Being Frank with the 800 lb. Gorilla

As I get situated back into ReproMAX and begin to feel more certain with the reins of ReproMAX Technologies, I'm starting to see an old, well-known beast rear its ugly face again... that ugly beast is the 800 lb. gorilla standing in the corner.

No, I'm not delusional. At least, not on this matter. What I'm referring to is our age old nature in handling business. When we visit a customer, we him-haw around the weather, the production rework, the new equipment, the personnel. What we rarely do is go into a customer and say, "Hey, Mr. Customer, I know you have better things to do, and I certainly do, so let's figure out how we can help each other benefit from what we both have to offer..." You might be surprised at the outcome. I can't count to you the amount of times that a straight-forward shot from the hip like that moves conversations along.

Dealing with Mr. Gorilla isn't limited to just sales calls, either. We live in an Internet gossip-fueled environment where we expect to know the grittiest details about the world in which we live and we expect to be immediately gratified by everything from food (seriously... yogurt in a tube) to the stuff we buy (iPod vending machine, anyone?) Often, when it comes to us, though, we spend too much time trying to dance around the topic.

My advice for the day (don't worry about paying for this one, you're paid up till Monday) is address the Gorilla. If you have a problem, walk it, lay it out and get it taken care of. If you want the business, for the good Lord's sake, just ask for it. Take a roll of drawings home to post, get the customer to commit to the order. Ask for what you're after, be willing to offer what you have, and if you don't fit, don't force it.

Whatever you do, don't avoid that giant hairy thing in the corner... if you're not careful he's going to eat you.

all the best,
Tanner