To not give NHS discounts?

[LottieLot]

I own a small business making and selling a product.

As you can imagine it's been quite tough during Covid but we've stayed afloat and things are picking up a little thanks to Christmas. It's been hard going though and a bit worrying at times.

I seem to have a lot of people messaging me asking for discounts for NHS staff and I've felt under pressure to agree most of the time.

AIBU to stop though now? I am of course appreciative of everything NHS workers do, but I have struggled to get my business through this pandemic and I could do without offering discounts frankly.

Is it rude to ask a small business this in your opinion? I personally cant imagine ever doing so. I'm not a huge franchise, I am a genuine small business which is obvious from my page!

By the way - I voted YABU because I don’t think it’s rude to ask (provided a no is gracefully accepted by those asking).

I also think you should not offer discounts if you can’t afford it (or even if you just don’t want to). I think you are perfectly within your rights not to offer any discounts.

Asking for a discount is just haggling really. In many countries it's the norm in shops, on market stalls and everywhere else. In the UK, it's mostly confined to particular situations, but it's not inherently unreasonable for someone to ask. If you're in the kind of business where you're quoting a price for bespoke work, it is pretty normal for a customer to come back with a counteroffer. Some people might feel more comfortable asking if you are able to offer a discount e.g. for NHS staff, and this isn't unreasonable.

On the other hand, you're running a business and need to make a profit. You're not being unreasonable to refuse. NHS staff generally are not among the lowest paid in society, and have relatively secure jobs, so even if you were feeling charitable there would be others you might feel should benefit first.

I think the tone of hero worshipping comments is unfortunate in extremis.
I think it’s entirely up to you if you choose to offer and discounts.
I know I am more likely to make purchases from small companies who have been kind towards people facing challenges.

Example might be Mermaid Gin in the Isle of Wight who I now use for presents, personal use and meals out when on the island because they sent my daughter and her husband a very generous two bottles and glasses gift set because they are two doctors whose wedding was cancelled. It cost them the gift set but I must have purchased a dozen bottles since and will remain loyal. Beautiful bottles that make lovely lamp bases too. Good gin. Fantastic service.

@Tootsietoot

I can't get passed the hero worshipping comment. My DPis a paramedic of over ten years and the pandemic has broken something inside of him. I'm pretty certain he isn't interested in 10% of whatever shite you're selling for a profit.

well said @Tootsietoot

@LottieLot

It just seems a bit rude imo, to ask when it's not offered iyswim? Especially of a small business just trying to sell a niche product. Surely it's quite obvious that these sorts of business will have struggled throughout. I feel like there are people trying to take advantage essentially of the current public appreciation for keyworkers. I was never asked before all this.

People who ask are happy to be told no. Because they don’t have the same value you place on ‘not being cheeky’ etc. Same rule applies for all sorts of situations in life where people ask you something you’re a bit about - they just see it differently and by asking they’re expecting it to not be successful sometimes. Nothing ventured nothing gained etc.

Even if you lose some sales, that gives you a data point to work with. How many sales lost makes the discount worthwhile? If lots of people ask and then won’t go on to buy at full price without it, perhaps proactively advertising the discount is the smart business move?

Anyway - your business your rules. And don’t give discounts unless you are clear in a business sense why you’re doing it, but because you find it awkward to say no. As the old shop sign says ‘Don’t ask for credit as refusal may offend’ i.e. the person asking is the one who needs to worry about the refusal, not the business owner.

Example might be Mermaid Gin in the Isle of Wight who I now use for presents, personal use and meals out when on the island because they sent my daughter and her husband a very generous two bottles and glasses gift set because they are two doctors whose wedding was cancelled

Completely out of the blue? How did they find out? Are they actively tracking down anyone who’s wedding was cancelled, or just doctors?

If all companies were “being kind” to people facing challenges, they’d be bankrupt pretty quickly.

I went to a big super market this week

When it was time to pay, they asked me if I was a teacher or worked for NHS

I am neither

But I assumed this was due to a discount or a freebie ?

