antsaint - 6:02 pm on Feb 2, 2004 (gmt 0)

No worries, and thanx for expanding your point. You're point - it's the usual "undercharge to break in" mentality. It's always difficult to charge what you're worth, and stick to it.

I wonder how much of the problem entails the leap from being a wage-earner to an independent. Costs are different, and charging for your time, as you've broken it down nicely, entails much, much more than just what you'd normally see in a paycheck. Still, that perceived "jump" can cause stickershock to the one putting on the sticker.

Even harder to realize, is that if you also undercharge to try to gain people on price, that's also where you'll lose 'em. If price is the main consideration, then sooner or later there'll always be someone charging cheaper.

You have to wonder how much quality of service goes into these considerations, or ease of contact and communication, and how much is pure "cut cost, cut cost, cut cost..."