Stop Letting Customers Add “One More Thing”

When I ran a junk removal and dumpster rental company, customers used to take advantage of me all the time.

Not because they were necessarily bad customers.

Because I let them.

I would show up to drop off a dumpster and hear, “We’re not ready yet. Can you come back in 30 minutes?”

So I would leave, burn more fuel, waste another hour and come back later.

Or I would quote a junk removal job based on what the customer showed me.

Then we would get there and suddenly it was:

“Can you grab this too?”

“And this?”

“Oh, and there are a few things in the garage.”

I was too afraid to charge them more.

I did not want to seem difficult. I wanted the customer to be happy.

So I kept saying yes.

Looking back now, I can see how stupid that was.

Those little favors probably cost me thousands and thousands of dollars.

That is scope creep.

The job gets sold for one scope, then little things start getting added after the price is already agreed upon.

An extra 30 minutes.

Another trip.

More material.

One more item.

Each one seems small by itself.

Multiply it across hundreds of jobs and it destroys your margin.

The fix is simple:

Define exactly what is included before the job starts.

If the scope changes, the price changes.

Give your team permission to say:

“Absolutely. We can take care of that too. Let me update the price for you.”

You do not have to choose between great customer service and protecting your margins.

I wish I understood that when I was running my service business.

Being easy to work with does not mean working for free.

Bodhi

Client Success 🏆

Disclaimer:
Stryker Digital may occasionally share case studies, performance data, and real results from clients we work with. These examples are for educational and illustrative purposes only. They are not guarantees of results, earnings, or performance. Every business is different, and actual outcomes depend on numerous factors outside our control, including market conditions, competition, budget, and the business’s ability to implement recommended strategies. Nothing in this email should be interpreted as a promise or guarantee of future earnings or results.