Advice on the "Low Ballers"

[Guest M*****ss****e]

Hello fellow Cerbies :)

 

I have a question, mainly for the SP's, but please anyone leave some input.

 

What do you do with the low ballers? What is your response to them? I'm NOT talking about the gentlemen who are simply trying to clarify what is included or get a clear set donation. I'm talking about the "Can't you cut me a deal this once?" ... "How about a half price special since it's my birthday/I'm so cute/I'm so good in bed blah blah blah" ... "I only have $xxx on me so what if we cut out blah blah"... "How about a half hour/15 minutes etc" ... yes, I've even been asked how much 5 minutes of my time would cost.

 

I'm always kind of stuck on how to respond without sounding rude and possibly turning away an otherwise great client.

 

So, do you wheel and deal? Say no outright and move on? I don't charge hidden fees for extras, I instead try very hard to make sure it's clear beforehand what is offered and whatnot. So I don't cut deals (or haven't yet anyway).

 

All advice welcome :)

 

PS: Most of the wheelie dealies are younger, but not all have been. Some are asking in advance, some are messaging me right before their appointment, and some are asking for a last minute appointment and hoping to snag a bargain. The latter being the most distasteful to me. OH, and certainly most were not from CERB, but one or two have been.

[mrrnice2 157005]

In my opinion, posted donation rates are inviolate. Ultimately an encounter is a transaction for your time and personal service.

 

I am continually impressed by the professionalism of the women working in this industry, the care and empathy that they show, their genuine desire to give quality experiences in return for a decent income.

 

To maintain respect for yourself and to maintain your professional integrity, and to support this industry then your donation requirements should not be negotiable.

 

If approached to do so, my opinion would be that you should politely but firmly indicate that you are a professional running a legitimate business with its own costs and expenses, and that the rates are as they are to reflect the quality of service that you provide. Perhaps those potential clients should be politely referred elsewhere.

[Guest Ou**or**n]

This part of the business is something I've heard many ladies complain about. Personally I don't understand how a guy can expect a lady to cut her price and yet still expect her to provide a GFE experience. I can only expect that those guys are looking for something more mechanical.

 

That said if so many guys are asking them I wonder if its because sometimes they are successful. If so then giving in to them will only contribute to the problem.

[Studio 110 by Sophia 150333]

I am glad you brought it up. As I have the same issue all the time. I have one that is a " regular" that always seem to get a better deal out of me. I wish he would not, as I truly do not see that many people, and keep low traffic volume. I also do not see him often enough to give him a VIP rate. But yet, I know he see's other SP's, and I am sure he pays their rate no matter. So I find this insulting, and have decided that he will not be getting these great deals form me anymore. As I know that I could turn his deal down, but yet have a gentlemen who is willing to pay my reg fee.

 

I find that if you are nice one time, the next time they expect the same great deal. Even when I say this is a one time deal...they always say" well you gave me a deal before" now I respond with " well then consider yourself lucky"....or..." you can watch my ads for the occasional special rate" Yes it does seem to be youger clientel as well. The one who says, " baby, I am not an old grampy" I say to them..." i prefer older men, as they know how to treat a lady" I am more likly to give the older gentlmen a discounted price rather than a good looking hardbody youg buck, as this type tends to be more difficult to have an encounter with anyways.

 

Just stay steadfast when this situation comes up, and remember you do not need to say yes to everyone who wants to book with you. Good luck!

[Angel's Touch Ottawa 22561]

Great topic...first and foremost asking ladies for a discount is prohibited on cerb! I politely send client a copy of our ad with our rates as well copy the rule....and end by telling them we look forward to seeing them with a smiley face....I do not justify our rates and fuel the topic...once you start to discount your services then you are put in a position to do it each and every time which in turn creates resentments towards the fine client....I feel that a discount is asked by some because they simply have not read the rules carefully....that is my take on the subject :) Hopefully in this thread you can find some useful tools to apply to your business! Good Luck! Angie xo

 

Rule: Guys, do not post rates of the ladies and please do not try to get the ladies to lower prices!

