Every customer makes me smile

Today I had to do something I absolutely hate doing; Raising prices.

It has been over a year since I last raised the bowling rates at my bowling center. During this time I've had lots of my expenses and costs increase, leaving me with little choice.

If property taxes and insurance didn't increase so much over the past few years it might have been possible to keep the rates where they were but even with it looking like the property taxes might go down, insurance costs seem only to be getting higher.

Probably the worst part about raising prices is the flak you get from some of your customers. No matter how much they enjoy themselves at the center some are not willing to pay any more without complaining. There are more than a few that have refined this complaining into an art form and could even qualify it as an Olympic Sport.

Most of these customers are convinced that I'm just being greedy and I'm out to "make another dollar." Through experience I've learned they're unwilling to listen to any other possible explanation. At least I've become skilled at identifying these types of customers with one sentence so I know to just let them complain and then thank them for their business with a smile.

It is never worth trying to reason with them or allowing them to get you up set. Giving them the thank you and the smile throws them off track and gets them out quicker. They always come back too and thats when you think, "Every customer makes me smile. Some when they come in and some when they leave."