Last week I upgraded a net new account to our Ricoh equipment. The customer had to get away from two copystar machines that were constantly breaking down. The customer liked the service, but just felt the Copystar's were inferior products.
I went over all of the options with the customer with the lease return of the equipment. That means the check back to the customer for the remaining 11 payments, hand delivery of the LOI to the leasing company, verification of when they need to send that letter, removal, storage and insurance of their equipment (even stated in an email that they could keep the equipment at their location).
Today, we were scheduled to do the install and pick up the equipment. Today or yesterday the scum sales person called the leasing company, told them that their equipment was being removed, went over the DM's head and told that person that they will be in violation of the T&C's of the lease agreement. Today, the delivery of the new devices were post-phoned until they worked through the existing lease T&C's.
My DM told me today, that the existing company and sales person that she would never every do business with them again because of the turmoil that they created. She called them pack of "sore losers", once they found out they had been knocked out!
In my younger years, I would have done something like the above, and I did, however, what I found out was that I burnt a bridge that will never be re-built. Today, I can accept that fact that I can't sell everyone and I can't keep everyone, however I don't alert the leasing companies that I lost, and their equipment is being removed. On occasions I've had that talk with the DM, that they can't remove the equipment under the terms of the lease. Did that win me back the business? NO But, I graciously accepted defeat and knew that I'll be after that business again in 48-50 months
I'm not sure how this deal will pan out. I can tell you is that bad sales people still exist, and their existence gives us all a bad rap.
-=Good Selling=-