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When I was a salesperson I had a handful of best accounts where I felt like one of their employees. They loved me so much they bought everything from me, said they always would and considered me one of the family.

I specifically remember one of my favorite and best customers. I didn’t need a security badge to walk through their building. They trusted me so much they literally let me determine what their product needs were and write up the order myself. They just signed the order without looking at it and gave me a PO. They loved me. I needed no sales help.

Unfortunately, I soon learned that things aren’t always as we’d like them to be.

One day they told me, “Everyone here loves you and your service but competitor XYZ has been visiting with us over the last few months. They offer the same products and can provide us the custom packaging and labeling we need. We’re going to start using them from now on. If we need something special we’ll call you. This doesn’t mean we’re not friends anymore Scott. Come by and see us often. Have a great day.”

This good customer of mine was highly visible to all of my competitors; of course they were calling on them. How had I not seen that? The reason I got this great account in the first place was through my own prospecting. I had to steal it from another salesperson. My sales manager had even provided additional sales help to close the first deal. I thought since I was so entrenched at the account that my competitors wouldn’t call on them, nor would this loving customer even consider talking to my competitors.

If my competitors called on and took an account away from me where I felt so secure, then it made sense that they were calling on all of my customers. They all were vulnerable. Wake up call.

I learned the following from that experience:

1. My competitors are calling on all of my accounts and getting through to the decision makers.
2. I must always be adding new value to my existing customers, especially my best ones.
3. I can’t solely rely on personal relationships to keep me in an account.
4. I need to always keep prospecting; no account is guaranteed forever.
5. I have to accept that I am going to have some customer turnover, even from my best accounts.
6. I should never be too proud to accept sales help even on accounts where I’m completely confident.

By continually adding value to my customers and focusing on prospecting I not only replaced that lost customer but added enough so that my sales grew even bigger. My new philosophy was, “Enjoy the revenue you’re getting from the customer today, but plan to lose them at any time.” Customer turnover is a fact of life in sales.

Please tell your business associates about Scott R. Sheaffer’s Sales Tips Blog with sales advice for sales representatives and sales management. To receive by email <click here> to receive by RSS feed <click here>. © 2008 Scott R. Sheaffer

Tags: competition, customers, Prospecting

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