Discounts?

[Mowman]

Wondering if any of you guys/gals give senior discounts? Around here I have the seniors flashing their Golden Buckeye Card. I think they get a 5% discount. Well just wondering if anyone has run across this. Thanks for your input. Mowman

[cutntrim]

I'm sure there will be many who disagree with me (and that's fine) but I am totally against senior's discounts. At least in my area, the seniors who own their own detached homes are certainly capable of paying the same cutting,fertilizing,etc... rate as everyone else. Most of the seniors we deal with haven't had to make a mortgage payment in 25 years and drive full sized luxury cars. When asked I simply reply that we do not offer discounts for seniors, we price based on the size of each customer's lot (turf area). The larger the area of turf to be serviced - the higher the price. Period.<p>----------<br>Dave in S.Ontario<br>www.cutntrim.com

[Evan528]

ctntrim, i couldnt agree more with everything you said!they all drive lexuses and mersades! why give them a discount!

[Charles]

MOst seniors around here don't even tip when they go into a restuarant. We have a section in the paper where waitress complain about gettin little or no tip from senior and/or church goers. I don't think they would even appreciate it if you did give them a discount for very long or at all. They would just think you are over priced to begin with and owed it to them. Or they would be thinking &quot;what else could you do for us?&quot; I have found that senior are so thrilled to have someone as good as me cutting for them at first. But as the years go buy they get spoiled and forget about what it was like before I came along. Not all of them are like this, but too many are. They are always trying to sneak new duties on you. I could say alot more but i wont lol. I start getting P-od.

[osc]

Mowman:<p>Mark up your price 5 or 10 % and when they ask for a discount, give it to them.

[Barkleymut]

I disagree. Ask the seniors what kind of discount they are used to receiving on services? 10%-20%. Then jack up the price 15%-25% maybe more. They are the ones who are always home and have to come talk to you, they always want something for nothing. This pricing increase should also apply for stay at home moms since they have nothing better to do than tell you that you need to do something else while your there. Your time is what they are paying for and thats why I charge at least 5%-10% more for seniors, just make it seems like you are giving them a discount!

[dfor]

I won't give senior discounts either. They cry poverty & drive expensive cars. That $100 discount per year that they might get isn't going to help them that much. But $100 x 30 seniors helps me out a lot more.

[osc]

Got to add one more thing:<br>Last year I picked up an $85,000 account that was a senior citizen's retirement village. I got so fed up I actually gave it back to my biggest competitor. He said &quot; Gee thanks.&quot; In 2000 someone else has it. The sad thing is that the people that run it are the ones that screw it up.<br>Other than that my senior customers are very loyal and easy to please.

[paddy]

hey, i have noticed that most of the time i deal with the women of the house. and only on my really good clients do i ever see the male. maybe that should tell me something. anyways for seniors, i think i lower my price a little automatically, maybe cause i want the work, or maybe i'm just a nice guy, i shouldn't i know but... what about you all, do you find you deal with women more than men?

[Ground Effects]

Well MOWMAN! I see your from the big buckeye state- got to love that big coffee coupon card shining in your face. I'm almost shocked reading the above post seeing how here in Ohio just about every add I open up in the yellow pages mentions something about a senior discount.

[gusbuster]

I’ve got to say I have been lucky not to be approached for a senior discount. Most of my clients have watched me as a little 8-year-old pushing dad’s mower. I always get a crack when I tell these clients that I’m not that little kid anymore. (I’m an old man at 36 yrs old, no offense intended to people my age or older.) I charge a fair price and these people realize how expensive it is to live in my area. <br>I wouldn’t give a senior discount because I would have to make it up with my other clients. This wouldn’t be fair. Businesses that do give senior discounts make it up with their other clientele.<br>Jean<br><p>----------<br>J-LC Landscaping & Maintenance Gardening<br>C-27 Ca Contr# 770044

[southside]

I don't give seniors discounts.They pay the same as everyone else. Being ex-army the only<br>discount I give is DEFCOM (Defense Community)<br>discount which is 5%.I dont get to many Army<br>blokes as customers though,like me they drink<br>most of their pay. :)