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"NHS discount"

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Guy Incognito

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Aug 2, 2016
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Had a huge surge in people asking for this recently. We - politely - tell them that we don't do that, our prices are our prices and from a business point of view we can't go offering a discount to potentially 1.2 million people.

Are we being harsh?
 
Yes.

A token discount (even 5%) will show your appreciation for what they are doing. (Yes, I get that the government should be paying them a higher salary and it's not your concern).

You may even get further orders from their friends.

Now, that's probably something you'll consider, if it means more sales for you.

Be generous to those that deserve it, in these special times.
 
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MY OFFICE IN CHINA said:
Yes.

A token discount (even 5%) will show your appreciation for what they are doing. (Yes, I get that the government should be paying them a higher salary and it's not your concern).

You may even get further orders from their friends.

Now, that's probably something you'll consider, if it means more sales for you.

Be generous to those that deserve it, in these special times.
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Interesting take. As a brand we don't discount, and never have. For me it's a slippery slope. They'll want more off, other people will want discounts etc.

We have done NHS specific giveaways as a sign of appreciation.
 
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Guy Incognito said:
Are we being harsh?
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No. Teach your customers there are discounts available and you'll never sell much again at full price. There are some retailers who have learned to survive by playing the discount game but those 'discounts' are pretty much priced in anyway.
 
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Guy Incognito said:
Had a huge surge in people asking for this recently. We - politely - tell them that we don't do that, our prices are our prices and from a business point of view we can't go offering a discount to potentially 1.2 million people.

Are we being harsh?
Click to expand...

No you aren't being harsh.

Your policies are down to you, not someone else. What anyone else does is down to them.
 
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Darren_Ssc said:
No. Teach your customers there are discounts available and you'll never sell much again at full price. There are some retailers who have learned to survive by playing the discount game but those 'discounts' are pretty much priced in anyway.
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That's my thinking too. We're developing cheaper items that we might discount, but our main range we don't discount. We do a purchase quantity saving (order 10+ the item price comes down etc) that is clearly displayed.

If we do that we'll have to clearly delineate between them.

We try to position as a premium brand. Discounting to me devalues that.
 
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MY OFFICE IN CHINA said:
Your thread was specific to NHS workers. Why would 'other people' want discounts? Say no to them, unless you think it's good publicity for your company.



That's good. Can I ask what?
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Followers nominate someone on Instagram / Facebook. We then do a random draw to determine the winner. We've done quite a few over the past weeks.
 
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Personally I don't think it's harsh and I agree with you regards the premium product placement. The company I work for is in a similar place. We'll quote a price, customer may offer an alternative quote they've had, we'll choose whether to accept and get the job or not. Quite simple.

Why should they?
 
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Martin Patfield said:
Personally I don't think it's harsh and I agree with you regards the premium product placement. The company I work for is in a similar place. We'll quote a price, customer may offer an alternative quote they've had, we'll choose whether to accept and get the job or not. Quite simple.

Why should they?
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That's my view as well, but I was interested to get thoughts from others. We're B2C mainly so that makes it a bit more tricky.
 
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1.4 million of them and actually in the UK they are hugely lucky - they have wages coming in, they have jobs. It is the new 1+m unemployed and those who fall through all the cracks with no furlough, no self employed money, no universal credit who are much more deserving.
 
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No I don't think you're being harsh, the choice is yours. I think our NHS staff should be paid a lot more. I think any business offering an NHS discount is doing a good thing. However I wouldn't think less of a business for not offering a discount, especially very small businesses where the owners themselves are probably not earning all that much. How could anyone possibly judge you for this without knowing your circumstances, your business's circumstances and what other charitable donations or work you may (or may not) do behind the scenes?
 
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Just to warn you that I have got a job on the nhs bank and I am eligible for any potential discounts but havnt done one shift yet. I wouldn't take a discount or use my id/email but I won't be the only one in this position. I'm not saying don't give a discount but there are people I know who are nhs and work from home during this period so what makes them different to anyone else working from home. Personally i think it's the people in the supermarkets who are on the front line everyday.
 
