How to Turn On Turned-Off Customers
You've lost plenty of customers over the years and you probably don't want to think about them.
It's too painful. As you read this your mind has no doubt wandered back to lost opportunities? Bummer, huh?
These missed chances have gone off to the graveyard of unkept promises, late deliveries and inaccurate bills. Along with them they've taken revenues, profits and your commissions. The last one hurts, doesn't it?
I've got a suggestion: Don't stop thinking about the departed.
They're gone, but they should not be forgotten. I challenge you to reconnect with them as soon as possible. They have money waiting for you.
Here's a true story. A newly hired regional sales manager for a Fortune 100 company noticed two file drawers marked Code 99. When she asked what that meant, a rep. told her, "Those are the customers who hate our guts. They have sued us, left our machines on the curb, bad-mouthed us and said they never wanted to see us again."
The manager then emptied the drawers and divided the files among her
salespeople with instructions to visit each customer, meet with the decision maker and find out what had happened. That's it, no sales pitch.
The results were staggering-more sales per lead than any program they had run in the past five years. Many of the angry clients were no longer there, making the initial contact much less painful, dimming or wiping out the bad memories. From there the salespeople discovered there were sales opportunities. And the customers appreciated their courage.
By the way, not all customers leave because of your screwups. Often someone simply stole them, either by lower price or better service. But I don't recommend you go in with price concessions. That's a bad precedent for a new beginning. Bring something to the table besides low price and you'll walk away with a profit.
Here's a plan to revive those dead relationships:
Start now it takes courage; it takes planning. It's a grim dose o: reality, but let me assure you, it works. Get out the files, make the list and get started.
Adopt a fun approach Have a lost customer appreciation day. Have a we screwed-up day. Send a former client a dartboard with a few darts and with your company logo in the center of the board and ask her to get it out of her system. Ask her to please let you back in her office on the condition that she keeps the darts in the drawer while you're there.
If this much fun makes you nervous, you can adopt a professional approach. Send a letter with a peace offering. Send a card. Whether you use a fun or professional approach, you must also do the following:
Have a game plan Arrange a meeting to find out why you lost touch. Find out what happened as a result of your screw-up, lack of attention or lost order. Ask for another chance under conditions you agree upon, in writing if necessary.
Learn your lessons Document the reasons for the relationship's untimely demise and you will be amazed to find that every one is fixable. In fact, some have already been fixed. If honestly corrected, these are the most valuable re
sources you have for making your business better.
Pay for victories: Offer real rewards to salespeople. Pay double commission or some kind of bonus for a resurrected customer.
If you take these steps, you will sales; gain profits and earns a new understanding of how to improve your business from a customer's perspective-the only one that matters.
You know the old saying "every obstacle presents an opportunity?" This makes some salespeople uncomfortable.
It feels too hard or too difficult to deal with. But 1 promise, if you can get beyond the reluctance and skepticism, you win.
Raise the dead and you steal back the business. You learn the "why you lost them" lessons. You get answers and sales. You get a win while the competition gets a loss. You regain lost pride while they get a shot in the wallet. You get a commission while they wonder what they did wrong.
Jeffrey Gitomer is the author-of "The Sales Bible, and Customer Satisfaction is Worthless, Customer Loyalty is Priceless." H He can he reached at (704) 333-1122 or via c mail at salesman@gitomer.com
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