Stop Looking For The Cheapest Deal

Have you ever scrolled through Facebook and observed someone you know looking for “the best and cheapest” deal for a product or service? You quietly shake your head because you know that “best” and “cheapest” do not go together.

What happens when you search for flights? What’s the best option for you?

Is it the cheapest option?

The one at the most convenient time of day?

Or, is it the shortest length of time?

For me, the best option when flying is always the best seat and the shortest amount of time. That is, until while vacationing in Scotland: I decided to buy a second ticket for my husband and myself from a discount airline so we didn’t have to get up at 2:30 in the morning.

I thought the discounted ticket would be worth the price and a good deal…

A Discounted Flying Experience

Have you heard of Ryan Air? Picture this:

You’re in the middle seat, facing the back of a bright yellow and royal blue seat in front of you with the emergency instructions written on the back of it. Then, this big burly guy who is already sweating sits down beside you and pulls out his Tolstoy book to read on the flight.

The next thing you know, this guy starts to pick “stuff” out of his beard and flick it onto the floor for the entire duration of your two-hour flight.

As you look ahead, because you’re desperately trying not to identify what is being pulled from this man’s beard, you notice an older man and a much younger woman in front of you who can’t keep their hands off each other.

You’ve got cooties to the left, and too much PDA straight ahead. So you double-down and hope to goodness the captain gets you there sooner.

It gets better…

When you finally land, the older guy ahead rushes off the plane, down the stairs and onto the bus waiting to take you to the terminal. Being the polite Canadian you are, you wait for his young girlfriend to follow – but she doesn’t.

She’s stalling for some reason. You can tell she wants you to exit the plane and enter the bus ahead of her while she gathers her things.

The next thing you know, she enters the bus at the very back and stays away from the man she was with who is now standing by himself at the front of the bus. They are acting like they do not know each other after spending two hours being all over each other!

All of this occurs after you’ve paid to print your boarding passes and paid almost the same fee as your ticket for your luggage… that’s when you realize there’s no airline worse than Ryan Air.

No wifi, no movie and no free lunch.

It was definitely the cheapest option, but nowhere close to the best.

You thought you were getting a good deal – but you got duped.

We ended up paying just as much, if not more for a far inferior experience.

If you look for the cheapest options, expect to get what you pay for. And you may end up paying just as much - if not more - for a far more inferior experience. #BusinessTip (Click to tweet!)

Stop Looking For The Cheapest Deal In Your Business

Now, you may not have flown Ryan Air, but have you had a Ryan Air experience?

Was it the last web designer you hired? They were cheap but they took forever to do the work.

Or maybe that social media expert? The one who set up tons of automation? They had you broadcasting ineffective content non-stop to the point that you wanted to shut it all off.

Whatever it is, I am sure you can relate.

The next time you find yourself, or someone you know, looking for the best and cheapest option, know this:

There is no free lunch and you really do get what you pay for. Although a discounted price may be the tradeoff you’re seeking, it’s bound to come with a cost you didn’t expect.

A business exists to make a profit. So take a hard look at what you’re paying for, not just how much you’re paying.

You get what you pay for. If a business exists to make a profit, take a hard look at what you’re paying for, not just how much you’re paying. #StopLookingForCheapDeals (Click to tweet!)

When was the last time you bought a service, program or product you thought would be a “good deal”? How did that work out? Tell me below.

?