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Are we not missing a trick here? My wife works at the hospital 8 miles away. Her NHS discount means that when she wants (wanted) a meal out, or other random things like gardeners, electricians, plumbers and even car servicing, she always goes to the NHS discounters. Even more so when people stick up lists of all kinds of nice businesses who support the NHS. It's no different to any kind of special offer - you dangle the carrot and they take it up, or not. If it's an opportunity to make extra, then it's good business surely? If you don't need the business, that's fine too.
 
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Near me the people with the biggest disposable income are in the Navy. Youngsters are driving round in brand new BMWs. A gastro pub put up a big sign offering Navy personel a discount. I've never been back to that pub.
 
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. . . .And I thought people liked the nurses and NHS in general.

Apparently not sufficient enough to give a small token discount (which will probably lead to more sales).

It's a weird world when you cannot show appreciation (a small token discount) to nurses.

I reckon if those that said 'no' would have a different attitude if those close to them were treated and helped back to health by NHS staff.
 
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I don't do discounts. So I understand where you coming from.

But do you still want to show appreciation for NHS workers?

Charge them full price and promise them an Amazon / M&S gift voucher to say thanks for the great work they've been doing.

This is an alternate universe we're in, you can have your cake and eat it too.
 
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Darren_Ssc said:
There are good and bad in all institutions & professions. I don't buy into the current mania that everyone working in the NHS is doing it out of the goodness of their heart.
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You don't have to give a discount to all workers within the NHS and I would agree with that.

However, nurses, who generally are overworked and underpaid, deserve appreciation.

Everyone does what they want.

It's only profit.
 
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I don’t understand the mantra that showing your appreciation means offering financial incentives to those fortunate to still be in work on full pay.

Yes, they are putting themselves at risk. But so do other careers such as soldiers when they are told to fight a war, police put into dangerous situations daily, firefighters etc.

I fully appreciate the commitment of many professions. It doesn’t mean I have to reach into my pocket to show my appreciation.

I know several people working in the NHS and they are all embarrassed by being offered financial rewards. They appreciate the sentiment, but have not utilised the discounts etc being offered because they simply don’t need it.

The businesses that are still open, in the main, are struggling to stay afloat. I think it’s incredibly unfair to expect them to cut their margins.
 
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MY OFFICE IN CHINA said:
. . . .And I thought people liked the nurses and NHS in general.

Apparently not sufficient enough to give a small token discount (which will probably lead to more sales).

It's a weird world when you cannot show appreciation (a small token discount) to nurses.

I reckon if those that said 'no' would have a different attitude if those close to them were treated and helped back to health by NHS staff.
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There are many ways to show appreciation. There are also other people in the world who need help. Do you donate to every single charity doing good in the world? If not, why not? Do you not appreciate their work? A single person cannot do everything but together we can. Just because someone doesn't show their appreciation in the same way as you do, it doesn't mean they don't greatly appreciate the NHS or its workers, to suggest so is absurd.
 
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MY OFFICE IN CHINA said:
However, nurses, who generally are overworked and underpaid, deserve appreciation.
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Speaking from experience, I've witnessed nurses who deserve a million pounds a week. I've also witnessed nurses who really ought not to be in the job they are in. I've witnessed NHS staff in general who are on one almighty p*** take.

Showing appreciation by giving blanket discounts and adulation is something I simply don't agree with. I will, however, give my appreciation where it is due - I just won't be making a song and dance about it.
 
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Darren_Ssc said:
Speaking from experience, I've witnessed nurses who deserve a million pounds a week. I've also witnessed nurses who really ought not to be in the job they are in. I've witnessed NHS staff in general who are on one almighty p*** take.

Showing appreciation by giving blanket discounts and adulation is something I simply don't agree with. I will, however, give my appreciation where it is due - I just won't be making a song and dance about it.
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My dad’s mate is a solicitor for a union.

He’s managed to reinstate a number of health professionals into their role that ought to never be in that position again.
 
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STDFR33 said:
Yes, they are putting themselves at risk. But so do other careers such as soldiers when they are told to fight a war, police put into dangerous situations daily, firefighters etc.
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They sign up to be in those dangerous situations. I don't think nurses sign up to putting their lives at risk during an epidemic with little PPE protection. Over 100 lives lost tells it's own story. Nurses are there to treat people, not put their lives at risk.


STDFR33 said:
It doesn’t mean I have to reach into my pocket to show my appreciation.
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It's a 'token discount' off of your profit.


