"Chicken Doctor"

[purelypoultry]

So I love it when I can help be a "chicken doctor." I regularly get non-customers wanting to talk for an hour on how to cure their chicken's illness. While I am on the phone on a "chicken doctor" call I am watching customers wanting to place an order leaving voicemails. Would it be wrong to say that I will only answer health related questions if you purchase a copy of the book Chicken Health Handbook?

 

[Daidohead]

Something like this ? " We are sorry but due to an overwelming demand we are only able to answer customers health related questions"

I had a problem with people wanting me to talk them through home repairs when I was a general contractor. Drove me crazy trying to get paid work completed.

 

[purelypoultry]

I love to help. I think it would be illegal for me to charge for my services. I am not looking to not help them, I just think that I should be compensated for it somehow. Do you think requiring that they purchase a copy of Chicken Health handbook would be unreasonable?

 

[Knock Kneed Hen]

Quote:
You could say, "I'm sorry, I have customers that I need to help but I would gladly send you a copy of my handbook for $_____." I think it's reasonable to give priority to your paying customers.

 

[ADozenGirlz]

Quote:
In my opinion, if you really do enjoy it, perhaps you should have a dedicated line to those kind of advice-seekers OR take their number and call them back when your business is closed and isn't inconveniencing paying customers. It seems tacky to ask them to purchase a copy of a book in exchange for your advice. If you want to charge a nominal fee for the service or ask for a nominal voluntary donation, that seems reasonable to me.