Sometimes when i cant be bothered dealing with a work client or I simply don't like them I will quote a ridiculously high price not expecting to hear back. I did this the other day but the client said OK. I took the money of course but tbh I feel slightly wrong about it. Would you say it's unethical?
unethical?
- Thread starter kwerk
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Not really.
Unless they were a vunerable person.
Unless they were a vunerable person.
Yes it is unethical, you purposefully and knowingly overcharged someone because you "couldn't be bothered to deal with them" or "don't like them" which is a pretty pathetic attitude if you ask me.
You deliberately took advantage of someone's ignorance, making you no better than those scumbags who con the elderly in to paying increased prices because they just don't know better or feel intimidated.
You deliberately took advantage of someone's ignorance, making you no better than those scumbags who con the elderly in to paying increased prices because they just don't know better or feel intimidated.
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I don't quite get your point there - this kind of thing is very common amongst contractors - if the job is either too much hassle for them, or they simply don't want to do it (for whatever reason), then the "done" thing is to quote an inflated price so as to "avoid" the business. This can occasionally backfire, as is the situation here.
Using the phrase "purposefully and knowingly overcharged" isn't correct IMO, personally that would relate to where he has accepted the contract on certain terms, then raised the price because he can't be bothered with it. Yes, he may have quoted an overinflated price to the customer, but as I've said before, the onus is on the customer to find the best price for the work that needs completing.
For example, if you paid £50 for an MOT on your car, then drove past a place on the way home that only charges £27, would you return to the original MOT station and complain that they'd "knowingly and purposefully overcharged" you?
Edit: I should add, of course that there are of course limits and certain situations where inflating the price to "avoid" the work is unethical, however assuming that this situation is an open market, then there's no issue at all IMO.
This tbh. A simple admission to the client stating you made a small calculation error and the job will cost less than previously quoted.
Probably not the best idea to admit a mistake - they might start wondering what else you mis-calculated. Not a great fan of spinning a line but better really to say you managed to improve/source better process or whatever and handing the savings back.
Caporegime
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How is it unethical or even able to make people uncomfortable. if you're self employed you choose ALL variables for taking a job. Lets say I'd do £500 a day contracting work in London, but if they wanted me to work in Glasgow, I'd quote £500, + travel, + per diem + expenses/accomodation. So lets say I'm asking for £700 a day or something instead, if they want me thats my new fee.
If one job was particularly big and would need more support, I would charge more.
Working with difficult clients is merely another variable, I don't really want to do X, and amount Y extra would make me put up with travel, type of job, personel, whatever, thats life.
IF said person was easier to work with, they'd be charged less, its THEIR behaviour that is costing them more, not yours, I'm fine with that.
In a huge number of situations in life people undervalue their work and would have found the people they work for would have paid significantly more for the same job, is it unethical for them to offer less because the person isn't aware just how good they are or how big a job it is? Thats life.
If one job was particularly big and would need more support, I would charge more.
Working with difficult clients is merely another variable, I don't really want to do X, and amount Y extra would make me put up with travel, type of job, personel, whatever, thats life.
IF said person was easier to work with, they'd be charged less, its THEIR behaviour that is costing them more, not yours, I'm fine with that.
In a huge number of situations in life people undervalue their work and would have found the people they work for would have paid significantly more for the same job, is it unethical for them to offer less because the person isn't aware just how good they are or how big a job it is? Thats life.
Soldato
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Ah a theoretical question from the virtual K. My money is on you being some kind of developing AI that is trying to learn about reason, social interaction and emotion.
Sounds fine to me, I've done similar in the past, if you know you're going to have to deal with a bit of a knobble, or are likely to have petty things changed on the job then it's just good sense to change a bit more, and as you were hoping they wouldn't even take the job in the first place it's hardly as if you've gone out to con someone.
We have a customer who used to rant and rave and generally be an arse, we used to call it an a-hole tax and add a bit to his bill whenever he was particularly bad. He's mellowed with age now however.
We have a customer who used to rant and rave and generally be an arse, we used to call it an a-hole tax and add a bit to his bill whenever he was particularly bad. He's mellowed with age now however.
Man of Honour
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You're thinking of Magnolia, Kwerks threads are always well thought out, he already has links for later on in his threads to backup what he posts (whether right or wrong) and his threads always give excellent debate.
No that's kwerk as well. Its just this time it appears to be a relatively sensible question without any stereotyped inflammatory nonsense. I'm sure years ago when folk wrote purposefully inflammatory topics the mods closed them with the reason 'try again without the inflammatory nature and it'll be allowed' I'm sure that should be applied more readily with the ranty provocative topics that get posted.
