Management is not in a position
www.livingbyexperience.com
I received an email the other day answering my question with “management is not in a position to consider that”. It made me think. If you must know, my request was to an organizer of a large trade show I had previously participated in as an artist / exhibitor. They clearly weren’t in the mood to reduce my rate, which I might not like but do very much understand. I stopped giving discounts myself a long time ago. Someone told me “you’ll stop giving discounts once you realize your self-worth”. I took that advice seriously.
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People do ask me for discounts, sometimes, in degrees varying from 5, 10, or even a 100%. Because “free” is awesome. And it doesn’t hurt to ask. While I don’t entertain the thought of discounting unique artworks, I never blame management for “not being in a position to consider it”. Management is totally in a position to consider anything. Always. I’m fully in charge of my company so I can make any decision I seem healthy (or not) for my business. And if I wasn’t in charge I could definitely go ask my management to consider a customers request. It never hurts to ask.
Responding with a “management is not in a position” kills our conversation permanently — because you moved yourself out of it. In the end management can consider anything. Just ask, and they have the responsibility to at least consider it. The question alone makes them consider it already. Period. So next time don’t dodge your responsibility, and take any suggestion into consideration. You already have. And if you can’t, at least go ask. It doesn’t hurt. Killing conversations does.
This story was published first on Living by Experience. View it here.
