| Lost business does not necessarily mean lost | | | | There are others, but these are some of the |
| forever. Many salespeople unfortunately neglect | | | | ones you may be able to do something about. |
| this lucrative source of new business. I say new | | | | What can you do to regain this business? |
| because, if you learn to treat these past | | | | · First you must learn the REAL reason |
| customers as brand new prospects, you may | | | | why the customer left in the first place. This |
| just regain their business. There are a number of | | | | might require a littledigging or detective work on |
| reasons why customers leave you. Some of | | | | your part. |
| them are: | | | | · You have to be willing to begin again |
| 1. They were wooed away by a competitor | | | | with a clean slate, leaving your old baggage behind. |
| offering better prices, service or some outlandish | | | | · It is important to remember that you |
| promises. | | | | need to work as hard to keep the business as |
| 2. Management in the organization has changed, | | | | you did to get it. |
| and they are not aware of the strengths of your | | | | · You must re-assess where you went |
| servicesor products. This information was most | | | | wrong. Was it a pricing issue, a service issue, a |
| likely not passed on to them by their predecessor. | | | | quality issue, adistribution issue, arrogance, |
| 3. You or your organization failed to deliver as | | | | ignorance, lack of interest in keeping the business, |
| promised. | | | | or some other major orminor mistake by you, |
| 4. You or your organization let trust and/or | | | | another department or another member of your |
| respect erode in the relationship. | | | | management team? |
| 5. There is some hidden agenda reason - they | | | | · You must have a 'keep in touch' |
| have a relative in the business, have lost buying | | | | strategy with previous customers whether |
| authority,are leaving their organization for another | | | | routine telephone calls,emails, letters or some |
| position. | | | | other way of letting them you are still interested |
| 6. There were serious breakdowns in | | | | in their business. |
| communication, expectations or perceptions | | | | · Don't make assumptions that once the |
| between yourorganization and your client. | | | | business is lost it is lost forever. |