Surviving the Account Apocalypse

The answer, of course, is yes. They have. Unless you tell them on an ongoing basis what a good job you are doing, you run the risk of losing that account if a major problem occurs. You are only as good as the last job you shipped them.

By consistently doing a good job and consistently reminding the customer that you are doing a good job, you are making deposits in the Bank of Goodwill. If you have a positive balance in this account, it is likely a customer will shrug off the error as “one of those things.”

How do you let the customer know how good you are?

The next time you do something right, especially if it’s something exceptional, send an email to your client and cc everyone that you can think of at that company. Thank them for their business. Go over the details of the job, including the exceptional thing that you’ve done (such as rush the job per the customer’s request), and include the line, “I know you have a lot of choices. This is why you do business with us.”

Is this self-serving? Are you brown nosing? Are you pointing out the obvious?

Yes. Yes. And, yes. But customers have short memories and you need to remind them of all the good things that you do for them.

Is the account apocalypse coming?

Yes. Prepare for it.

Need sales? Take Bill’s “Sales Challenge” at www.thesaleschallenge.com. Bill can be reached at bill@aspirefor.com or (781) 934–7036.