Who you ask for discounts and who you pay quickly should not always be the same.
There is a huge difference between how a small business is run and how a large corporation operates.
Small companies are usually heavily focussed on the service and the product – everything else, including making money is often secondary.
They (often) provide a great service but struggle to make a healthy margin, frequently due to their lack of funds they can invest into marketing and advertising.
If the product and service is great, however, they will (and do) organically grow with the right support – so they can build up enough funds to invest into marketing and further growth.
Large corporations have huge teams where an entire team will focus on a very specific task.
Product and services often are pretty good too but charges are more often bigger that justifiable and if the service drops – charges never are, or even reduced (bar a rare exception to this rule).
There are teams that work hard on complex charging schemes to ensure you pay the maximum most are willing to pay and in line with competitors, even if it means a 400% mark up.
Most corporations are very heavily focussed on profits and finances and product and service comes second and only as a means to the former.
So you won’t EVER affect the large corporation through your demands of refunds or discounts to the level where they will even slightly feel it. In fact, you SHOULD always – out of principle and to reasonably look after yourself – ask and pester for a discount, offer and whatever else you can get out of them.
You won’t always get these, but always ask.
Discounts mean losses
When you ask for the same a small business, it’s a different story. Small businesses most times ask for a justified minimum fee they need to charge to earn a living.
When you ask (and sometimes get) a discount – it will often mean the business making a loss. They do it in the hope of repeat business but often it never comes.
Invest in the future
So, if you like the small business or service – treat them nice. Don’t ask for discounts, pay on time – if you like what they’ve done – pay MORE then what they asked for.
You’ll help the business stay in business and grow and will get better service next time. Having a loyal business, always ready to help when you need is truly priceless and hard to come by these days.
I’ve tried this many times and it works without fail.
Mind Iterations 