For one of the domain registrar services that I used I decided it would be better to switch one domain to another provider simply because of cost. To renew one domain it would be about $25 whereas I could easily just transfer it to a different provider and instead pay about $10. So as I was ready to confirm the transfer the current provider had one of those last minute deals to try and keep you with them where they were offering 20% off the fee. Since it as still way more expensive I left.
It made me think though would it not be better to offer this immediately to give people more confidence that you have their best interest in mind? I understand the business side of it of course where if a person is willing to pay the full price then why not let them right? This is very common with like cell phone plans where you often only get the best deals if the company knows that you are on the verge of leaving.
I personally feel that in the long-term continually offering those discounts creates more loyalty which in-turn can create more business. In many ways it’s like an incentive to want to stick with a company too where one feels they are going out of the way for you and so you do too in a sense. Offering things just at the very last moment turns it purely into a money and numbers relationship where you kind of lose the uniqueness on why your business is so different than others in many ways.