This is what Alto 360 thinks

Here is the latest email from this schedule that has taken over recently

Regarding your “non-negotiable” bids, you know now that we will not pay $50 or higher for the (Insert Clients name here) audits.
We would like you to complete the audits but, at a reasonable price for all involved.
The shops have been completed for the original fee of $18 and is not $30.
The highest they will go for the 15 shops $40=$600.
If you are not willing to take them for this, please stop sending your offers.
Thank you,
Mary M. Stephens
Operations Scheduler
Alta360 Research, Inc. | 1690 Woodlands Drive, Suite 103 | Maumee, OH 43537
t: 419.535.5757 ext: 117
Email: mstephens@alta360research.com
www.Alta360Research.com

My answer
The price I have given you are past prices. for December 2017 see invoice 500 and August 485 are the two that I have in front of me.
This is this first time anyone has got mad because I have made offers.
Her reply
Please understand, I don’t get mad. I’m looking at your offers which for you might be feasible but, not for us.

Now Should I me offended?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/15/2018 02:07AM by bmttinman.

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Offended? Of course not. Her email could have been worded better, but as a business discussion between two businesses, she made it clear they would no longer entertain your offers. All you need to worry about is if the shops are worth it for you to make a lower offer. Getting offended makes as much sense as an MSC getting offended because a shopper doesn’t want to accept a shop for the pay offered. It’s business, not personal.

P.S. You may want to edit your post as both the MSC and client are named.

As I read this I can discuss companies. I agree this is a business and having been in business dealing with the public to me this is like calling a customer a Dumb A__. My point I am trying to show is that the MSC and their employees think that any shoppers is stupid and should get a real job like them l. That they do not deserve minimum wage and should not make better money for they are smarter than the shopper.

I sent routes to companies when possible. If I am in their price range they except it or counter but never tell me to not to.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/15/2018 02:11AM by bmttinman.

Why did you ask if you should be offended if you already are? I realize that there’s probably more to this than you’ve been able to post, and you think your time is more valuable than what they are now willing to pay. You may be right. How would you have preferred to have your offer rejected?
From the email, it sounds as though you may have repeatedly submitted offers they have been rejecting and now they are letting you know that continuing to submit is pointless. Would you rather not know why you’re being rejected?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/15/2018 02:53AM by TroyHawkins.

Humm. You make a good. Point or two.

Ok - I get it. "Please stop sending your offers" might not have been my choice of wording, but she did say please and got to the point.

In my opinion, no offense was intended. I imagine she is responding to tons of emails and trying to do so efficiently, maybe even too quickly.

I like that you have a price in mind and want to stick to it. Good for you for knowing your value.

Sleep on it, it won't feel so offensive tomorrow.

Evaluating and mailing packages since 1994

Assuming this is the same route of the same 15 locations you did in Dec 17 and Aug and that 500 and 485 are prices and not invoice numbers then $50 per location is quite a jump from what you have done them for previously. If you have done the same 15 locations previously for $750 and the new scheduler doesn't want to play ball, then there isn't much you can do. You could try to let them sit and hope that they languish on the job boards and swoop in towards the end of the month to bail them out.

I've noticed with several projects that when a new scheduler takes over an established client they generally don't want to hear what deals were done in the past. The new scheduler is trying to make their mark, prove that they can perform better than their predecessor, and increase the profitability of the contract. Many times the bonuses I had received in the past become vastly different with a new scheduler.

It also could be the MSC themselves sending in their "closer" scheduler to bolster an underperforming contract or client. In which case, you almost have to expect the coffers to close up.

"We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl -- year after year..."

Your math is good. Now add in the two days of travel 850 miles, the hotel room and the sixteen shops done I think the price was far. I think I have had this scheduler from another company. Also take and Google her name and you will find she has a Facebook page where she's always asking people to do her favors

Yikes. You drove 850 miles to do 16 gas stations?
I'm doing 16 gas stations tomorrow after work. I think that it's going to be 60 miles total (since they aren't that close to my house - 20 minutes away).

@bmttinman wrote:

Also take and Google her name and you will find she has a Facebook page where she's always asking people to do her favors

This is absolutely unnecessary and highly unprofessional.

Easy tiger, I'm not taking their side here. I was just pointing out some possible reasons why you may be facing resistance on your route pricing, Of course, there could be other reasons as well.

