Because even if there isn't an incentive, it's the right thing to do.
It's been one of my gripes about business for a long time that they offer more attractive options to people who aren't their customers than they do for people who have been their customers for a while.
So, now that I'm running my first bits of advertising for my consulting/I.T. business, I put a "10% off your next invoice" coupon in the flyer -- for my existing clients.
After all, if it weren't for my existing clients, I couldn't afford to be advertising for new ones.
I've literally just been considering this same question yesterday. I decided against giving a discount - I'm already pretty cheap though. If you keep discounting your clients you end up doing more work for them to make the same amount of money; if you've cut your cost of doing business and you're seeing some clients leaving for other businesses (and not coming back) then it seems right to reduce your costs to incentivise repeat custom.
Remember that [regular business] customers [with opportunity to go elsewhere] who get things cheaper will always want them at that rate though - we paid you £360 last time, why should we pay £400 now?
I agree with you. I don't plan on offering the discounts very often -- my rates are already pretty cheap. It's more of a "thank you" discount, and it's intended to show potential new clients that we treat our existing clients pretty well.
I don't think most of my existing clients will expect me to continue offering a discounted rate. I've had several of them even tell me that I really ought to be charging a lot more.
On the other hand, you're not a publically held company. The telecom can't justify decisions on the basis that they are right. Cooperate law in america is messed up.
It's been one of my gripes about business for a long time that they offer more attractive options to people who aren't their customers than they do for people who have been their customers for a while.
So, now that I'm running my first bits of advertising for my consulting/I.T. business, I put a "10% off your next invoice" coupon in the flyer -- for my existing clients.
After all, if it weren't for my existing clients, I couldn't afford to be advertising for new ones.