Back in 2012, gas prices in northern Virginia (where I live) pushed to $4 a gallon and higher. As a result of the higher gas prices, my garbage collection service added a “fuel surcharge” to my bill ($2/month), with an explanation of why they were adding the surcharge, in the first bill with the surcharge. Fair enough.
Now in 2016, gasoline prices have dropped to below $2/gallon. And what about that fuel surcharge on my bill? Yep, still there. Why would the company remove it? It’s “free” money now. Except that it’s irritating enough to me to consider changing companies.
Has your organization ever put in place a special surcharge on its member dues or other products? (I’ve had clients add a surcharge to membership dues to pay for new technology systems!)
If you’ve added a surcharge, make sure you REMOVE the surcharge once you’ve covered the costs of what the surcharge was designated for. Otherwise you’re just nickel-and-diming your members, and no one likes that.