Acceptance - My time is valuable

I am tired today. I was going to take off since I worked Monday but that didn't work out. It has been busy here and I am grateful for that.

I got a call this morning from a referral. The guy wanted a bid on a kitchen and his house is about an hour from here. I said that I had to charge him to come out and it would be applied towards the purchase. He said he called five other people and no one else charged to come out. He said that my time must be more valuable than theirs.

I agreed that my time was valuable and that given the distance I would have to charge him. It is the nature of the business and with the economy people are getting more bids. I have done my share of free estimates and actually I never got a job from someone not willing to pay for an estimate. I am on commission and if I am going to work for free then what is the point.

You could say that I might charm someone into using me but that isn't how it works. When someone is shopping solely on price then I will lose and if you have five bids that is what is important to you. I am service first and foremost and my prices are competitive but I am not the cheapest.

I provide my customers with more than most. It has been hard for me to get to the point of valuing my own time and worth. I have reached a point that I know what I offer will be valuable to some, but not to everyone. God sends me the people that are suppose to cross my path and I learn from each encounter.