STDFR33 said:
The businesses that are still open, in the main, are struggling to stay afloat. I think it’s incredibly unfair to expect them to cut their margins.
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I don't think that applies to the OP.
 
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MY OFFICE IN CHINA said:
They sign up to be in those dangerous situations. I don't think nurses sign up to putting their lives at risk during an epidemic with little PPE protection. Over 100 lives lost tells it's own story. Nurses are there to treat people, not put their lives at risk.



it's a 'token discount' off of your profit.



I don't think that applies to the OP.
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I think the lack of PPE is a disgrace for a number of different reasons.

And I don’t disagree that what has been expected of health professionals has gone beyond what is normally expected of them. But the same could be said for health professionals in both world wars, for example.

Do you think that it should be up to the joe public to reward them financially, or should it be up to the government who (along with previous governments) have woefully underfunded their profession?
 
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STDFR33 said:
Do you think that it should be up to the joe public to reward them financially, or should it be up to the government who (along with previous governments) have woefully underfunded their profession?
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To reward them? No

To offer a discount on something you are selling and you offer a 5% discount off of your profit as a show of appreciation to the nurse who has risked her life - A big yes!

The government are inept.
 
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MY OFFICE IN CHINA said:
To reward them? No

To offer a discount on something you are selling and you offer a 5% discount off of your profit as a show of appreciation to the nurse who has risked her life - A big yes!

The government are inept.
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Offering them a discount, regardless of how much that discount is, is a reward.

My father works in transport.

He’s having to work, coming into contact with people in the hospitals when he delivers essential items that have potentially contracted Covid.

That’s not what he signed up to either.

But it’s called being in it together.

I don’t think you can single out NHS workers for incentives.

And again, they are in the fortunate position where financially, they don’t need any financial incentives.
 
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I have the Blue Light Card (well my wife does) and not everyone offers permanent NHS discounts.
Some of the businesses offer time-limited offers on certain things. For example, a phone company offers Blue Light Card holders a 15% discount off a newly launched phone/price plan.

If you do not want to do the whole permanent discounting because your profit margins are already very tight that is completely understandable, you are a business, not a charity after all.

However, if you have unsold stock you want to discount on a "When it's gone, it's gone" or you have a brand new product and wish to market it heavily, then the NHS discount for a time-limited period will get you a 1.4M (more on Blue Light as it covers Police and Fire too) audience of people. All you would have to do is factor in the discount on the price of that product for the time of the promotion.

Again, you don't have to do it, there will be very few people know or even care if you offer a discount or not, so don't be emotionally blackmailed into offering one if your business cannot afford to, but on the flip side, if you have to spend £XXX a year on advertising and marketing, then maybe consider a short time/limited stock discount as a way of tapping into millions of employed workers who may want to take up the offer. After all, offering a small discount might actually be cheaper to your profits than spending a fortune on advertising to 1.4M+ employed people. Particularly if you only offer it on one product rather than a flat rate discount on all products.
 
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STDFR33 said:
I don’t think you can single out NHS workers for incentives.
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The fact that transport workers are also not adequately equipped with PPE is also a disgrace. (and ill prepared for)

I think nurses who work on the front line and risk their life caring for someone and trying to save their life should be singled out. That's not to say that other workers in the current situation should not be appreciated to. However this thread is specifically about NHS discount. Nurses are underpaid.

I wouldn't say a reward is the same as a discount in this context. You can give a reward without any sale taking place. The OP is making a healthy profit on the sale, so a small token discount is slightly different in my book.
 
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No, I dont think you're being harsh. Whilst I have and always have had, great respect for the guys at the NHS, what gives them the right to expect it. Would they have expected it last year....No.
Was there a band wagon passing through town or have I missed it.
 
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Mitch3473 said:
what gives them the right to expect it.
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I don't recall anyone saying they 'have the right to expect' a discount.

It's up to each individual business and owner to offer it, if they want to.

If they do, that's good, I f they don't, thats also fine.

It's what you feel you want to do.

You can do nothing.

No problem with that.
 
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MY OFFICE IN CHINA said:
Read his posts on other threads.
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I can’t be arsed, so I’ll take your word for it.

I think you’re an excellent contributor to the forum and we aren’t going to agree on this subject. I think both opinions are valid, albeit not agreeable. So at this point, I think I’m going to bow out for now.
 
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