Different rates for peak and off-peak hours

[BCMan]

I’m curious if any providers offer different rates for “busy hours” vs. “non-busy” hours? In other words, less expensive on Tuesday at 10AM vs Friday at 8pm? Or whatever busy/non-busy activity they see? Have any clients seen this? If not, why not? Many businesses do this. Just curious. Thanks. 

[mike carey]

I'm not a provider, but to this outsider it's not difficult to imagine reasons this may be the case. Some business have staff on duty who are able to work for clients during set hours of the day. If they can fill all those hours with work they'd offer no discounts, if there were quiet periods when staff were not engaged with clients, then they might offer price reductions (assuming there were not routine preparation/administrative tasks they needed to perform). Airlines and hotels offer discounts (or more accurately use dynamic pricing) to match demand for a service that needs to be sold when it's available or remain unused.

Providers are not those sorts of businesses. Generally they are able to see clients for a limited number of hours during a day. If they offer discounts during perceived quiet periods they may not be confident to provide a service at a later 'busier' time. I'd suggest they are more likely to save their energy for busy (perhaps 'premium') hours. Providers are owner-operated small businesses, their time is flexible (not infinitely so) and they can manage the hours they work during the time they are available, to maximise their earnings. That may, but more likely would not involve variable pricing.