When Do Too Many Unexpected…. Opportunities….Represent… ………A Potential Threat…..?

By Sid Chadwick
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sid-chadwick-163a1a12/

“There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order to things.”…………Niccolo Machiavelli

INTRODUCTION:

Every response…in every returned Customer Survey…potentially represents an additional opportunity …..really….multiple opportunities…..!

No customer opportunities… in my experience….represent  “stand-alone  opportunities.”

A treasured client… now has almost a 30% Customer Response rate (and…still receiving current customers’ returned Customer Surveys). 

The value of their collective responses…and the quality of their responses… I judge to be… well over… $300,000 in additional business opportunities --- annually…..from current customers.

As “honest-to-goodness “ feedback --- from… the single returned Survey…. received back in this morning’s mail….

This one Customer’s feedback included:

• Over 4+ Trade Shows…. attended each year --- as an exhibitor (new information). (Opportunities include --- Personalized Trade Show Booth Invitations --- to both Prospects and Customers, Advertising Specialties, Wide-Format Banners --- plus follow-up developed… from Trade Show Booth visitors.
• Responding Customer…in Survey… offered to give… “A Referral”.
• Customer is interested in buying sixteen (16) additional products and services, identified by item --- not previously purchased…. from this supplier.
• Would be interested in discussing development of a “Marketing Asset Management Portal …”
• Asked to have improved: 
  • “Our last order was 20% short of what was ordered….Orders are taking longer…”
  • “There is no update system….You have to bug your rep to find out when printing should be expected…... No time line offered upfront.”
• This supplier receives almost 80% of this customer’s print needs.
• Supplier, on a scale of 1 – 7, is rated a “7” (invaluable).
• Customer wasn’t aware the supplier was FSC Certified.
   

SUMMARY:

Why is it easier for me to learn when my pizza order is to be delivered to my home…and where it is on the delivery route --- than it is to learn, “When my print order is to be delivered… or was delivered?”

You… can develop $100,000’s of additional revenue --- and profits --- from a single Customer Survey --- of “Current Customers” --- But --- you still have to go over and  (a) “pick-up the opportunities” --- and…(b) follow-up.

That’s not exactly another “shiny object” --- is it…?  (Background: V.P. of Sales defended his expected follow-up efforts with his Sales Team --- saying, “We’ve developed 37 new customers so far this year…..!”…which tells you sort of…. what’s emphasized, and not emphasized… in weekly discussions…and this is an organization…whose performance is much improved….on many fronts….!)

Is it too much to recognize…that top customers… are “ahead” of their suppliers re….. “What’s expected?”

(What about improving the business …. from current customers ---that’s where the better margins --- and immediate business….almost always… exists….!)

It’s my observation that….because of “Comfort”……”Most people would rather wait… until….The Important…becomes Urgent.”(That’s also not as often true… with owners…. who have much more to lose….and at stake.)

Anyone need an additional $1-2-300,000… in additional business --- from current customers…?

“White... A blank page or canvas…So many possibilities”.….Stephen Sondheim