Many times, individuals will critique your work and desire to pay a cheaper price for services for which they are unaware of the manufacturing costs.
A customer inquired about the cost of this job.
I answered him, “$150”.
Customer: So expensive for this job?
Me: How much do you think it would cost you?
Customer: $80 maximum. That’s a pretty simple job, right?
Me: Well, for $80 I invite you to do it yourself.
Customer: But… I don’t know how to.
Me: For$80 I’ll teach you how to. So besides saving you R700, you’ll get the knowledge for the next time you want. (It seemed right to him and he agreed.)
Me: But to get started, you need tools: a welder, grinder, chop saw, drill press, welding hood, gloves, etc.
Customer: But I don’t have all this equipment and I can’t buy all of these for one job.
Me: Well, then for another R300 more I’ll rent my stuff to you so that you can do it.
Customer: Okay. (he agreed).
Me: Okay! Tuesday I’m waiting for you to start doing this work.
Customer: But I can’t on Tuesday I only have time today
Me: I’m sorry, but I’m only available on Tuesday to teach you and lend you my stuff. Other days are busy with other customers.
Customer: Okay! That means I’m going to have to sacrifice my Tuesday, give up my tasks.
Me: I forgot. To do your job yourself, you also have to pay for the nonproductive factors.
Customer: That is? What is this?
Me: Bureaucratic, tax, VAT, security, insurance, fuel, etc.
Customer: Oh no!… But to accomplish these tasks, I’m going to spend more money and waste a lot of time!
Me: Do you have them? You can do it before I start my work.
Customer: Okay!
Me: I’ll make you all the material you need. Truck loading is done Monday evening or Tuesday morning you’ll have to come by 6AM to load the truck. Don’t forget to be on time to avoid traffic jams and be on time.
Customer: At 6AM? Nope! That’s too early for me! I am used to getting up later. You know, I’ve been thinking. You better get the job done. I’d rather pay you the $150. If I had to, it wouldn’t be perfect and it would cost me a lot more.
NOTE: When you pay for a job, especially handcrafted, you pay not only for the material used but also:
- Knowledge
- Experience
- Study
- Tools
- Services
- Time to go punctuality
- Accountability
- Professionalism
- Accuracy
- Guaranteed
- Patents
- Sacrifices
- Safety and security
- Payment of tax obligations
No one can denigrate other people’s work by judging prices. Only by knowing all the elements necessary for the production of certain work can you estimate the actual cost.
It’s so sad to see people manipulating a street vendor to get goods at way lower prices but never bargain when buying from McDonalds, Shoprite, Clicks, Apple, and other big companies.
I did not write this dialogue but am sharing it to support craftsmen and entrepreneurs.