Has anybody ever rewarded a professional service provider with first class trips after they became your very good friend by doing something for you for free?

One of my frivolous desires is to have preternaturally white teeth, but it is far too silly to invest $20,000.00. On the other hand, if some cosmetic dentist who wanted to become my friend performed this service for free, just to make me happy in my old age, I would probably love them forever and gift them and their SO with a 1st class trip to Europe. Does this seem reasonable?

Has anyone done anything like this.

Milesbuzz????

Is it typical of dentists in the US to perform $20,000 procedures for free in order to make friends?

Must be a lonely life being a dentist.

On a "serious" note -- this sounds like bartering of award tickets. Maybe it's not worth the risk?

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[This message has been edited by SMessier (edited 04-19-2003).]

I haven't done it yet, but it seems more than reasonable - in fact, we're always looking for an opportunity.

I'm in the commercial roofing business. Two weeks ago we had a large hailstorm move through the area. We would have no problem whatsoever in "greasing" a client with a couple of first class tickets and a 6-night Hilton award in exchange for the opportunity to handle their insurance claim on their roof, or to get their repair business(provided it was of reasonable size).

You can make whatever moral judgment you want, but that's how it's done in this business (and in a lot of businesses). Yes, it's a dirt-bag approach, but if you won't do it, you'll lose out to those that will.

Great ethics, and if you do do it and get caught you'll lose a heck of a lot more...

IMHO it's simply not worth the risk.

And there are much cheaper solutions nowadays too:

http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...ML/011163.html

I'm just curious what procedure you are looking at that costs this much. Have you looked into BriteSmile? It's far, far cheaper.

As to your question, I know a lot of people who barter for goods and services. When my dad had a beer distributership he would trade beer for blown glass art we even got some of the ciborea and pitchers that were used when the pope came to San Francisco. My brother barters his custom furniture for things like granite counter tops in his kitchen and a friend does graphic arts for a travel agent who gives her trips.

I sure hope the IRS is not monitoring this site!

It seems to me like there are two separate issues contained in this post.

One, the question of whether it's alright to trade miles for services, might fit under the rubric of "what are miles good for" or "how far are the rules of FF programs getting stretched?"

That question can could belong here in MilesBuzz. In fact, there is a current thread on folks getting caught selling their miles in this forum, so practice would also suggest that this topic would be alright here.

However, the inclusion of

Concerns me a little.

Soliciting for trades ought to be done in Coupon Connection. Although there is some murkiness about whether, say, F awards to Europe can be "gifted" let alone in exchange for the mutual gift of a $20,000 service. I'm not an expert here, and I can only offer the advice to check out the Unofficial Coupon Connection FAQ.

Since this thread serves really two purposes, one appropriate here and one likely not, I'm going to close it.

You are more than welcome to repost the first item on its own here in MilesBuzz. If you'd like to pursue the second item, I'd suggest doing it in Coupon Connection (subject to the rules of the FF programs and the practice of that forum).

Thanks for understanding.

Best,
Gary
aka gleff
MilesBuzz and Delta moderator