[Guest W***ledi*Time]

Just tell them no, your rate is non-negotiable. Then be sure to cheerily wish them luck as you politely send them on their way.

[Meg O'Ryan 266444]

WIT, you beat me to it.

 

If on the phone, I am pleasant but firm. If via email, I always end the comment with a smiley. If they persist, I tell them that I find it very rude and end the conversation.

 

If a regular/repeat requested a discount, I would be polite but to be honest, I would feel very disrespected!

 

My worst experience was with someone I had seen only once before. He claimed that he saw an ad where I was offering a half hour for $100. I told him that he must be mistaken. He continued to force the issue (and still occasionally texts me) and I finally had to tell him to no longer contact me.

[antlerman 17064]

Any guy that wants to haggle over the a set price is not some one you want as a client......

I have found that people who ask for a break can usually afford more.......and only haggle to make them selves feel more in control.

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[JuliasUndies 7288]

The discounted feeling is not a good feeling and I avoid it because it makes me feel bad about myself compromising my self worth.

The other day I had this happen, we exchanged about 15 pm's in all. He then explained he had little money but he really liked me and hoped I'd see him. I apologized and explained that I wasn't able to help him and that I do hope he finds what he was looking for elsewhere. He messaged me back a few times and I never responded.

Politely let them know you can't help them and leave it at that.

You are worth more than X amount.. Don't let yourself be compromised for -X amount.

 

Additional Comments:

WIT, you beat me to it.

 

My worst experience was with someone I had seen only once before. He claimed that he saw an ad where I was offering a half hour for $100. I told him that he must be mistaken. He continued to force the issue (and still occasionally texts me) and I finally had to tell him to no longer contact me.

 

I had this happen where he claimed I said a much much lower amount and now he was standing in my home as I was politely explaining that there was a mistake and that he should just leave instead...He then demanded cab fare to reimburse him for the "mistake", started going through my stuff.. It was awful. Now I am Crystal clear!

[Guest M*****ss****e]

Thanks so much everyone for the individual takes on my question. I appreciate all input :)

 

You've all made excellent points. I have not agreed to reduced rates yet, unless it is a special offer I initiated myself, and I feel better now about sticking to my guns.

 

Love this site !!

[SamanthaEvans 166766]

I never haggle or negotiate, either. It's insulting to be asked. My fees are clearly stated on my website and in e-mail I exchange with prospective clients. One of the reasons I prefer e-mail, initially, is that it's so easy to be very clear and explicit about important things like this.

 

I've rarely had a problem with it. I had a meeting with a brand new client last week. We'd had a very positive e-mail discussion and had spoken twice on the phone. He seemed like an ideal client. I was looking forward to meeting him. When he arrived, he handed me an envelope, which I put in a drawer. (I never count the contents in front of clients.) As I was pouring coffee for us, he said, as casual as can be, that he couldn't stay as long as planned, after all, unfortunately, and that he was sure it was okay that he'd reduced payment of my fee accordingly. I was stunned. After a long moment, I said that he should have told me that he needed to cut the meeting short before he arrived. I said I was sorry he couldn't stay, and handed him his coat with a smile.

 

It was his turn to be surprised, then. He asked if I was going to give him a refund. I said no. I also said that it was clear we weren't compatible. He said, "You do have a very high opinion of yourself. You should re-evaluate it." I bit my tongue, opened the door and wished him well.

 

My general experience is that the men who contact me are real gentlemen who would never engage in games like this. That's what was so surprising about this fellow. His smooth sense of entitlement was almost chilling and makes me wonder how he deals with people in other situations. Not well, I imagine!

[Cara Silver 32412]

When I saw the title of this thread I thought you were talking about men with heavier (therefore 'lower') balls. I was going to write, all balls are created equal! Mind is in the gutter, I guess :)

 

A

[fortunateone 156618]

I do different sessions with slightly different rates, and discounters ask can i do the FS half hour for my massage rate, which is lower, and I ask them if that is their budget, they are free to come and see me for the massage session lol. If I am feeling like having a bit of fun I will ask the discount seeker, that since he is into negotiations, what exactly is he planning to 'give up' in order for me to give him a session at that rate? Must be something, because true negotiations don't imply that only one side is giving up something, after all. Then the comments about young, and so on, well I get to respond that I see quite a few younger and good looking guys, and none of them have found it necessary to ask for discounts. Then, there is the standby of why would you assume I am not worth my rate when you haven't even met me? Kind of insulting.

