Doctor Archive
Thread: Am I wrong? Working for tips
Escoh
Thu Feb 26, 2004 9:46 am
#14
Im not a docor but thought i would give my two cents:
I would say charge what is fair, What is fair, all depends on the person i guess.And i always tip verry well and Im always curtious to all buffers.(what i suc up i am) I need them as i am a swordsman.
If anyone does'nt pay your price or gives you greef just ban them from your services. they will chage there tune soon enough.
On traq, Some buffers will even go out of there way to come help me out if im stuck somewhere.
So if they give you greief Srew em
(what is up with the whole i will not buff you if your a reb. ? i get some docs saying that, but i mean come one not like this GCW is really big or anything, i mean RPing is cool in all but im just going to dungens and stuff. I i was on battle field i could see that but sitting in the star in coro *come on
JasonK
Thu Feb 26, 2004 10:18 am
#15
I think it's a bit rude to work for tips then ask why your tip was so low.
BoomBoz
Thu Feb 26, 2004 10:42 am
#16
By working on a tip only system, I think you open yourself up to everyone else's frame of reference. 5k credits to one person might seem like a lot to him/her. You just never know. I used to be a master bounty hunter. Every time I got buffed by a doc, I knew that absolutely anything could happen. I had absolutely horrible buffs and I had incredible buffs too. With the horrible buffs, I didn't expect anything back from the doc - even though 50% of the time, I'd get a tip back. Every awesome buff that stood out would earn the doc back another 1-2k.
I'd say - if you want to open yourself up to the occasional disappointment, then work for tips only. Even some of the richest players will screw you. You could establish a minimum price and tell the customer he may tip anything additional according to the quality of the buff if you still want to be tip based (ie. 3k for full set...if you like em, tip accordingly). Personally, I'm setting a price that is similar to what other masters are charging (7k on Tarq). Absolutely terrible buffs may get a tip back, but anyone giving me any grief will be quickly welcomed to my /ignore list. You and I work too hard putting all the crap together to make buffs to deal with any more than what we already have to put up with.
sweeno987
Thu Feb 26, 2004 10:50 am
#17
its not rude jasonk, its etiquet. i understand what the original poster is trying to do. i have resorted to the same thing. i have stopped selling my buffs. the only time i buff is when someone requests it. i tell them that i do not sell buffs anymore, but would be glad to buff them for a proper tip. if the tip is not what i consider "proper" then i just add them to my ignore list. i dont complain to them usually unless the tip is extra low. in such a case i usually ask them what price they are used to paying for an equal buff. my whole reason for stepping out of the buff for pay business is not crap rolls, but crap customers who just dont have manners or who dont understand the idea of proper tipping. i imagine these are the same people who dont tip their pizza delivery guy and wonder why their pizza is always late from then on. here are 3 examples of why i quit buffing to the public:
1. was buffing at tusken. charging 10k full buff. a girl got a crap roll on a stat and asked me what the stats were on my buff packs. i told her 900+ power on all packs. 932 on action. she says "no wonder your buffs suck. most docs have buff packs that are at least 2000 or above power". i write this one off as just plain ol fashion ignorance. i didnt even try to explain how the system worked to her. i just packed up my droid and went home.
2. buffed agirl at coronet star port for 3k in 3 stats. over 2k in the other 3. one of my best all time buffs. the first stat was 3300 to strength. her respone was not "wow. nice buff", but "strength isnt important anyways". after buff was over i replied "that was a great buff. your getting a bargain with me only charging 6k today". she didnt say a single word. tipped me 2k and ran off. she never responed to tells or emails. her name promptly went on my ignore list and was forwarded in email to every doc i know on flurry.
3. this is what finally made me quit buffing for pay. was waiting on shuttle in anchor head. shuttle was 2 minutes away. a guy asks me to buff him. i said i was waiting on shuttle but if he hurried i would buff him. told him my price was 10k. he responed with "10k?? thats crazy. i usually only pay 6k." i told him that it didnt matter to me, but if he wanted my buffing services, it would be 10k. no refund for bad rolls. he shows up 30 seconds before the shuttle is leaving. i said it was too late since shuttle was almost there. he begged and pleaded so i agreed to miss the shuttle so i could buff him. i buffed him for over 3k in 2 stats and over 2k in 2 more stats. both action and health were buffed for 2600's and 3100's. one stat i buffed for 1901, and constitution i buffed for 1367. after i finished he said " that was a crappy buff man. im not paying 10k for that. you used crappy buff packs on me". i asked him what kind of buffs he was used to getting from master docs. he said that he had never been buffed for under 2500 in any stat and never paid more than 6k for a buff. he also said that all other docs use buff packs with power of 2000 or better (he was another very informed customer). not in the mood to argue i told him to pay me what he thought the buff was worth. he paid me 3k and went on his merry way. i added him to my ignore list as well.
after all the hard work i put into mastering doc, collecting all the best resources and crafting the best meds, this is the treatment i get for providing a much under appreciated service. people dont understand the frustration associated with the profession and do not give due respect or credit for such service. it has made me a very disgruntled and somewhat surly doctor. i do not count on my doc skills as a source of income any more and have resorted to turning off my doc tag when i go to starports. i have now gone into the resource extraction business and pretty much buff only myself, friends, and previous customers that show proper respect and personally request my services. most of these customers know how i feel about buffing and pay me 15k+ without ever even asking for a price. not once has any of them even thought about complaining about a buff. they are well aware of my long ignore list.
JasonK
Thu Feb 26, 2004 11:11 am
#18
sweeno987 wrote:
its not rude jasonk, its etiquet.
