Entrepreneurial Secrets: How to fire customers with compassion
May 8, 2017
By Jerry Bellune
We talk often with you about hiring customers.
We call that attraction and retention.
We want to create memorable experiences for them.
But how about firing customers?
Are we nuts? Firing customers?
Yes. Fire those who don’t pay their bills on time.
Fire those who are hard to deal with.
Should we want to make firing memorable for them?
Why not? asks our friend and consultant Ruth King.
Ruth advises us to fire with ruthless compassion.
Customers fire us … but don’t tell us.
They just don’t come back or ever call again.
This is compassion. They don’t hurt your feelings.
You can show them compassion, too.
You can fire the bad ones without hurting them.
You might invite them to use a competitor.
You need to do this gently. With compassion.
Visit the customer in person whenever possible.
Tell him that you can’t do business any more.
You’re taking your business in a new direction.
Suggest others who could meet his needs.
Most of them think they are your best customer.
Be nice. You don’t want them knocking you.
Say: “We are focusing on new markets.
“______________ might be able to help you.”
Give them information for at least one company.
But don’t do this if they still owe you money.
Do what’s needed to get paid first.
Ruth knows some who fire 5% of customers yearly.
Does this hurt their business, sales or bottom line?
No. In fact, the opposite happens. Sales increase.
Why? They have more time for good customers.
As a result, those customers buy more.
Some fired companies come back, hat in hand.
They find out how well you took care of them.
Special offer for Success Strategies readers:
A buy one, get one free offer:
“Killer Secrets of Successful Entrepreneurs.”
Retails for $20. Buy one for your best customer.
Get a second one free for yourself.
Call Ashley or Rose for details at 359-7633.
Next: In sales, persistence pays off
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©2017 The Bellune Company, Inc
Neither MidlandsBiz.com nor The Bellune Company, Inc. makes any warranty as to the results that may be achieved from using this information. ©2015 The Bellune Company, Inc. All rights reserved. Requests for permission to reprint or circulate may be obtained by emailing [email protected]