I haven't offered discounts at all. In fact, I view anyone asking as plain rude whether NHS or not. I'm not selling cheap wholesale tat from China, I hand male all of my products. It isn't just the NHS working hard. I haven't had a day off since 6th September and there's nothing like the pressure of "why didn't I receive my order a week before I thought about buying it, sort it out or I'll leave negative feedback" to make the job of a small business owner extremely stressful. I was emailing at 7:15am yesterday and my laptop went off at 9:20pm which is early these days. I don't go around demanding discount because I generate tax, vat and employment and yet those things are helping the country massively right now.

bluebluezoo, no they were approached by one of the intended bridesmaids. It was because they were both doctors.

Liz Earle did likewise with a generous non-wedding gift and so did the Pig Hotels and The Dining Room restaurant in Winchester.
None made up for having to wear scrubs instead of a wedding dress but it did help knowing some people understood.

How on earth do you know which staff are and aren’t taking advantage of discounts offered to nhs staff

NHS staff all have an ID badge with their name, job title, ward and hospital/Trust on it. Eg Jane Smith, Staff Nurse, Willow Ward, (X Trust or hospital). Some badges give the department eg ‘Clinical Lead in Respiratory Care’ or ‘Housekeeping’. So if you don’t know your local hospital well, you could take down their details and check the person works there. Then have some sort of register for patient facing staff in high/medium risks areas if the same customers come to you a lot?

If anyone needs a discount its those on furlough!
Not people getting 100% wage!

So you are not being unreasonable not accepting requests for NHS discounts.

Or rather than posting a thread intended to increase resentment, you could just say no.

op has an online shop

but thanks for the idea, never thought about asking for discounts on online shopping.

I find it odd that companies are clamouring to offer the public sector staff discounts. They work in one of few sectors that have not been financially impacted, why are we trying to save them money? It's a virtue signalling marketing tool but yet the public lap it up. Oooooh, isn't that supermarket lovely for giving discount to teachers... but yeah, f**k the leisure industry staff where everyone has had their minimum wages cut to zero in some circumstances - they can pay in full. Madness.

Stop the discounts. I say that as a front line NHS worker, we are being paid full pay, no cut in salary. I've used my NHS card once during this pandemic to get a discount on a large item from a large business, I've been using small businesses as much as possible and shopping locally. We are the fortunate ones & really don't need the discount.

If anyone needs a discount its those on furlough!
Not people getting 100% wage!

I can’t be the only one tired of the whinging from the furloughed. Paid 80% of your wage to sit on your bum at home while the rest of us work ourselves into the ground to cover for you. I’d take that.

I get that for certain sectors (eg hospitality) it’s really stressful because the prospect of redundancy is very very real. Of course those employees would rather be in work.

But in my place of work (large private sector firm) there won’t be any redundancies. We are flat out busy. Yet huge numbers of employees are still furloughed (simply because the business wants to save money) leaving the rest of us breaking our backs to cover their workload. It’s the “poorer performing” staff as well - the ones that aren’t trusted to work from home. So basically being rewarded for their laziness/poor performance. Oh, did I mention their wages are being topped up to 100% too?

This is not what the scheme is for but I can assure you that’s what it’s being used for by many (it is the same in my husband’s workplace too, and many friends in the same industry have said the same). I don’t sympathise with these colleagues. They are frankly delighted with life.

I do see that it’s not the same across the board and I am genuinely gutted for those in hospitality etc.

Back on topic - I wouldn’t be an NHS frontliner right now. I have nothing but respect for them. But no one should feel pressured into offering a discount they can’t afford.

If anyone needs a discount its those on furlough!
Not people getting 100% wage

But if you’re on furlough you’re getting 80% of your wage for doing no work at all? You have no travel costs, no childcare costs.

What service are you providing to the public and what risks are you taking in your daily life to warrant a discount on your coffee? Are you putting your life on the line to help others? Are you paying extortionate nursery fees and/or wraparound childcare to enable you to keep working shifts? Paying for your daily commute?

The discount was a nice gesture by some businesses to show NHS staff they are appreciated and valued, to boost morale. Some of my colleagues nearly cried when free pizza and chocolate and drinks were delivered to our ward. It was like recognition that we’re doing an exhausting, high risk job with hardly any time to go and get food. Completely unexpected but it had a big impact on team morale.

