How to Get the Best Deal the First Time

Image Credit: https://flic.kr/p/s5ZdWJ

Hi there,

Maybe you don’t know this, but I live out in the boonies of Oregon. Well, for me it’s really only a 20 minute drive to a big grocery store, but for anyone who wants to visit me from town, I might as well live half a state away…perspective is an interesting thing, yeah?

Anyway, we have such slow internet through our phone company, it’s almost as though we are stuck in the internet caveman era. So yesterday I decided, enough is enough, and signed up for a tv/internet combo package through a certain satellite company, whose name shall not be mentioned. They quoted me $160 a month for the package deal, with a two year commitment.  I tentatively agreed,and they are to come install tomorrow.

Well, then I thought about back to two years ago, when I decided to cancel tv all together, and how they kept offering me a lower monthly price, as much as 70 percent less a month from what I had been paying, before they believed that I really just didn’t want tv, and left me alone.

Since the guy told me I could talk it over with my husband, and cancel with no penalties before installation, I called them back and told them that I had thought about it, and it was simply too much. I could not go with their service. The representative put me on “hold” to speak with his “manager”.  This is how I imagine the conversation went.

Representative puts me on hold and checks the time. He Turns to the person next to him.  “Hey, did you catch that blazers game yesterday?”

“Nah, the wife and I stayed in and snuggled by candle light.”

“Smooth.”

Representative checks the time again. Looks at his acceptable price list, clicks back over to me.

Low and behold, , I got the service for $50 less a month. I probably could’ve gotten him to go lower, but heck, that’s a $600 a year savings.

This had me thinking about two things. The most obvious is, don’t take first offer, at least not from a big company…this doesn’t only apply to buying a car.  I put this to the test today with a $3600 medical bill I had to pay.  I simply called them, and asked them what the lowest price they would accept to settle the account today would be.  The woman put me on hold to speak with her manager, and offered me $800 off..  I asked if that was the lowest she could go.  She put me on hold again for thirty seconds, and informed me that $1000 off was the lowest they could go, if I paid the full balance now.  Sold.

The second thing it had me wondering was how this might apply to my personal life. How often I save my best for last, instead of offering it first to those I love?  When I think back, this has happened too often.  That quicky shoulder rub I gave my hard working husband,instead of taking at least five minutes to make him feel loved.  The waving off and placating of my three year old until she is in full tantrum mode, and I want to lock myself in a closet,  when maybe, if I had dedicated some time to being fully present to her from the start, it could have been avoided.

Until next time,

Katie