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Further
Reading ...
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Hollander Consultants Promotes New Analysis Coordinator - Matthew Bratschi
PORTLAND, OR: Hollander Consultants’ Director of Public Contact, Robert Reifer has just promoted Nate Neilsen to the position of Analysis Coordinator. Hollander Consultants practices a management philosophy of investing in its staff through a high...
2$ Empire - Henrique
Turn 10 minutes a day, into a second income And we have a gift for you. http://www.dollarempire.biz/cgi-bin/2/main.cgi?hbarquero About the Author ...
Developing your management style - Anthony Harrison
One thing a lot of us don't do in sales is take time out to analyse things. How are we doing it? Why are we doing it? Can we do it better? Taking time out to assess your management style is one of the most fundemental tasks a person can do. We...
Marketing Tips 5 - Chuck and Sue DeFiore
Typical methods of advertising-newspapers, radio and television are effective if used properly, but there are other, less expensive ways to get your company's name out. Local or cable television is an inexpensive alternative to the traditional...
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"Fire" Your Bad Customers
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Written By:
Dave Balch
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Here's a concept to consider: some customers just aren't
worth the trouble. We work so hard to get customers, and
then work so hard to keep them, it's hard to grasp the idea
that we are better of WITHOUT some of them!
Let's face it; some people just don't "get it". They won't
be nice or reasonable, they need too much 'hand-holding', or
they haggle over everything. Lose 'em! Tell them politely
that they will be better off getting your product or service
elsewhere.
A local auto repair shop diagnosed a clutch problem and did
approximately $300 worth of repairs. About 2 weeks later
the clutch failed when I was 80 miles from home, and I had
to take it to a local Nissan dealer. They told me that the
problem was one of the parts that had just been replaced.
When I took the paperwork and bad part into the local repair
shop, he looked it over and took the position that he had no
way of knowing whether the part in question was really bad
or whether the part they gave me was, in fact, the part they
had put in. I told him that I understood that but I didn't
think that the dealer would have tried a blatant lie and,
the dealer's factory part cost less than theirs. He mulled
it over and decided to give me $150 credit because it
certainly looked like something wasn't kosher and, besides,
I was being reasonable and they didn't want to lose me as a
customer. Just the previous week they had had a "screamer";
someone who had a problem and came in there yelling and
screaming about it.
"I don't need that", he said. "I told them to take their
business elsewhere." Sometimes you've got to 'fire' your
customers!
I know a graphic designer in New York who had a client that
was very slow - continued below ...
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continued ...
paying. In fact, on several occasions he even
reduced their agreed-upon fee because of what he claimed
were "delays" caused by my friend that were totally
fabricated. He has asked her to do another project: she
told him "no".
Some customers need to be 'fired'.
In my software business the customers typically installed
the product on their corporate computer (not a PC, but a
large "mainframe"). The software arrived on a tape and the
process took about 2 hours. Some of them installed it with
no help from me whatsoever; some of them needed help opening
the box that the tape came in. The latter customers were
usually the ones that needed to be 'fired'.
It's important to define what you consider to be a "good"
customer or a "bad" customer. When someone crosses the
line, you have to decide whether that particular person is
"worth the trouble'. Only you can make the call, but you
may be surprised to realize that they aren't.
If so, send 'em packin'. You can't please everyone, but you
can wear yourself out trying to, so if the match isn't right
you both will be better off if you sever the business
relationship.
It only hurts for a second.
Then, a wave of relief will flood over you and you'll know
you did the right thing.
About the Author
"Make More Money and Have More Fun" with your small
business! Dave will show you how with his FREE newsletter,
"Big Bucks in a Bathrobe" sent by e-mail. Visit
http://www.TheStayAtHomeCEO.com to sign-up, for information
on speaking services, or for copies of past articles and
newsletters. Comments and/or questions are always welcome
at 1-800-366-2347 or Dave@DaveBalch.com.
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| _Additional Resources ... |
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The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - intro review - Steve Wright
I have decided to start with this text as simply far too many people have said to me I should - it clearly has an enormous following of people who found the message rang true for them. In the introduction Covey talks about how we perceive reality...
Save Money and Learn More About Your Finances - Sally Summers
If you want to make shopping much, much easier -- whether you're looking for the best mutual fund, car insurance, cell phone, television or toaster...If you want to know the pros and cons about products and services -- before you shell out your...
Professionalizing The Family Business - Don A Schwerzler
Professionalizing the Family Business Family business expert discusses the difficult and emotionally destructive problems confronted In the 30 years I have been working as a family business consultant, the most difficult and emotionally...
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