Don’t promise a price that isn’t really a price.

Quantity, decoration, setup and shipping all change the cost. Be honest about estimates.

What it costs you

The surprise on the bill.

You quote a number. It sounds great. They say yes.

Then the bill comes.

Plus setup. Plus parts. Plus shipping. Plus the thing you “forgot to mention.”

They don’t remember the work. They remember feeling tricked.

And they tell people. Not about the job. About the surprise.

A real example

The brake special

A car repair shop runs an ad for a brake special at a great price.

A customer comes in for it. At pickup, the bill is a lot higher. Rotors. Hardware. Shop fees.

Every charge is real. Nobody told her about any of them until she was standing at the counter.

Another shop quotes the same job differently: “Pads are this much. If your rotors are worn, it’s this much more. We’ll call you before we do anything extra.”

The tech calls. The rotors are worn. She says go ahead.

Same bill. One customer feels cheated. The other one says thank you.

The price wasn’t the problem. The surprise was.

Why it happens

Why the price keeps changing

“A low number gets them in the door.”And a surprise bill sends them out for good.

“Every job is different.”Then say so, up front.

“They’ll understand once they see the work.”They’ll see the bill first.

“We’ll explain it at the end.”At the end, it sounds like an excuse.

An honest estimate keeps the customer. A surprise loses them.

Do this instead

Say what changes the price.

Give an honest estimate, and say out loud what can change it. Then call before anything changes. No customer should ever see a new charge for the first time on the bill.

What changes it	Say it up front
Quantity	“This is the price for 50. At 100, each one costs less.”
Options and upgrades	“This is the basic one. Here’s what the better one costs.”
Setup	“There’s a one-time setup charge. Reorders don’t pay it again.”
Shipping or delivery	“Shipping is extra. You’ll see the real number before you approve.”
Surprises on the job	“If we find something else, we’ll call you before we touch it.”
The word “estimate”	Use it, and mean it. Then don’t let the final number wander far from it.

And if a bill ever does surprise somebody, own it fast. Pick up the phone. “I’m sorry. That’s on us. Here’s what I’m going to do.” No “but.” Fix it, add something, and call back a week later to make sure everything’s good.

Do this today

Cost: $0Time: 15 minutes