Repairing The Damage
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This morning I was working out at the office and off the couch which made a massive change and one which was very much needed. Seeing the same environment for 7 days a week is boring and stagnates the thought processes.
My wives company needed some packaging supplies so it was a good excuse to visit my biggest client killing two birds with one stone as they say. I haven't been in a desperate rush to get over there as we have had little to no raw material to supply if they requested a new order.
At the end of last year things were somewhat rocky between us as they requested orders in what was the busiest period expecting immediate turn around times which was not happening. This was raised today by the accountant who is fairly new said was in favor of changing us as a supplier. The accountant thought our service was poor which it was if it was at any other time of the year. Normally companies in November and December have to pre order so we can plan ahead and this never happened as no one was sure of their needs. It became an order as you need environment causing some delays. He has loads to learn and I will break him in slowly or just break him.
Having a relationship with a company is the strongest selling tool you can have and outweighs everything else. Your personality is what gives you the orders each month and nothing else. I used to think it was price or service, but everyone is so similar the only difference is you. Over the last year visits and having a few drinks making even stronger bonds have just not been possible so it does weaken your position leaving your relationships vulnerable.
I suppose the same applies on the blockchain if you don't standout and attract attention then you will just be a number and struggle every day. Your actions is what garners you support along with whatever personality you might have. This is replicated in the real world and why some people are successful and some aren't.
I left my customer who was supposedly looking at replacing my services with a new order plus some other items we have not supplied before. I did take their attack personally and gave them a personal response that quashed any thought of changing suppliers. The accountant that had raised the issue apologized personally and that is now behind us. Personally I don't think it would have happened as the owners weren't present and they would have spoken to me.
Business thinking has very much changed over the last year and companies are reluctant to change anything unless they really have to. A business looking for growth in this climate will find it, but it is a dangerous area to expand. The business available is the business no one else wants as they are seriously high risk. Businesses willing to move have more than one reason and the reason they will tell you will not be the main one either. Most will be for financial reasons as they owe money, but no one ever admits to that.
For us as a company we are treading water and not looking for new business just yet unless they are the ones we have been chasing for nearly a year or longer in some cases. Those accounts are different and the ones you want as they can double the size of your business overnight.
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Things are changing rapidly. You bring up a good point, without that face-to-face contact, a lot of what was offered in the business relationship is lost.
That is online is so difficult. It is very easy for someone to change what they do. Actually, it only requires a different URL and poof, they are gone.
This is why the microblogging on Leo is so exciting, we only need to change the url from twitter to whatever this one will be. They will get basically the same advantages.
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You are correct as business relationships are becoming more and more stretched. I still believe in a hand shake and face to face no matter where you are in the world. That for me trumps everything else ,but not always possible especially now.
Changing a URL so you can carry on as normal is very smart and why it will take off.
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Don't you hate it when you suddenly have to deal with someone new? I get that all the time when I am dealing with vendors. I will have a pretty good relationship with my rep and then they will do some shake up at their company and suddenly I have to deal with someone new who doesn't understand my business or my needs. My time is too important to waste it trying to get them up to speed.
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That can be a problem and why if possible you only deal with the owners as they rarely change. If your rep is any good he wont be there long as he will be head hunted or promoted and that is the reality of work. Sometimes you want the "steady Eddie" who knows your needs and isn't going anywhere and is just happy doing what he is doing. Sometimes it helps when people move a sit opens up new business. I scored a good few accounts when some of my contacts were retrenched and found new positions. They become my live bait for getting new business and reminds me I need to say hello to them tomorrow.
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Good points. You are right, I feel that a lot of people get promoted or leave when they do a really good job.
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now that face to face communication has changed a lot of things changed as well. My uncle is a salesman in a pharmaceutical company and it says that if someone starts right now doing this, he will be obligated to do it via skype/zoom etc etc. He won't be successful at all as bonds are already made and ofc it's way harder to create a new "bond" with the client via online communication
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Your uncle is absolutely right and face to face is so important. If you have contacts you can still be successful but that is only for the few I feel. Relationships are everything and will play an even bigger role over the next couple of years. The way this year is panning out I don't see us having face to face meetings maybe until June. I hope I am wrong but it is not my choice and up to the companies with their policies.
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