How to Be More Profitable ... Divorce your Clients!
By Drew Stevens PhD
Let's face it, clients can be frustrating.
Clients are demanding, clients are
wasteful, and clients desire more from
you than you give. With economic turmoil
many companies, solo practitioners and
even medical practices focus on one thing: new clients.
The cost of producing business today is too high. The proliferation of both the Internet
and globalization cast a pall over profits. Conducting business today is more
expensive, more demanding and requires more innovation.
Focusing on new acquisition is vital to success, but so too is profit margin. Most
businesses fail in this endeavor, focusing on internal costs such as employees. Perhaps
it is time to review client margins.
Simply put if clients are an expense and your business is not making profit, terminate
them. Businesses terminate employees if unproductive, why not clients?
There are some guidelines to follow:
1. What does the data show?
One of the miscalculations in business is a failure to review the data. Sales and service
representatives aggregate information daily into expensive databases yet few review
it. Ensure success by understanding your profit per client to denote necessary moves.
2. Relationships.
Are the relations with clients strong or at arm's length? There is a fear that divorcing
clients creates panacea amongst the core. If current relationships are as thick as a piece
of balsa wood, then there are more issues beyond margins.
3. Take a Stand.
Explain to the client that the cost of doing business is not longer profitable and
requires an assessment of the relationship. If a client continually calls your service area
and sways attention from other clients, it is time to throw in the towel. A major
multi-level marketing firm needed to conduct such measures when a major
independent constantly called suggesting incorrect and damaged shipments. The calls,
researching orders and re-shipment cost the firm seven times the original order. The
firm currently uses 25,000 independent representatives, imagine the expense as issues
multiple.
4. Code of Conduct.
There will always exist rude clients. Consumers today seek "What is in it for me" and
desire spontaneity. Develop a Customer Ethics Policy and distribute to your clients.
Similar to terms and conditions of sale, clients must be bound by acceptable
principles. Your organization must disavow obnoxious, unprofessional, and unethical
behavior and language. It is plausible to develop a "Zero Tolerance" Policy for clients.
5. Laws under Review.
The customer is not always right. We live in a country that prides itself on innocence.
Maintain proper documentation. Use this documentation to prove validity. Our
electronic world provides tremendous implicit backup, maintain these records, you do
not know when you might need them. Good record keeping just might reverse the
customer is always right proverb.
Business operations require innovative and cost productive ideas. Every business
must be neither in business to create customers but when they cost more to maintain,
they are nor worthy keeping. Review your margins, reduce expenses and stress, create
resolve and if prudent fire your customers.
Every wonder why there is so much aggravation with client? Seeking to alleviate stress and
disorder. Get your FREE Grand Slam Customer Service Workbook Order now at Drew Stevens
Consulting...contact and ask Drew for your FREE copy worth 79 Dollars!
By Drew Stevens PhD
Let's face it, clients can be frustrating.
Clients are demanding, clients are
wasteful, and clients desire more from
you than you give. With economic turmoil
many companies, solo practitioners and
even medical practices focus on one thing: new clients.
The cost of producing business today is too high. The proliferation of both the Internet
and globalization cast a pall over profits. Conducting business today is more
expensive, more demanding and requires more innovation.
Focusing on new acquisition is vital to success, but so too is profit margin. Most
businesses fail in this endeavor, focusing on internal costs such as employees. Perhaps
it is time to review client margins.
Simply put if clients are an expense and your business is not making profit, terminate
them. Businesses terminate employees if unproductive, why not clients?
There are some guidelines to follow:
1. What does the data show?
One of the miscalculations in business is a failure to review the data. Sales and service
representatives aggregate information daily into expensive databases yet few review
it. Ensure success by understanding your profit per client to denote necessary moves.
2. Relationships.
Are the relations with clients strong or at arm's length? There is a fear that divorcing
clients creates panacea amongst the core. If current relationships are as thick as a piece
of balsa wood, then there are more issues beyond margins.
3. Take a Stand.
Explain to the client that the cost of doing business is not longer profitable and
requires an assessment of the relationship. If a client continually calls your service area
and sways attention from other clients, it is time to throw in the towel. A major
multi-level marketing firm needed to conduct such measures when a major
independent constantly called suggesting incorrect and damaged shipments. The calls,
researching orders and re-shipment cost the firm seven times the original order. The
firm currently uses 25,000 independent representatives, imagine the expense as issues
multiple.
4. Code of Conduct.
There will always exist rude clients. Consumers today seek "What is in it for me" and
desire spontaneity. Develop a Customer Ethics Policy and distribute to your clients.
Similar to terms and conditions of sale, clients must be bound by acceptable
principles. Your organization must disavow obnoxious, unprofessional, and unethical
behavior and language. It is plausible to develop a "Zero Tolerance" Policy for clients.
5. Laws under Review.
The customer is not always right. We live in a country that prides itself on innocence.
Maintain proper documentation. Use this documentation to prove validity. Our
electronic world provides tremendous implicit backup, maintain these records, you do
not know when you might need them. Good record keeping just might reverse the
customer is always right proverb.
Business operations require innovative and cost productive ideas. Every business
must be neither in business to create customers but when they cost more to maintain,
they are nor worthy keeping. Review your margins, reduce expenses and stress, create
resolve and if prudent fire your customers.
Every wonder why there is so much aggravation with client? Seeking to alleviate stress and
disorder. Get your FREE Grand Slam Customer Service Workbook Order now at Drew Stevens
Consulting...contact and ask Drew for your FREE copy worth 79 Dollars!
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