Have you ever had this experience?

You have been purchasing from a company for some time.  They provide good service, good quality at a good price.  The value in the exchange seems fair.  But, as a smart consumer, you set out to find “a better deal.”  You find a new vendor for your products that is (on paper) the same but “just a bit cheaper.”

And then the situation goes a bit sideways.

The purchasing process suddenly isn’t as smooth.  You can purchase the product, but it’s more cumbersome.  You get the product, but it takes a bit longer.  And then if there is a problem, watch out!  The service on challenges is non-existent.  Sound familiar?

For most of us it does, because we have all fallen for this “just a bit cheaper” trick.  The challenge, of course, is that when a company is doing the same as everyone else but they are “just a bit cheaper,” then price is all the have to compete on.  So they are, quite frankly, not that interested in the rest of the transaction.

Everyone should look for the best value you can.  But just remember to ask “what is my time worth?”

As a side note (for us business owners), maybe that customer doesn’t go looking on price if we were not just providing “good service.”  If we dazzle them…maybe they don’t go looking in the first place!