This is how I allow myself to share with you some very useful considerations before conquering a new client and as part of the house seal, with some examples that take place in the fertile field of AgroMarketing.
WHY SHOULD NOT EVERYONE BE YOUR CUSTOMERS?
THE BAD PAYS: Analyzing the market share of each of the brands of agricultural inputs that we participated in throughout Mexico, a rhetorical question arose: apart from our recurring customers and those that we can consider as a “floating population”, who makes up the rest of the market?
One sector were those farmers who decided to plant a different crop than the previous year due to water availability, variations in the value of the commodity, etc. but another block of clients was known as the “bad pay”.
It turns out that there are clients who had preferential conditions with a brand that managed to attract them to their portfolio, but at the time of liquidating their credits, they simply hid and did not pay and the way to guarantee the acquisition of inputs for the next agricultural cycle was looking for a new commercial house that could serve him.
I understand that this circumstance does not occur in all industries, it should be noted that by wanting to serve everyone at all costs, we can temporarily have on our list of new clients who we considered a jewel and ended up being something worse than coal.
DOMESTIC INFLATION: A commercial representative shared with us with great joy that he finally managed to get Mr. René to acquire our brand, but how did he do it? Offering weekly advice, a volume discount and hosting one of our demo plots, all within the tools that were already defined and approved.
And where did our brand new acquisition come from? From our other brand, that is, we put money to “change seats” to a customer who already bought from us.
When we have more than one brand that serves similar market segments, it is essential to maintain impeccable internal communication in order not to “throw good money after bad” and it is not about not giving it the attention it needs or denying it a product, it is about thinking that For the client to be satisfied, it is not necessary to make an over-investment but a correct targeting that is constituted as a commercial operation guide.
WITHOUT PASSING THE LINE: Being empathetic, walking the furrow with the boots of our clients, understanding their needs in detail or validating their emotions, is as important as carrying out a credit study, analyzing their growth potential or supporting them in building their expansion plan and becoming their partner. preferred but always based on values and respect.
Beyond understanding the heat of a commercial discussion, when insults or mistreatment appear, when personal values are transgressed, it is time to put a stop because education and respect are non-negotiable. There is no account, business or transaction that is above the minimum set of values that the organizations and their collaborators have established for the correct operation.
We dedicate hundreds of hours to the technical, functional, financial and legal training of organizations, but I highly recommend that the sales team have at hand “the red button” that they must press in case of emergencies.
Let your collaborators know that the way to live the organizational values is by putting them into practice and they must be calm that, by preventing them from exceeding those limits, there would be no adverse consequences and that our role as leaders is to provide unrestricted support. .
If in your company they value the loss of a client who treats you with the tip of the shoe more than the well-being of your collaborators, run to update your CV and escape as soon as possible, as these are litmus tests that allow us to know if that is the case. a place where we should be
SOWING REFLECTION
Not understanding our cost to serve, ignoring the emotions of customers or failing in business management, is as dangerous as adding to our list all those who “seem” to be good customers and who can bring us headaches. Do not be afraid to choose who you are going to provide your service to, it is neither discriminating nor lacking in sensitivity but, on the contrary, by making a conscious analysis of where to focus your energy, you can be a better business partner for those who need and value what the best that you and your organization have to offer.
Thank you for lending me this great window in Merca2.0 during these 140 columns and I invite you to continue communicating with us at @soyjuanbecerril