Business ?

[Skygirl]

This is not exactly aviation related, but I think it mirrors the whole underselling oneself issue.

I own a pet care company and have a few clients in my building. Since I started to walk Daisy, I have become good friends with her mom. Now that I have Brinkley (my puppy), the two dogs hang out a lot and we are even closer. To complicate things, my puppy loves another dog (Rosey) in the building, whose Mom is good friends with Daisy's mom. Since Rosey and Brinkley adore each other, we have discussed a key exchange, so I can let everyone play during the afternoons (when the other ladies are at work). Here is my issue...how can I continue to charge Daisy's mom when I volunteered to let Rosey out? Furthermore, if I arrange a playdate, Rosey's regular dogwalker loses business for the day. So, my desire to have playmates for Brinkley is causing me to give away dog walks as well as take someone elses job away. I realize this is hardly on the scale of the airlines, but Im stuck on what to do and think you gals would have more than 2 cents to contribute.

Let me know if this doesnt make any sense and Ill try to explain better.

[Bigsweetie]

Here's what they'd do in the aviation biz...

Charge Daisy AND Rosey for the "walks", screw the other dogwalker she's just competition anyway. But make sure that you "underbid" her. You know... sell out.

jk. a little aviation "humor"

[Kristie]

My opinion? hmmm, i dunno yet

the question I have is how did Rosey meet Brinkley? was it during a "dog walk" where you were charging Rosey's mom for services or was it just by coincidence?

how often are these "playdates" because you could be doing yourself and your business a disservice by not charging for them.

when someone asks you to perform services, you charge for them - however, you can also volunteer your time (as a friend and away from the business) if you like...Daisy is a job that you were asked to do and your paid for it... whereas Rosey might be the volunteer job outside of your "regular" business. you shouldn't feel bad about how you do business - just be confident in the decisions you make.

however, i fail to see how the other dog walker loses his/her job because brinkley has a playdate during the day? is it an all afternoon thing? are you playing doggie daycare a lot with Rosey? is it a matter of Rosey's mom asking you to cancel the dog walk IF you decide to have a playdate with Brinkley?

see, i'm starting to see a little of something - as in, you could be losing money because your not charging for service you typically render.. and she could be saving money because your doing the job of her regular dog walker - both of which benefit her but how does it benefit you and your business?

I've got 2 sides of me, one is the business side that says "nothing and no one come inbetween business" and/or "business is business" but i also have the other side that says "aww, the two are friends, let them play" KWIM? sometimes, it's hard to keep the two separated!

[Skygirl]

Thats my issue...the friend side of me, wants all the dogs to play in the afternoon, so Brinkley can get tired out. But when the three of the dogs are playing (for about an hour, where as typical dog walks are just a 20-30 minutes) how can I charge Daisy and not Rosey? Should I stop charging Daisy? What I have been doing, is walking Daisy in the morning and then having her play in the afternoon as well. Rosey's mom cancels her dogwalker when she knows that the pups will be playing in the afternoon...should Daisy's mom do the same thing? These playdates started on a friendly basis, since all the dogs got along. (I met Rosey and her Mom long before I had Brinkley, but only became friends since he came). I dont see how I could charge Rosey's mom, since she already has a dogwalker, who Rosey loves. Perhaps I should organize them at last minute, so Rosey's dogwalker doesnt canceled and then I dont have worry about lost funds. So how do you separate friend from client?