I booked my third appointment with my current favorite yesterday, appt is tomorrow. Today, I'm surfing the ads, just killin time, & see she's raised her rates. She's not mentioned it. What should I do?
I do granndfather my clients, as I think it is good business sense for me, but not all ladies do that.
Better to ask up front than to have any doubt.
Hope this helps,
Kelly
Dear WildwestKelly:
What would be the best way to broach that subject? Also what types of approaches should you take to ask that question and could you do it over the phone because several providers keep the scope of the conversation extremely relegated to confirmation?
Generally, if I see a lady at least three times I consider myself grandfathered. I would carry extra cash and pay her the original price, if she said that I was short I would pay her the difference. Thus far I have not have to do that.
You have already seen her, so discussion of rates is fine.
b-
then the old rate should still apply.
I'm booking appointments with gals for 2010 right now. 
I had it happen to me and she basically told me I had to pay the higher rate. Kind of off-putting and took some of the fun out of the eventual get-together. It wasn't the first meeting between us either.
She may tell you it doesn't apply to you. Since she didn't mention it when you made the appointment, that's kinda likely the case. But go prepared to pay the new, higher rate regardless...last thing you want is to be caught short...
Crazy Diamond's advice is good. I feel like adding to it though...
...Say nothing. Pay her what you've paid before, but be prepared to pay the increase if SHE asks for it. If she DOES ask for it, then it is in bad form for two reasons. 1) She should've told you about the increase ahead of time. And, 2) She should grandfather you in for at least ONE SESSION before making you pay the increase. And finally, if she does ask for the increase, pay it with a smile; but seriously consider not seeing her for at least 6 months. And use her as a reference with other providers (even if you don't actually SEE the other providers), so that she knows you're "looking elsewhere". This may sound "extremeist" and can be difficult if you really like the provider, but I've had success with this approach, i.e. - they really appreciate your "return" & often in many ways!
Your part about stop seeing her for 6 mos. to teach her a lesson type of thing---I don't know. Might work for you, but don't be too surprised if one day after raising her rates, that she's always too busy to see you. Some girls might drop some old grandfathered folks once they have enough new replacements with the new rate.
Since the lady is grandfathering me... since I asked. Maybe others will just keep giving the same old rate donation. Eventually I suppose us old folks will move on & she'll be seeing all new clients at the new price. If she's low key about it, that's fine. I treat a lady right & first is not cheating them. If I want to keep seeing them that is.
I have one delightful lady... still on my short FAVs list... who charges reasonably for a nice massage on her massage table. She's open to "other suggestions"... and says she accepts tips, but gives NO hint for added compensation what so ever!! This puts a huge burden on US.
What did I do? I went to an hour and half appt (1.5 x fee) and added a nice tip & am about where other local providers are for one hour. I find it luxurious to have the extra time & she appreciates the cash.
I wouldn't drop her IF I were grandfathered. Nor would I do that if she tactfully gave me a proper "heads up" on a rate increase. I would only drop her if she "dropped the ball" so to speak on how she handled her increase. And, I wouldn't really care if she dropped me, because THEN I would know for sure how shitty her attitude had become. In fact, unless she was someone who I really liked I wouldn't even be considering her. Like I said, it's worked for me. But remember, I smiled (and never complained) about the increase. And while I may not be Mr. Fantastic in bed, I am clean, very respectful and usually a "fun" customer that most providers would want as a repeater. That can't get lost, or your point would be an excellent one.
Tia, as a guy, I can only speculate but I imagine there comes a time in every successful provider's professional life when she decides the demand for her services is perhaps more than where she wants it to be.
Obviously, the supply and demand economic theory in this industry is not that of a typical business, but I think it is in more ways than we might first realize. The demand in this business is caused by either offering specific services that may be in great demand or by giving the level of quality of service that sets the provider apart.
She then will increase prices,knowing that while she will initially lose some volume, she will make up for it with the higher prices. Where I have seen this happen in the past, the provider generated a significant increase in her income and after a couple months was actually doing more business than she had been before at the lower rate.
The more "grandfathered" customers she has, the less the effect of the price increase will help her. It will actually be to her benefit to lose the customer at the old rate. If she has enough demand to validate her increasing rates to begin with, she will as you suggested, replace the grandfathered guy with a new higher priced guy.
I did e-mail her and just said I noticed the rates in the ad. She replied that she was holding the old rate for her regular customers, so I'm in.
Although I'm not rollin in dough, rather hobbying on a budget... I was definately prepared to step up if needed.
I said I was very pleased with her & wanted to continue seeing her. It would be humiliating to cheat a friend. And I figure you better be friends with anybody who has your jewels at her mercy!
Good move. Too many guys ask here when the simplest answer is to just ask the provider.
IMO though, she should post that to avoid confusion between other hobbyists and herself. Two of my favorites also just raised their rates. One didn't mention it on her site, but told me in an email that old "friends" were grandfathered in. The other one, when I last saw her she said nothing to me about her rates. Since then she's raised her rates, mentions nothing about grandfathering in her ads, and hasn't returned any of my emails (though the emails were on a different subject). I like her, but as I hobby on a budget (and recently learned my company is closing down), I'm just going to move on.
-- Modified on 2/20/2008 8:35:16 AM
Most of the good providers I've known have always grandfathered their rates in, especially if you are a good reliable customer, as in always showing up on time, being clean, respectful and a lot of fun to be around. In the few cases that the rate increase has applied to regulars, I just move on and use her as a reference.