Charging Less for Philanthropy

[Hooked]

Originally Posted by vdub12

Good point, I didn't think of it from that stand point.

For that mater there may be laws in place that forbid this kind of practice.

He wasn't condemning the practice, he was just equating it. I'm fairly certain there is no law that says you have to attempt to make the biggest profit you can.

[vdub12]

Originally Posted by Hooked

He wasn't condemning the practice, he was just equating it. I'm fairly certain there is no law that says you have to attempt to make the biggest profit you can.

Maybe not but there might be restrictions on giving financial incentives to give donations. However, there probably isn't. I would just look at all angles.

[Hooked]

Originally Posted by vdub12

Maybe not but there might be restrictions on giving financial incentives to give donations. However, there probably isn't. I would just look at all angles.

I'm at a loss for what possible rationale something like that could be made illegal...first, I highly doubt the government has ever had the problem of people being too charitable, and secondly the only person who might lose out in that deal would be me.

[tackify]

Hooked

Personally, I find your intention noble.

I do wonder if you may be better off presenting it in a different way.

In my experience, when I finish job for a customer, they're being stressed beyond their normal experience in trying to understand what I'm telling them I did to merit their bill. I think they would be too distracted to think rationally about adding a program for altruistic reasons to their machine at that time, even if it would get them a discount on the current bill.

Perhaps, then, rather than a discount for the just performed service, you could give the customer a brochure explaining the value of the WCG program which could include a coupon for a discount on their next service providing that WCG is running or is set up to run at that time.

This would give the customer a less pressurized time to decide on it's merits and potentially give you quicker return business because your customer has a coupon. Your brochure could have simple and explicit instructions on how to install WCG software if the customer were inclined to do so on their own. When you do get calls for return service, even if they don't have the brochure and coupon you gave them anymore you could still ask if they had it. They're bound to remember it. You could then offer the discount under it's terms to them even without the coupon. They'll think you're doing them a favor.

[Hooked]

Originally Posted by tackify

Hooked

Personally, I find your intention noble.

I do wonder if you may be better off presenting it in a different way.

In my experience, when I finish job for a customer, they're being stressed beyond their normal experience in trying to understand what I'm telling them I did to merit their bill. I think they would be too distracted to think rationally about adding a program for altruistic reasons to their machine at that time, even if it would get them a discount on the current bill.

Perhaps, then, rather than a discount for the just performed service, you could give the customer a brochure explaining the value of the WCG program which could include a coupon for a discount on their next service providing that WCG is running or is set up to run at that time.

This would give the customer a less pressurized time to decide on it's merits and potentially give you quicker return business because your customer has a coupon. Your brochure could have simple and explicit instructions on how to install WCG software if the customer were inclined to do so on their own. When you do get calls for return service, even if they don't have the brochure and coupon you gave them anymore you could still ask if they had it. They're bound to remember it. You could then offer the discount under it's terms to them even without the coupon. They'll think you're doing them a favor.

You know, I was just thinking of scrapping the idea until you recommended the brochure (with the coupon) idea. That's a fantastic suggestion, thanks for that. =)

[Daifne]

Hooked,
Sorry. I wasn't responding to your post, but to layoric's. He stated that he gives out religious tracts.

For a while I was mentioning Folding@Home to my customers. I didn't even get a nibble, so I just stopped. They thought it was a good idea, but were not willing to do it themselves. If you get nibbles on this, wonderful, but I agree that it would be better to offer a future discount.

[NeutronTech]

I'm not going to address the moral / ethical side of this argument, but I'll address the long term business side of it.

My concern with this is installing 3rd party software like this on a client's machine. Whenever they get a problem after that, they are likely to blame it on said program. Even if they don't tell you about it, they might tell others that you installed so and so and it messed up their computer. You don't need the bad word of mouth on that one. Also I would consider this; if you install this software and a customer has an issue with the program or even a perceived issue with it causing another problem, they will be expecting you to support it for free.

[mkeathley]

I wouldn't becuase I would be afriad that customers would think of that program everytime they had a problem with slowness or some such.

As for the religious stuff folks were talking about, I talk with almost everyone one of my customers about Jesus. Its simply who I am. I teach youth at my church and thats my life, working on computers while enjoyable is simply how I make a living.
Never had a compliant even from my atheist friends.

[Rider]

I don't like the idea of it being presented to the customer in the manner you described. Someone compared it to being asked for donations for breast cancer at the grocery store. Yes, that does annoy me. I'm a poor man. I like to give where and when I can but I despise the guilt trip I feel when I have to tell someone no. If there is a jar with a sign at the register I might drop my change in it but when I am directly solicited I always say no.

The brochure idea is not a bad one. Another idea, put a banner on your website that says something to the affect of ask me about this program and recieve a discount. My point is, leave it up to the customer if they want to be solicited. I don't think I'm alone in the fact that I become resentfull when I am solicited for anything.

You sound like a very kind and giving person, I like to think I am too. But you would lose my future business if you presented that idea to me.

On another note, I have tried those ditributive computing networks before and I always end up uninstalling them, there are always some undesireable affects that I would rather not deal with.

Rider

[ATTech]

Originally Posted by Rider

Someone compared it to being asked for donations for breast cancer at the grocery store. Yes, that does annoy me. I'm a poor man. I like to give where and when I can but I despise the guilt trip I feel when I have to tell someone no.

You realize that the substantial amount of donations they get from being proactive about getting donations, rather than reactive, far outweighs the cost of making people like you feel guilty for saying no?

I'm not telling him to keep pushing until the client screams at him, but a simple "Would you like..." will go leaps and bounds farther than just having a brochure or putting a little statement on his invoice.