 

I do remember one board member on another site, infamous for lowballing constantly. One day he decides to send pms to me and one other sp. Her massage rate was 140, mine 120. He offers me 100, and her 120, for enquiring about the same day, but tells both of us 'that's all he has". Well, if he has 120 to offer her, then obviously he 'has' the 120 that is my fee, and shouldn't even be asking for a discount, right?

[Kubrickfan 12836]

I do different sessions with slightly different rates, and discounters ask can i do the FS half hour for my massage rate, which is lower, and I ask them if that is their budget, they are free to come and see me for the massage session lol. If I am feeling like having a bit of fun I will ask the discount seeker, that since he is into negotiations, what exactly is he planning to 'give up' in order for me to give him a session at that rate? Must be something, because true negotiations don't imply that only one side is giving up something, after all. Then the comments about young, and so on, well I get to respond that I see quite a few younger and good looking guys, and none of them have found it necessary to ask for discounts. Then, there is the standby of why would you assume I am not worth my rate when you haven't even met me? Kind of insulting.

 

I do remember one board member on another site, infamous for lowballing constantly. One day he decides to send pms to me and one other sp. Her massage rate was 140, mine 120. He offers me 100, and her 120, for enquiring about the same day, but tells both of us 'that's all he has". Well, if he has 120 to offer her, then obviously he 'has' the 120 that is my fee, and shouldn't even be asking for a discount, right?

 

That's a different topic ... "How to deal with idiot low ballers.":icon_biggrin:

[baileydog 9367]

from this side of the transaction ... yes, stick to your published rates

 

the best business person's view of this came from my father who had one of the first TV sales and service shops in a small town in SW Ontario in the late '50s and I was old enough to remember his standard response whenever someone asked him for a discount on a TV ... he'd ask the person whether on any occasion they would pull out their wallet and give him 50 or a 100 dollars out of the goodness of their heart ... when they'd say no ... he'd say "exactly"

[Mikeyboy 27133]

I'm just surprised that people actually do this! I can't imagine starting off an encounter like this. I'm not just looking for sex, I'm looking for the whole experience. Pissing off the lady and making her feel bad about herself is not exactly going to set the mood, even if it did work. (I would expect most ladies would tell me to take a hike if I tried anyway). At the end of the day, if $20 is going to make that big of a difference to you, then you probably shouldn't be hobbying.

[Guest M*****ss****e]

I was asked as recently as last night by a guy if I could "cut him a deal this once", and I replied with "have you ever seen that old Ruffles tv commercial?". He had no clue what I was talking about, so I told him to youtube it. He didn't write back lol.

[CristyCurves 169032]

just my opinion, but I feel the low ballers are plentiful because there are many girls who offer "low ball " rates,then they produce clients that expect the same rates from every girl they would like to see,If all our rates were more comparable I think it would force the low ballers to reach deeper into their pockects,after all a girls rates should be reflective of not only her service but the economic times,instead of trying to compete by offering lower rates,charge more and offer a higher grade of service and let that be your competitive edge.When someone asks if I would take less I simply say "this isn't bargain box"!!and hang up,if you are not willing to pay my rate then you are not worth my time,simple!

[wendigo 687]

There's a simple way to deal with hagglers and low-ballers, and that is just to say no. The sort of people who haggle for the services advertised here are mostly time-wasters, don't take the time to properly read ads, and are not as desirable clientele generally, in my opinion. If it's a new enquiry, and your ad clearly says that your rates are non-negotiable, I would say that no answer is even necessary, they're not even worth your time to respond. In fact, I would say that it's justification to put the person in the do-not-see list, and to let others know about the behaviour if asked. If it's a repeat client asking for a special deal, a polite "no" is reasonable.

