When, in a prior life, I worked for a defense contractor, we often had to point out to the government folks who were trying to get us to reduce our bid:
Good. Fast. Cheap. Pick any two.
That standard is applicable to just about all walks of life.
And it definitely applies to the various services our Five Rainbows Services company offers.
We will not agree to produce work that is below our own standards. Which means good (although we prefer to think of it as excellent) is always integral to the end product, something built into our pricing.
So, that leaves cheap and fast.
We offer standard delivery schedules that may seem a bit long to some potential customers, but our prices, while not cheap, are certainly within the “affordable” ranges for the industry. If you really must have it done faster, we can usually accommodate your schedule. But we will have to charge a premium for that expedited service, which involves extra hours (beyond our normal work hours) and possibly realigning the schedule for other projects.
Therefore, you can have it done good/excellent and fast…but not cheap. Or you have it done good/excellent and “affordable”…but not fast.
Any promise of a good product at a cheap price delivered on an expedited schedule raises one of three possibilities:
- The person/company is new and trying to gain a foothold (this is usually shortsighted as they may find it difficult to raise prices later). It also raises the question of whether they know as much as they should about the task at hand (perhaps there’s a reason others charge more).
- The person/company is outsourcing the work to people who are willing to work for pauper’s wages…and you may find you have limited recourse if what you get is not quite what you needed or expected.
- The person/company is so new that they likely will either fail to deliver on time or will produce substandard work (because they don’t have a complete understanding of the task)…or both.
So, it’s your money and your decision. Just be sure you’ve done your due diligence to ensure you’re going to get what you really need and are expecting. It is never wrong to ask for references.
A final product that is delivered late and/or that is substandard may not be much of a bargain regardless of the price. There are rare cases in which you might have gotten exactly what you thought you wanted (but was it as good as the competition’s product?), delivered on a short turnaround, and at a rock-bottom price. On the other hand, you may have come along during an unexpected business lull and they prefer to take a low price rather than twiddle their thumbs.
So, yes, I stand by the motto (which, like most axioms, is not an absolute):
Good. Fast. Cheap. Pick any two.
