When dealing with any company, one of the things I want to know is the full cost.

I want to see if what they are offering is good value for money.

I hate it when you look in shop windows and there are no prices.

Why don’t they add prices?

It normally means it’s too expensive!

Oh, and another thing…

You often see a huge sign in the shop window that says ‘Everything in store half price’. Then when you get closer, in the smallest of writing, it says ‘up to’.

This normally means there is one thing with 50% off and the rest is 10% off.

Last weekend, my wife and I decided to spend a few days in Amsterdam.

Great city!

One evening, we were perusing the restaurants and one of them was promoting a pizza/pasta offer.

“Any pizza/pasta for 5 euros”

Great value and the restaurant was busy – a good sign!

We sat down.

Ordered our pizzas (well we were on holiday!).

“You HAVE to order a drink” said the waiter.

“Why?”

“If you have the 5 euro offer, you have to buy a drink and you cannot have tap water!”

The cheek!

Where’s the transparency?

Where’s the open and honest communication?

Their pizza/pasta offer sign did not say, “Any Pizza/Pasta for 5 Euros and you must buy a drink”.

We should have left – not because of the expense but because of the principle. We didn’t leave. We were going to have a drink anyway.

I see so many on-line companies not displaying their costs. You have to make contact to find out. I never make contact.

If you own a business and don’t display your costs…change it now.

Tell your customers exactly what they are going to get for their money.