Page 196 - Executive Warfare

EXECUTIVE W ARF ARE

I was raked over the coals for chasing away this group of customers
until I proved that we were actually losing money on these people, and
did we really want them anyway?
If you are going to clash with a cus-
IF YOU ARE GOING tomer, you’d better, one, be right, and
TO CLASH WITH A two, be prepared to defend your posi-
CUSTOMER, YOU’D tion.
BETTER, ONE, BE Warn your bosses if you and a cus-
RIGHT, AND TWO, tomer are having a disagreement so that
BE PREPARED TO when they get that first phone call,
DEFEND YOUR they’ve been somewhat inoculated. It’s
POSITION. far worse to be blindsided by a customer
willing to go above your head without
discussing it with you and a boss who
doesn’t bother to get your point of view.
Understand also that it’s not just bad client service that will keep you
from being promoted, but also client service that is too good, because in
that case the boss may become unwilling to move you.
I’ve seen it happen a thousand times.
People become trapped because they are
LET YOUR BOSSES so adept at keeping the gold rolling in.
KNOW STRAIGHT The answer to this is really simple.
OUT THAT IF THEY First, cultivate people underneath you
DON’T PROMOTE who can help the organization keep the
YOU AT SOME gold after you rise. Second, let your
POINT, YOU WILL bosses know straight out that if they
WALK. AND don’t promote you at some point, you
POSSIBLY MUCH OF will walk. And possibly much of the
THE GOLD WILL gold will walk with you.
WALK WITH YOU. Scaring your bosses on this subject is
not a bad idea at all.

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