The bottom-line is that only you know what your time and skills are worth. If this client isn't adding up money wise, then find another client that does. Whether your offer is fair or not is largely irrelevant to the scheduler, but it should be everything to you.

This sounds somewhat personal on your end. I'm not going to cybersleuth a scheduler on Google or Facebook to see whether she asks for favors. It can be frustrating when a previously lucrative client changes the financial landscape on you. Change is inevitable in life. I think you already know your options. You can deal with the new scheduler/pricing or you can find something else to fill your newly available time. Based on the scheduler's response to you above, I don't think kicking the proverbial dead horse is going to do any good.

"We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl -- year after year..."

@TroyHawkins wrote:

@bmttinman wrote:

Also take and Google her name and you will find she has a Facebook page where she's always asking people to do her favors

This is absolutely unnecessary and highly unprofessional.

And just plain creepy

Honestly I don’t think it is any more creepy for any IC to Google a client than it is for employers to Google potential candidates, maybe less so. If someone has their business linked with their personal accounts it is nobody’s fault but their own. Regardless, the OP didn’t share any personal information, just the way this scheduler conducts her business.

Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.

Dear John,

Thanks for your bid, we appreciate your desire to perform these shops. Since you stated you are not willing to negotiate, then we will not be able to come to an agreement this time. We appreciate your past performance and look forward to working with you in the future.

If you change your mind about the minimum you will accept, please let me know and (if the opportunity still exists) I will quote you the best we can offer.

My posts are solely based on my opinions and for my entertainment, contact a professional if you need real advice.

When you get in debt you become a slave. - Andrew Jackson

If that's how they feel, you know where they stand. Move on. Don't waste your efforts there. Find an MSC that will give you what you want.

"I told myself to quit you; but I don't listen to drunks." -Chris Stapleton

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/16/2018 07:30PM by HonnyBrown.

I don't do their assignments because of the offered fee. However, I know who does in my area. They are doing their client a great and grave disservice.

@LisaSTL wrote:

Honestly I don’t think it is any more creepy for any IC to Google a client than it is for employers to Google potential candidates, maybe less so. If someone has their business linked with their personal accounts it is nobody’s fault but their own. Regardless, the OP didn’t share any personal information, just the way this scheduler conducts her business.

I like to know who I'm dealing with. A scheduler who has been with five companies in the last two years probably isn't going to remember "favors" as well as someone who has been with the same company for a long time. LinkedIn gives you a lot of information (and lets the person see who has searched their profile.) I don't think it's creepy, either.

"Let me offer you my definition of social justice: I keep what I earn and you keep what you earn. Do you disagree? Well then tell me how much of what I earn belongs to you - and why?” ~Walter Williams

It does become creepy when someone searches your linked file and tells you that you are putting your little baby daughter at risk by providing information on linked. That is VERY creepy. Very creepy indeed. Absolutely creepy. The creepiest, actually.

I can see that no one has never Google themselves. I see that everyone doesn't like change and everyone believes that they are right and everyone is wrong.

I don't think you should be offended. She is obviously not looking at your past invoices and the fact that you have completed these shops for however much it says on the invoice. I think that to feel disappointed about not getting your offered fee is reasonable and to be frustrated because she is curt and not admitting to previously higher fees.

Sometimes I'm in a different city than my city but I never take that city's shops for base price because all of the company's reps throw the prior accepted fee in my face, having completely disregarded the fact that I happened to be in that city last month but not this month and would require an acceptable fee to cover travel costs.

Hmmm this name looks familiar to me. Did this scheduler come over from another company that did a lot of big branch banks?

I wouldn't be too worried about it -- if they won't go that high, meh. Don't take the route and don't bank on it. They could be a little less rude... I've made offers where a call center associates haggled and annoyed me and then finally, the company reps state side would call and give me the level price. If I ask for $50, and you call for $4 and tell me my husband would surely be grateful i get to work... my response is going to be crass... however if you call and level me that the shops cap is a flat $35 and my parking and tolls covered, then we can work it out.

MegglesKat

@spicy1 wrote:

It does become creepy when someone searches your linked file and tells you that you are putting your little baby daughter at risk by providing information on linked. That is VERY creepy. Very creepy indeed. Absolutely creepy. The creepiest, actually.

Maybe. But maybe they're trying to save you the agony of having that child taken or disturbed. I am continually surprised at how much personal information people share online about their minor children.

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