In a lot of markets, asking "can you do a little better?" isn't rude — it's expected. The instinct is to either hold firm (and lose the sale) or cave (and lose the margin). There's a smarter middle path.
Why a flat "no" costs you bookings
A price-sensitive customer who hears a hard "no" often just walks — to a competitor who'll talk. You didn't protect your margin; you lost the whole booking. Many of those customers would happily have paid a price that still works for you.
Why "yes" to everything is worse
Caving on price trains customers to always push, and quietly erodes what your work is worth. Discounting should be deliberate, not a reflex.
The middle path: a floor you never cross
The trick is to decide your real minimum in advance — the lowest price you'd genuinely accept — and let the conversation move within a band between your listed price and that floor. You hold near your asking price, concede a little if needed, and never go below the number you set. The customer feels they won a deal; you protected your margin.
Let it happen in the conversation
Negotiation works best where the customer already is — in the booking chat — and only when they start it. You never advertise discounts; you simply respond well when asked. The result is more closed bookings from exactly the customers who would otherwise have walked.
The bottom line
Negotiation isn't about discounting — it's about not losing winnable bookings to a rigid "no." Set a floor, hold your ground gracefully, and let price-sensitive customers say yes.
Ordina's secretary can negotiate within a hidden floor you set per service — winning the booking without ever dropping below your minimum.
