Never Burn Your Bridges

source Always leave on good terms as you just never know when you may have to cross that bridge again.

This was something that was taught to me many years ago and trust me it is so true. Whether it is a company thing or a business relationship that has turned sour always leave with your head held high. I have managed to do this for 99% of the time even when you have been unjustly treated. One just never knows when you may need their help or business again as time does heal and circumstances do change.

Today was a prime example of this coming to fruition as an ex client of mine came back into my business fold. The last time we had dealt with this company was 18 months ago and to be honest we were happy to get rid of them. Things do change though and what was made clear from the outset today that they are on my terms. I am in the position to dictate this because of our relationship and have never beaten around the bush with them.

The reason for letting them go in the first place was it had become a bad business deal for us and a great one for them. When something is too one sided then something is clearly wrong. Our prices had been knocked down on a regular basis by other suppliers vying for their business and we had to keep on matching it until there was no meat left and therefore best to walk away.

18 months later things have changed with their current supplier not being able to provide the volumes required. They are obviously in a position that could lose them a major account and now need my services. I didn't jump at it even though I really do need those volumes as they are big and would be in the top 20 companies in the country volume wise for my product.

My answer was very simple and that was the slate is wiped clean with no games. No price squeezing and to work together as a team so they keep their client happy. If they lose the business then I lose that volume as well as they are wholesalers reselling my product. I know their client in question which kind of makes me sick at the same time as I tried to get that same business over 2 years ago without any luck. Now I have that business via another source and happy in an around about way even though it makes no business sense for that company. You should be buying direct and no middlemen involved if you are trying to save money and why I wasn't supplying them directly baffles my brain.

Business is about who you know and not about price in many cases so the best is to not overthink things as nothing will make business sense. I know the sales guy who sold the deal in to them and he has been fighting for this deal for over 3 years. The last I heard the lady buyer liked his legs and we always said he needs to wear shorts more often whilst visiting them. maybe he took the advice and why they have the deal I don't know and won't be asking questions either as I have the business now.

I asked him why they gave me the call and no one else and the answer was "trust" as I have never poached one client from them even when we terminated our deal. The opportunity was there as they had some of their clients on a whiteboard visible for me to see and was never tempted. That is not my style and is morally wrong no matter how desperate things may become. Trust is the key to any business relationship as both of us know any other manufacturer would try and steal this big client of his as that is what they do.

Life is funny how thigs turn out as always the unexpected catches you by surprise. These are the most satisfying outcomes as they are based on you yourself and nothing else. We start delivering next week making up the shortages for this month and in two weeks time the motherload of orders will leave the factory. Funny as this will have to be a convoy as two interlink trucks won't be enough and our next good problem to sort out.

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