ask for a discount. Asking for discounts is very common, especially in America, but even more so in other cultures. If you think that asking for discounts is rude, then on the flipside, do you think that offering upsells is rude? You’re essentially saying, “That price you’re willing to pay, are you willing to pay more?”

If you don’t want to discount your services, you absolutely do not have to. Please do not think that on any level that I am suggesting that you should. What I’m saying is that when your client is asking, consider what their motivation is.

Another reason may be that they’re thinking about coming in more often.

They may want to increase their frequency, but they’re not really sure if it’s a wise thing to do. A lot of that comes down to them not understanding what we do. For example, if I had someone ask me, “Hey, if I come for a haircut every 4 weeks, and then I do a bath every two weeks, is there a discount?” That’s a great question and it depends on your business model.

If you don’t and a client says, “That’s stupid.” You could say, “You know, I totally respect that but due to the time, care and attention that your pet needs to receive, I cannot lower my prices.” If they continue, say, “Thank you so much. That’s just not something I’m willing to work with right now.”

They may say that they’re willing to do a part of the grooming beforehand.

They may ask, “Hey, if I bathe my own dog can I get a discount?” I would say, “I really appreciate the thought, however, it’s really hard to get a professional blowout on your dog at home. And if it’s not properly blown out, I won’t be able to give a good haircut. I don’t want you to get a subpar haircut.” They typically don’t have a $600 high velocity dryer at home, or the patience or the set up to sit there and blow that hair out so that it’s ready to be cut. Without the proper prep work, a bad haircut could reflect poorly on your reputation.

By giving them that education, you’re going to be the go to authority.

Even high-end clients are going to ask for discounts, and don’t take it personally.

If you guys are interested in learning more about the Price Increase Masterclass, be sure to visit me at savvygroomer.com/pimc. This is a 6 module masterclass where we teach you how to formulate and implement your price increase so you can finally make money and grow your business.

Thank you all so much for listening to this podcast, Why do customers ask for discounts. Be sure to visit me at SavvyGroomer.com to see my current opportunities to work with me in growing your pet grooming business plus more free resources for you to learn. See you in our free community on Facebook - Savvy Pet Professionals (Facebook.com/groups/savvygroomer)! As always, Happy Grooming