Comments on: The sustainability of pay-what-you-want http://www.semiosiscommunications.com/sustainability-of-pay-what-you-want/ Semiosis Communications: Sustainable marketing for people, planet, and prosperity Mon, 08 Mar 2010 20:56:24 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Teresa Keohane http://www.semiosiscommunications.com/sustainability-of-pay-what-you-want/comment-page-1/#comment-650 Teresa Keohane Wed, 01 Apr 2009 21:38:27 +0000 http://www.semiosiscommunications.com/blog/?p=1201#comment-650 We offer a similar Pay as You Want scheme at our guest house in Rio de Janeiro… every week we list which rooms are available on the Pay as You Want scheme and the the first person to reserve the room gets to pay whatever they want (and feel is fair) for their stay… We offer a similar Pay as You Want scheme at our guest house in Rio de Janeiro… every week we list which rooms are available on the Pay as You Want scheme and the the first person to reserve the room gets to pay whatever they want (and feel is fair) for their stay…

]]> By: Brian Setzler http://www.semiosiscommunications.com/sustainability-of-pay-what-you-want/comment-page-1/#comment-596 Brian Setzler Thu, 19 Mar 2009 15:41:12 +0000 http://www.semiosiscommunications.com/blog/?p=1201#comment-596 We provide professional services and essentially offer pay what you want by standing behind our services and allowing our customers to adjust their bill if they don't believe they received value. We also work primarily on fixed price agreements so our customer knows what they are getting and how much they are paying before the work even begins. This forces us to focus on delivering value and to provide outstanding customer service. Our relationships tend to be long-term and we have yet to have anyone not pay our full fee. In the event our bill was adjusted downward, the only thing we really lose is our time. Through close communications and a solid relationship, there should be no surprises at the end when we deliver our bill. We provide professional services and essentially offer pay what you want by standing behind our services and allowing our customers to adjust their bill if they don’t believe they received value. We also work primarily on fixed price agreements so our customer knows what they are getting and how much they are paying before the work even begins.

This forces us to focus on delivering value and to provide outstanding customer service. Our relationships tend to be long-term and we have yet to have anyone not pay our full fee.

In the event our bill was adjusted downward, the only thing we really lose is our time. Through close communications and a solid relationship, there should be no surprises at the end when we deliver our bill.

]]> By: Peter Korchnak http://www.semiosiscommunications.com/sustainability-of-pay-what-you-want/comment-page-1/#comment-593 Peter Korchnak Wed, 18 Mar 2009 22:12:56 +0000 http://www.semiosiscommunications.com/blog/?p=1201#comment-593 @Will Johnston: Thanks for the refresher on the bagel guy story. It prompted me to consider another factor of pay-what-you-want: online vs. offline. The physical presence of other people in retail environments like a restaurant would create social pressure to conform and pay the generally accepted value, if not more. Nobody wants to appear as a scrooge to others, even if they're strangers. @Will Johnston: Thanks for the refresher on the bagel guy story. It prompted me to consider another factor of pay-what-you-want: online vs. offline. The physical presence of other people in retail environments like a restaurant would create social pressure to conform and pay the generally accepted value, if not more. Nobody wants to appear as a scrooge to others, even if they’re strangers.

]]> By: Will Johnston http://www.semiosiscommunications.com/sustainability-of-pay-what-you-want/comment-page-1/#comment-580 Will Johnston Tue, 17 Mar 2009 04:55:52 +0000 http://www.semiosiscommunications.com/blog/?p=1201#comment-580 Reminds me of the story (true) of the guy who quit his job to start a bagel delivery business for coffee rooms. He would ask for people to pay on the honor system. He exceeded his expectations and always made a profit. For items like bagels and coffee, I think it's hard to lose. When you're talking about higher ticket items it would seem to be a lot trickier because your margins for loss are probably higher and if 3 or 4 patrons walk out of your restaurant paying half you probably lose money. It would have to be like tipping where a cultural norm or expectation exists. Intriguing none the less. Reminds me of the story (true) of the guy who quit his job to start a bagel delivery business for coffee rooms. He would ask for people to pay on the honor system. He exceeded his expectations and always made a profit. For items like bagels and coffee, I think it’s hard to lose. When you’re talking about higher ticket items it would seem to be a lot trickier because your margins for loss are probably higher and if 3 or 4 patrons walk out of your restaurant paying half you probably lose money. It would have to be like tipping where a cultural norm or expectation exists. Intriguing none the less.

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