I'll have to disagree. A tip is a gift and a bonus for good performance. Asking people why they gave you a subpar gift is not good etiquette, it's rude and ungrateful. I'd hate to be around you on Xmas when you open a present and find it isn't something you want.
kevincore
Thu Feb 26, 2004 11:14 am
#19
i think what he means is....its etiquette to give good tips, not to ask why a tip is crappy
JasonK
Thu Feb 26, 2004 11:20 am
#20
kevincore wrote:
i think what he means is....its etiquette to give good tips, not to ask why a tip is crappy
I said it was rude to ask why tips were low, he said it wasn't rude it was good etiquette. I would take that as he means it is good etiquette to ask why tips were low.
kevincore
Thu Feb 26, 2004 11:24 am
#21
yeah i understand what your saing, but i think he just worded it wrong, at least i hope so....cause asking why you got a crappy tip isnt good etiquette however tipping well, is.
Aynn
Thu Feb 26, 2004 11:27 am
#22
If you cant afford to buy buffs, you dont need them, thats my opinion.
Ramew
Thu Feb 26, 2004 11:39 am
#23
MyT,
I use the second chart that Mc posted, and have been using it for quite a while. My only
change to it is that anything under 1200 is free. I have yet to get left standing at my
buffing fountain with a customer that won't pay.
Most people say that my pricing seems the most fair. Fixed rates always seem to make
someone mad. I have had very few people (4 in 3 months) complain at my buff pricing scale.
I am using 817 packs across the board. When I made my crates the advanced components
available were far from great. With these packs, BE clothes (+25), and a 110 droid out,
I average 9k per set. It is not uncommon to hit a set for 11k or 12k. It is even less common
for a set to go all low where I end up charging only 6k.
To be honest both parties in these deals are a little worried about getting ripped off.
There is a fear that they are going to hand a doc the 10k fee up front and then the doc
logs. Our fear is that if we don't charge up front they will take the buffs and run. With
the per stat rolling scale both parties can get a little comfort where the money is concerned.
With this scale you can have them pay after each stat is buffed. The pay as you go thing adds
a level of comfort to the transaction for both parties. It can also serve to help clear up
any pricing misconceptions after only one buff is out.
* 0 to 1199 : FREE
* 1200 to 1999 : 1k Credits
* 2000 to 2999 : 2k Credits
* 3000+ : 3k Credits
I have the above scale inside my bio. I just refer people to my bio and that saves a lot of explaining.
Definately give it a try. I have found that people really like a rolling scale.
Ra'ma
I use the second chart that Mc posted, and have been using it for quite a while. My only
change to it is that anything under 1200 is free. I have yet to get left standing at my
buffing fountain with a customer that won't pay.
Most people say that my pricing seems the most fair. Fixed rates always seem to make
someone mad. I have had very few people (4 in 3 months) complain at my buff pricing scale.
I am using 817 packs across the board. When I made my crates the advanced components
available were far from great. With these packs, BE clothes (+25), and a 110 droid out,
I average 9k per set. It is not uncommon to hit a set for 11k or 12k. It is even less common
for a set to go all low where I end up charging only 6k.
To be honest both parties in these deals are a little worried about getting ripped off.
There is a fear that they are going to hand a doc the 10k fee up front and then the doc
logs. Our fear is that if we don't charge up front they will take the buffs and run. With
the per stat rolling scale both parties can get a little comfort where the money is concerned.
With this scale you can have them pay after each stat is buffed. The pay as you go thing adds
a level of comfort to the transaction for both parties. It can also serve to help clear up
any pricing misconceptions after only one buff is out.
* 0 to 1199 : FREE
* 1200 to 1999 : 1k Credits
* 2000 to 2999 : 2k Credits
* 3000+ : 3k Credits
I have the above scale inside my bio. I just refer people to my bio and that saves a lot of explaining.
Definately give it a try. I have found that people really like a rolling scale.
Ra'ma
EbooAmehe
Thu Feb 26, 2004 11:47 am
#24
You are right I believe in the fact that I should not exactly expect more if I ask for tips at what they think is fair. I just had a problem with the fact that she said I pay only 5k for better buffs than this all the time. That is why I put up this question to everyone to get input on what method most docs go through to determine a fair price especially when I work so hard to make the best meds I can. The reason I started buffing for tips was I hated the way the system varys so much even though I usually get good buffs in the 2k+ region with some dropping close to 1100 at times. I figured most people would try to pay according to how good their set was. I see now why a lot of docs set a certain price on their meds. After all....any buff is better than no buff. I'm thinking I may go with 10k a set and refund 1k per buff under 1500. I appreciate everyone giving me their opinions on this matter.
MyT_Chicken
Thu Feb 26, 2004 11:50 am
#25
Sounds good, will definantly give it a shot.....not much to loose really other then a set of buffs is someone walks away.
Ilatzimep
Thu Feb 26, 2004 12:27 pm
#26
I'm currently working on doc myself and just hit 1/2/4/0 last night. I don't know how the resource situation or buffing prices are on other servers, but on Bloodfin i've seen anywhere from 5k - 20k. (that 20k was seen recently at the Genosian Lab)
Now, i've gotten some really **edit**ty buffs for 10k and great buffs for 5k. (at 10k i once recieved a buff set: <1k, <1k, 1050, <1k, <1k, 1700) the doc said he was using enhance Ds but i'm not too sure on that. I know that the buff values are random and bad buffs are going to happen, but there needs to be a fix on this. Buff packs with a high base shouldn't do bad buffs.
All I know is that once my server comes back up I'm going to make a run to the nearest med vendor, puchase some crates, and start buffing. I don't plan on ever charging more than 7-8k for a set. This is what the customers seem to want in a price range but will apparantly settle for whatever they can find if they have a hard time finding a doc to buff them