Don't let me explain

Recently, one of our customers told me that he thought our coffee had changed. And so, like an armored knight of old, the logical part of my brain rode up on its trusty steed ready to vanquish the heinous opinion.

Over the next few weeks my 'pike of reason' was sharpened and ready to pierce the heart of any illogic that dared venture my way.

Sadly, I was fighting with the wrong weapon.

It would be fashionable to say that I was fighting with outdated technology. However, I was actually using an instrument that was too modern. Even Facebook was on my side!

So much has been written about our irrational behaviour as customers. Yet, as a sales person, I'm often tempted to win someone over with cold-hard logic.

Perhaps our coffee had changed, but what is certain is that that customer is now being supplied by someone he's known longer than he's known me.

I don't believe the issue was the product quality, it was the relationship quality. The issue was not truth, but trust. I did not have his trust and therefore the truth was not relevant.

We will continue to work on the consistency and quality of our products, but I am certain that our ultimate success will be built on customer relationships of trust, respect and grace.