What’s your time worth?
I had a potential client tell me the other day that she had spent “hours” scouring the internet to find a quote that was $10 cheaper than the one I had given her for her vacation. Let’s assume she spent three hours — that would mean her time was worth about $3.50 per hour? Even if she only spent two hours, that’s $5.00 per hour, which is still below minimum wage. Even my 13-year-old daughter makes $10 per hour to babysit!
It’s an extreme example, I know, but it illustrates a mindset that baffles me. Why would a busy professional spend hours on the internet trying to save a few dollars on a vacation? Wouldn’t that time be better spent on work, or family, or just about anything else besides sitting at a computer stressing out about something that’s supposed to be relaxing? Not to mention the fact that if they go ahead and book with the rock-bottom vendor they found online, what kind of service are they going to get?
Most of us only take about two weeks of vacation a year, and we dream about it (and save up for it) for weeks and months before hand. My clients know that, by putting the planning process in my hands, they’ll be getting a great vacation (tailored specifically to their needs and desires) at a great price, and they won’t have to spend hours on the internet worrying about it!