[Nicolette Vaughn 294340]

I stick to my guns. I don't offer 15 minute appts, or half services. I get asked this a lot and I just say no. I'm not interested because those guys will always try to push their luck and attempt to stay longer. I can tell you that if I did do 15 min appts, they wouldn't be getting what they get in a half hour or longer. I take pride in my services so don't try and low ball me. It would definitely be mechanical because if they don't want to pay what I'm asking, why put in the effort? And it all goes back to "You get what you pay for." Some of these dudes think they will find a golden gem they can pay for 15 mins who will let them stay for a half hour. Not on my dime. I just say no and that is usally enough. If they persist, I just freeze them out.

[roamingguy 300292]

A gentleman doesn't haggle. And if the guy can't afford your rate he shouldn't see you

Anyone trying to low ball should get a canned response, gist of it basically don't contact me etc etc etc. Treat the attempt to haggle the same as a text/email that is rude or using vulgar language...and frankly attempting to negotiate is rude

My 2 cents

RG

[billybob 20128]

I completely agree with RG, I would never attempt to negotiate a price with an SP, their rates are made public, take it or leave it.

 

Someone mentioned earlier in this thread that it seemed to be younger men who try to haggle the price, probably something to that. I think us old farts are just grateful to be with such beautiful women we wouldn't think of asking to pay less than what they asked.

[Gabriella Laurence 301887]

...

I'm always kind of stuck on how to respond without sounding rude and possibly turning away an otherwise great client.

Lana, the way I see it is that I do not advertise and sell the 'Gabriella experience' at a spot rented at an Hillbilly flea market so my donation is always non-negociable ;) Wheeling and dealing is not for this chickie.

 

I also don't believe that by not negotiating with a potential client that I am losing out on business because he most

likely is not someone I would want to spend time with in the first place... Without respect and bounderies I highly

doubt you/I would have an awesome experience with that 'gentleman'.

 

"Turning away an otherwise great client"? Hummm, perhaps you are turning away a client but not a great one. You're also doing yourself a favor by avoiding all the headaches that come with poeple who like to 'wheel and deal' on pretty much everything they want. A simple example would be that, let's say you only offer CBJ, is he going to try and wheel and deal for a BBBJ during your appointment? Something I would want to avoid altogether...

 

...

What do you do with the low ballers? What is your response to them?

The way I decide to handle it depends on my mood (yes lol), on how full my inbox is and the approach the gentleman decided to use when he contacted me.

 

When my inbox looks a war zone or I just don't feel like dealing with it, I do not take the time to answer the email,

I marked it as spam and simply send it to my trash box. Sometimes I'll just thank them for contacting me and suggest that they look for a companion who is in the price range they are looking for as I don't negotiate my donation.

I wish them good luck and still mark the email as spam and send it to my trash box...

You never get a second chance to make a first impression ;)

 

To each their own, I guess!

 

Have fun, Lana :)

[Nicolette Vaughn 294340]

Oh and I forgot to mention, I've heard a few classics from lowballers who attempt to do it in a roundabout way so they think they're not appearing to be cheap in a monetary way...

 

 

Him: "I'm young, handsome and well hung that you will enjoy me so much that you will not want any compensation."

 

Me: "Honey, being young, handsome and well hung doesn't pay my bills."

 

Silence...

[roamingguy 300292]

Oh and I forgot to mention, I've heard a few classics from lowballers who attempt to do it in a roundabout way so they think they're not appearing to be cheap in a monetary way...

 

 

Him: "I'm young, handsome and well hung that you will enjoy me so much that you will not want any compensation."

 

Me: "Honey, being young, handsome and well hung doesn't pay my bills."

 

Silence...

 

My line to the ladies (just tongue in cheek here, versus the young guy's line given to Nicolette :-))

"I'm old (well middle aged LOL), bald, overweight and wear glasses and will never be on the cover of GQ

But I'm a gentleman who happily pays the donation, plus a tip and gift

RG