“So what do we do?” asked Andrew. “The deal is lost.”

“What was your termination period?” I asked.

“Thirty days,” Andrew replied.

“So, what do you think is the termination period for the next guy?” Andrew, in his mind, was becoming unstuck. He had been focusing on the contract that he had just lost. “And you have told me about this other company. How long will it be before they fail to deliver?”

“Not long. And sometimes poor service can be an annoyance, sometimes it can kill people.”

“So, you lost this contract because you did not see the changes that were occurring with your customer. How will you win it back?”

“By seeing the changes that they will experience going forward?” Andrew stated, as a question.

“Even more than that. Understanding will only get you halfway there. Preparedness is the other half. Preparedness for action. If you are not prepared to take action, if you are not prepared to deal with the new reality, you will not be successful. If it’s business as usual, you will remain vulnerable.” I paused for a moment.

“By the way, what has changed with your other customers? The ones you still have.” -TF

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You are invited to a preview of our next Sales program in Fort Lauderdale on January 31. Visit www.workingsales.com for more information.
Our next Leadership program begins in Fort Lauderdale on February 26. Visit www.workingleadership.com for more information.