But in my place of work (large private sector firm) there won’t be any redundancies. We are flat out busy. Yet huge numbers of employees are still furloughed (simply because the business wants to save money) leaving the rest of us breaking our backs to cover their workload. It’s the “poorer performing” staff as well - the ones that aren’t trusted to work from home. So basically being rewarded for their laziness/poor performance. Oh, did I mention their wages are being topped up to 100% too? hmm

Don't get me started on that. My secretary was a heartbeat away from being put on performance and capability proceedings when this started.

Now we mainly work remotely she has been furloughed every other month on a full wage and now she is off furlough she does nothing at home anyway.

The guidelines are clear: if your work cannot be done at home you are allowed to attend the office.

Some of ours cannot be done at home: we need office equipment

She point blank refuses to come to the office despite being mid 20s and no health issues so u have to attend the office and do the work she won't do when it is admin work and we won't recover the costs of a band A fee earner doing it (solicitor).

Are you sure the people asking for discounts are actually NHS staff?

no they were approached by one of the intended bridesmaids. It was because they were both doctors

So basically the bridesmaid called a load of companies asking for a load of expensive freebies, because the couple were NHS staff?

Sorry I think that’s a bit cheeky fucker. Tops asking for a discount anyway!

@ivfbeenbusy

I think it's incredibly rude to ask

The proportion of NHS staff working on covid wards is very small compared to the entire workforce many of whom have seen their workload decrease due to cancellation of all other treatments

For those that say they didn't sign up for a pandemic is like saying they are a soldier who didn't sign up for war? We are just incredibly fortunate in this country that we haven't seen significant health crises like this in a 100 years.

For Christ Sake.

I don't think anyone signed up to work for the NHS with the expectation of working frontline through a pandemic with insufficient PPE.

It's not something they should have been prepared to do & they shouldn't have to be doing it!!

The fact they are is a testament to them
And people should bloody well
appreciate it!!

Sitting behind your keyboard saying 'they chose to do it' is just beyond nasty.

we are being paid full pay, no cut in salary

Yes but our pay is also frozen.

And a lot of NHS workers are on minimum wage. Don’t forget about the cleaners, the Band 2 Physio assistants, OT assistants, HCA/nursing assistants, SALT assistants, support workers. Many can barely make ends meet (especially those with childcare costs).

Lots of NHS staff are cracking under the pressure, mentally and physically. Wearing PPE all day, constant risk, trying to do your normal job through a mask, trying to comfort and keep your staff and support them.

Then when there’s an accidental exposure (patient or staff unexpectedly test positive): all the people who worked with them have to quarantine and use annual leave or unpaid leave when the first runs out. Many of my team have run out of annual leave now as they’ve had to isolate so often. If you have a kid(s) with a cough they can’t go to school so it’s 10 days in isolation unless you can get them tested quickly! So that’s a lot of unpaid leave for many NHS staff

Do you sell online, OP? I'm assuming so since so much face-to-face selling just isn't possible at the moment.

You obviously don't have to offer a discount, and if online you can't verify who is genuinely NHS staff and who is just a chancer (you'd be amazed at some of the requests I get!). I find that the best thing to do is just to depersonalize it completely, by writing a cut-and-paste response which says something along the lines of "think you for your interest/enquiry. Unfortunately I am not currently able to offer any form of discount. Kind Regards etc" or if you feel the need to offer something, you could say "Unfortunately I am not able to offer a discount. However, I can offer free postage on orders over £x if you use code XYZ". Just being able to cut and paste the reply really helps, I find.

I wouldn't explain why you can't offer a discount, because that leaves an opening for argument. Most people don't mind a refusal, but some really do and it can get a bit tricky.

Depending on the venue (I'm thinking especially of eBay) I have found that sales which begin with the customer asking for a discount rarely end well, so I just block them before they can buy.

@bluebluezoo

no they were approached by one of the intended bridesmaids. It was because they were both doctors

So basically the bridesmaid called a load of companies asking for a load of expensive freebies, because the couple were NHS staff?

Sorry I think that’s a bit cheeky fucker. Tops asking for a discount anyway!

I agree. Many people had their weddings cancelled and some even lost their jobs as well.

Don't feel pressured to give a discount, they already get discounts from other places and don't need it from a small business. I would just politely send a reply to anyone who asks stating you don't offer discounts

The better your small business does, the more tax you will pay, to pay for the NHS.