Client’s Definition of Value

Today I want to talk about Value.

We usually see people talk about what value they can bring to their clients, right? How to have added value to their services or products, etc.

Sometimes I feel that the value is not the most important part.

The most important part is “𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭’𝐬 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞”.

𝐈𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞:

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A service you provide, packing A LOT of value, the “worth” will still be on a spectrum.

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐭:

Client A who is aware of the cost and difficulty of a certain service, they may feel your pricing is worth it, or even too cheap if they had a bad experience before.

𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐭:

Client B who is not aware, and thought everything is easy, will feel your pricing is expensive, and not worth it.

People always say:

———————

– Charge higher, a lot are doing shittier work than you are charging a lot higher.

– Ignore those who don’t understand the value you bring.

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐞𝐫?

I always try to be fair and honest. I always charge fairly.

Heck, I even have the habit of recommending cheaper solutions after I study the client’s requirements, as long as it is suitable. (1 of the 4 pillars of my services. 𝐒𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 is the 1st and foremost)

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐈𝐭 – 𝐄𝐱𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞:-

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Client asked to migrate their domain DNS hosting to another service provider, due to the original service provider’s cost increase annually. The client specifically says that even if the migration cost is higher now, at least in the long term, they saved on the hosting cost. While my side can earn the yearly or monthly maintenance fees.

After I evaluate and do some digging,

I literally think that it can be done at 𝐙𝐄𝐑𝐎 annual recurring cost.

I even share the solution with the client (haven’t even appointed me).

Literally told them they can do it themselves for free, with 𝐙𝐄𝐑𝐎 cost.

With reference online that is very detailed on how to do it.

Making my value to them is saving their annual fees + monthly maintenance fees. This is me, upholding my Suitable pillar of all my solutions and services.

𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐩𝐢𝐝 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭?

But the client insisted on appointing me to do the migration service, and I charged fairly based on the time I spent discussing and estimating the effort and time needed to help the client do the migration.

The proposal has been signed back in less than an hour, I think.

I, of course, can charge higher, I can also charge the monthly fees.

But to be fair, I won’t be doing anything of value to the project, hence no monthly fee at all.

In this example, the client is fully aware of the value.

𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐭 – 𝐄𝐱𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞:-

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Already delivered a project that provided a lot of value due to:

– A lot of out-of-scope work and adjustments

– Client kept feedback for adjustments after the review stage

– Client communication during off-working hours

– Educating and guiding the client on basics that were already guided previously to another staff

Same thing here, proposed a suitable solution due to the Client’s 𝐋𝐈𝐌𝐈𝐓𝐄𝐃 budget. (Most people usually already know where this is going.)

However, 1 of my service pillars is Supportive.

Therefore, I always try my best, spend my time, and effort to add value, kept adding. Explaining the reasons, the issues, the difficulty, the out-of-scope so I can’t provide unless there’s extra charges.

Still, to the client, it is 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐇 𝐈𝐓.

Therefore, I realize that no matter how much you try to educate or make the client aware of the value you bring,

𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 “𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞” 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐧𝐭.

Sadly, a lot of the definition of value is:-

𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐛 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐅𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞.