Q&A –

Rod,

I really like the way you talk about selling in your Seed Seller Training Journal.  You seem to understand the line between having a good relationship with a customer and breaking rules trying to be too nice. 

I have to admit, I am not so good at that, especially when it comes to collecting accounts.  I just can’t seem to find the middle ground.

The problem really came home to roost last year during seed delivery and I don’t want the same problem to occur this year.  A new customer had ordered 36 bags of seed last fall and I sent him several reminders of when the early pay discounts ended each month and in February I received a check for his payment — but he took the January discount even though I received his check two weeks after the January discount had ended. 

I called him and told him he owed me more money.  He agreed to pay the difference, but he was mad and said that he was done doing business with me.

What should I do to handle this situation?  I didn’t want to  teach him that it’s okay to break the rules, but I lost a customer.  Now what should I do now?

Answer:

This is a fabulous question and one that has happened to all Seed Sellers at some point in their selling career.

Click the player above to listen to our latest podcast from Seed Seller Training Radio to learn how Rod Osthus would handle this particular trouble call.