This week, I was talking to a service provider I’ve used for years. I had an issue and called to have it resolved. During the conversation, they asked about my experience and hinted that they wanted to know how they could get more of my business. I truthfully told them that their pricing prevented me from using them as much as I’d like. And that I was looking for a rate tailored to what I planned on doing and not just the standard pricing everyone gets. To my surprise, he quickly said, “Yeah. We can do that. What price were you thinking?” After some back and forth, he told me I can likely get 50% to 70% off the price I’m currently paying, but it has to be approved by someone more senior. So we submitted the request, and I should hear back in a few days. The entire exchange was simple and will likely result in a sizeable reduction in cost for me.

My big takeaway is that more things in life are negotiable than most people realize. I’ve been a customer for years and was never offered a discount until I explicitly asked for one. Unbeknownst to me, it’s a common thing they regularly do but don’t advertise. A discount is offered only if you ask.

This was a reminder that you never know what’s possible until you ask. The worst that could happen is they say no. The best that could happen is you get a great deal, special treatment, or unadvertised special offerings.

Wayne Gretzky said it best: “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”