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Spinning And Surviving For Now

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@cryptoandcoffee
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source The phone is the only lifeline right now for business as having voice contact is vital. Emails are not the same and just not personal ad these days am relying on experience and survival instincts.

This week I have been making calls to my clients and things are not looking pretty out there right now. When you have a period of silence you first wonder if they have changed suppliers or something is not right. Staying current in their minds and not losing out to some underhanded deal is always a worry.

The one client received an order from me in December and this was 40% down on their purchase from the same time last year. I know business has shrunk so that was expected and just grateful for the business. We are now in February and I have received no new orders so it suggests something is not kosher as the gap is just too big.

When I spoke with him I could tell something was not the same and believed he was lying about the full story. Deep down I know they got stock else where to cover just in case over he new year period and I am happy with that as our factory was closed for a few weeks anyway.

The plan to rope them back in 100 percent is to add another 25% to their order which they only pay for the following month so it gives them some leeway. This way there are no shortages and I am guaranteed the next order as they owe me already. This will just carry on looking like I am doing them a favor, but in fact it is my security blanket to keep the business.

They are happy about this as they honestly believe I have their best interests at heart yet it is quite the opposite. No one can afford to lose business right now so being creative and flexible is the only way to be currently. Not such a terrible thing anyway as the margins for this account are really good and would hate to try and find another one if the account was lost or diluted with another supplier.

My appointments I had lined up for February that were scheduled back in October and November are not happening which is a bummer. They are now looking at May which could really mean June, July or August the way things are going over here with Covid.

The economy is tanking and is definitely not in a good way right now and somehow get the feeling it has to get worse still. I don't know how some businesses are surviving and as sad as it is the harsher it gets the better it is for my company as financially we are strong.

This year looks like it will be another bad year for everyone already with the vaccines halted and only expected to start again in May/June. Who knows if that vaccine will work and if the virus has mutated to another level yet again as it has been rather serious here. I had one supplier who manufactures our cardboard cores shut down for nearly 3 weeks for quarantine purposes. This wave has hit home how bad things are as I have lost many people I know or knew of.

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