Begging posts - who is the mug?

[PaddyPawsPetServices]

I do admit that I ask an awful lot of questions on here, and I have asked for a lot of pointers for both my Pet Business and Hampers. I do help out with advice where I can and try to input where I can. But as im fairly new to business, I dont really know as many of the ins and outs ( hence my being here! ) I will in the future sign up to be a fully paid up member.

What does annoy me tho, is people ringing me to ask the price for a service and then trying to get me right down to a price that wouldnt even cover my cost. Example this am, had a chap call asking me to walk his Husky for him 5 x per week. Gave him a fair price ( £9 per hour( dog has aggression issues and needs a lot of help with his basic training. so has to be walked alone), plus the usual discounts if he pays monthly )

He had the cheek to ask if he could pay £4 an hour ( reason being its so nice and sunny atm you will enjoy it and get paid ).....£4!!!!!!!! thats less than the minimum wage!

 

[stugster]

I hope you pawsed for a minute and told him where to go.

That's ruff. He was obviously barking up the wrong tree.

 

[PaddyPawsPetServices]

I told him, that is the sort of money one would pay a teenager to walk a dog, not what you would pay someone who has experience, insurance and knowledge of the breed ( which he clearly lacks ) he had asked me to teach the dog basic obedience, and to help him with socialising ( not a prob my Dutchie is fab at her job! )

but £4 an hour....£4!!!!!!!

I referred him to a friend in Sittingbourne and wanted to pay her the same...wondering if he will come back when he can no longer handle a "teenage" husky with no formal training and cant do anything with it!

 

[Jenni384]

£4 an hour is laughable. To be honest, if I had a slightly troublesome dog I'd think £9 was a bargain! Yes, that's £45 a week but then you have to take walking into account when you have a dog and if you can't do it you have to pay someone else to do it for you... grr!

I think this is typical of people who don't understand what running a business is. A lot of non business people don't understand about overheads and the extra costs of paying staff, etc. This is understandable, even if their demands are unreasonable. But for business people to try and get freebies... the mind boggles. Get a good deal, sure, but to try and undermine peoples businesses by expecting the outrageous? Nope.

 

[Barnie]

tbh i just an do as many favours as i can, i believe in karma nice to have some in the kitty whe you need them

tbh most of the favours i do is not to do with my business but other skills i have

 

[Dibs_h]

tbh i just an do as many favours as i can, i believe in karma nice to have some in the kitty whe you need them

tbh most of the favours i do is not to do with my business but other skills i have

On the whole - I have a similar approach, but one has to draw the line somewhere?

Usually at parasites wanting something (usually everything) for nothing. What's worse they wouldn't do it for free - so why should we?

A favour is when your car won't start in the morning & your neighbour jump starts it (& lends you the leads for the day), or you forget your wallet & your mate lends you a tenner.

A favour isn't expecting your neighbour to maintain your car (just because he's a mechanic or mechanically minded) or expecting someone else to foot the bill for whatever you want or need.

Sorry - rant over.

 

[Lasting Designs]

I think this is typical of people who don't understand what running a business is. A lot of non business people don't understand about overheads and the extra costs of paying staff, etc. This is understandable, even if their demands are unreasonable. But for business people to try and get freebies... the mind boggles. Get a good deal, sure, but to try and undermine peoples businesses by expecting the outrageous? Nope.

But when you get the same people here (and other business forums) doing the same, you can only draw a couple of conclusions, either they think you're a mug or moreover that they really are that ignorent and will continue to asked for free advice (they won't be able to afford to pay for it by then) pleading to help them out having not done their books and the Tax-person is wanting to see them, or problems of this ilk. And do you know whats worse, its gonna get even worse than it is now, given the problems of lack of education some of the kids are leaving school with, they need to live and won't be at the top of the queue when jobs need filling, so they'll go self-employed.

I don't want to leave the impression that I am putting a downer on kids in general, I know of loads that are going to make something of their lives, but a significant minority aren't, and that number IS growing...

 

[Pap_sak]

I had a weird one today. New employee, first day on the shop, asks if he can buy items with his staff discount (cost +10% + vat) then sell them to other people.

sure....

 

[PaddyPawsPetServices]

Lol Lol Lol!