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Tim's Tip for July, - 2010
Please tell me...what
would you have me say?
A client in S.E. Asia has proven
themselves to be a challenge over the last few years.
They have always paid...but they are
s...l...o...w. I was tempted to say they are a good client,
but a 'good client' pays on time. However, I am not at the
point where I have decided we won't do any future business.
Sound familiar?
Before a stronger 'no nonsense'
approach, I sent an email to one of their senior
representatives. It included the following: "We hope to
continue working with you in the future, but have concerns
about promises made and kept. Over the last few months I
have been contacted on occasion by potential
customer/clients of yours, asking for a reference. How would
you suggest I respond in the future?"
Did it work?
Yes, in that it elicited a response
that although it was up to me how I might respond, I should
be aware that in some difficult times, payments were slow -
but always made. Now I have an additional commitment from a
customer for resolution.
Perhaps a stronger approach may be
necessary next month. In the meantime, the customer has a
reputation they can still earn - of someone who still
manages to pay their account - in difficult times.
These days, that is not too shabby a
reputation!
This month's pithy quote:
"Commitment is
the enemy of resistance, for it is the serious promise to
press on, to get up, no matter how many times you are
knocked down."
...David McNally
