I appreciate your point of view Judy. I agree with you to a point. I think if I offer something like... you don't pay for stats, I'm setting a new standard for the community. So when that client goes to the next provider and they charge for stats, they don't understand why. I'm raising the clients expectation. If I make a card then the next provider looks like they don't care because I did it and they don't feel they have to. I'm raising the expectations of the proffesion by offering more then what someone else feels is "there job".

I spent an hour last night price matching with 5 different grocery flyers in prep to do my shopping this week. So, if the superstore offers price matching, I go there to shop. And I take all of the cheap no frills and basics prices with me. But at the end of the day, The Superstore gets my business. Basics can be as ticked off as they'd like, they're just advertising for another store in my opinion.

I think it's called being competitive. I do these things for my clients and my kids because it keeps me competitive. It's a small thing that means a lot. My clients will stay with me because I do these extras and they will recommend me because I do these extras.

In response to your tim hortons/mcdonalds analogy. Things have changed. They work much harder to maintain that client and be competitive. Now they have starbucks, coffee cultures, fancier coffee's, latte's. Mcdonalds has harveys and wendy's along with the effort to stay healthy, combat new fast food trends like sushi etc. They have had to educate themselves because they're not just selling burgers and donuts anymore. Just like we've had to educate because clients expect more then free play and tv time.

So, I choose to stay competitive. I choose to LOVE my job and what I do. And I choose to come onto forums like this to gain advise, support and other views.

I appreciate your view Judy, I think it's a horribly negative way to look at life and our carreer choice, but I appreciate it just the same.