Business in style Habr - 4. Cold spin. Part one
In Habrostat, the problem of dropping clients by employees of the company was raised, in my opinion, one of the key problems in the relationship between employee and employer is client withdrawal. In the comments to her there were many practical suggestions and opinions on topics to lead or not to lead, how to do it, and how to do so that they would not withdraw.
I once worked as an employee and was on the one side of the front. Now I am a co-owner of a company with a staff of 300 people and several branches, respectively, we have to decide how to resist it.
I will make a reservation right away, I do not want to raise here the question of the moral side of withdrawing a client from a firm. Everyone decides for himself that in this world it is possible that it is impossible. I will describe two aspects of this problem: how to divert customers and how you can resist it.
Part one. Under the bridles and in the stall.
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When I worked for an employer, I led away or, as they say, “squeezed out” clients. In principle, this allowed me to start my own business, because, at first, it was entirely based on “wrung out” clients. I worked in the company as a head of the direction for checking the solvency of business partners. In other words, by request, we made inquiries about firms and made recommendations about the possibilities of cooperation with it. This direction actually consisted of me alone. I myself was looking for orders, I entered into contracts myself, I executed them myself, sometimes I even went to the client and brought money from him. It was not a key direction in the company, so I did not set any plans for revenue and looked at the work from the position of “lossless and good.” One day, I decided that orders paid in cash, can be allowed "past the box office." Conscience did not torment me. I did all the work myself, and the company did not overpay me for them, since I worked at a percentage (unless I used their phone for free and occupied a place at my desk, although I wasn’t at the office for most of the day). Then, I opened an LLC and a current account, which allowed me to "squeeze" serious customers working only "by bank transfer". Thus, I signed a contract with Lukoil for my company. When the turnovers for my company amounted to a decent amount, I decided that I no longer needed an employer and quit my job by starting my own business.
Subsequently, the chief of the company in which I worked, was very offended at me when he learned that I did this on my own. In their firm, no one else took up this direction, and it gradually came to naught, although for almost a whole year I still had a steady, tangible income. My departure did not have an absolute effect on the general welfare of the employer, since the income from the direction was a fraction of a percent of the total revenue.
I note that I never hid in front of a potential client that I work on behalf of an employer’s company. I had business cards and promotional material from this company. However, it was impossible to calculate the "spin" on the part of the boss. All contacts were closed to me. No one but me had access to the list of "wrung out" clients. If they called the office, no one except me could help them on any issue. I was a company inside the company. This state of affairs lasted for about a year, I have never been not only not caught by the hand, but not even suspected of “spinning”.
So. How to correctly "squeeze" the client and not be dismissed from work?
1. The best option if the client knows that he works not with the company you represent, but with you personally. In this case, all the items listed below are simply not needed. The customer will call only you, you will do all the work, and there will be no problems. Until the moment you are all right with him. As soon as friction arises, you may be blackmailed for disclosure of “pressing” to the employer, demanding either a reduction in rates or other concessions. Therefore, this option should be used very carefully. I did not use it.
Further we will consider only the situation when the client does not know what is working “past” the company.
2. If you have “squeezed out” a client without his knowledge, then under no circumstances should he communicate in the firm with anyone except you. How to organize it? Very simple. You must be the only specialist on the subject in the firm. No one except you should be able to help him on any issue. You must understand everything from the conclusion of contracts, to the issuance of invoices. If such a client mistakenly switches to the phone of another employee, then after the first sentence this employee should have an overwhelming desire to transfer the call to you. If besides you in the question at the firm someone else understands, the option will not work. You need to act according to plan 1. Otherwise, you will be very quickly calculated.
3. For the client, you must be one of the first persons of the company you represent. I had a “business director” written on my business card. This is necessary so that the client does not think that it is possible to solve the issue with a company other than you. To avoid the temptation to talk or meet with the first person of the company. You must convince the client that you are authorized to resolve any issues.
4. The client should not know any names in your company, except you. No commercial offers signed by the first person of the company, etc. All papers are signed by you. By calling the office, he should only remember your name. I strongly recommend not to bring it to the office.
5. If the client has already worked directly with the employing company, he can be “pressed” only by option 1. Tell him that the payment details have changed or the legal entity has been changed. face is stupid. In 99% of cases he will recheck it.
6. The quality of your work should not cause complaints to the client. If the client is obviously a problem, it is better to work with him immediately through the employer. Do not be greedy, "wring out" the other. It will be worse if the client is dissatisfied with the work done and starts official communication with the company through registered mail, visits to the office, etc. Hide "spin" becomes impossible.
7. If already with a “wrung out” client there are difficulties and everything goes to conflict, break off relations as quickly as possible. Return the money and make it so that it never occurred to him to contact your company. But the client should not feel deceived. He must firmly believe that your company is a sucker, but he has not lost anything. Otherwise, he may begin to communicate with the company via registered mail ... (hereinafter referred to in paragraph 6). It is better to lose a one-time profit than to lose a permanent job.
8. If the client is familiar with someone from your company, it’s stupid to press it. By any option. Rumble or on the bases or on blackmail.
9. Do not try to "squeeze" the client along with someone from colleagues. All that two know, learns the third. You can quarrel with a colleague, and your boss will be the third.
10. Do not be greedy. Do not "squeeze" all orders, otherwise you just get fired as an unprofitable employee. Better to be in good standing with management.
These are the basic principles of "spinning" customers for themselves, which I was able to recall. Once again, I do not call for "squeezing" customers. This is not good. It is better to be an exemplary employee and not load yourself with unnecessary problems. But if you do not have a starting million, this is one of the best ways to start your own business.
PS Tomorrow I will try to have time to write how we managed to build a company with branches in different cities, for which for 5 years they did not “squeeze” a single client.
I once worked as an employee and was on the one side of the front. Now I am a co-owner of a company with a staff of 300 people and several branches, respectively, we have to decide how to resist it.
I will make a reservation right away, I do not want to raise here the question of the moral side of withdrawing a client from a firm. Everyone decides for himself that in this world it is possible that it is impossible. I will describe two aspects of this problem: how to divert customers and how you can resist it.
Part one. Under the bridles and in the stall.
')
When I worked for an employer, I led away or, as they say, “squeezed out” clients. In principle, this allowed me to start my own business, because, at first, it was entirely based on “wrung out” clients. I worked in the company as a head of the direction for checking the solvency of business partners. In other words, by request, we made inquiries about firms and made recommendations about the possibilities of cooperation with it. This direction actually consisted of me alone. I myself was looking for orders, I entered into contracts myself, I executed them myself, sometimes I even went to the client and brought money from him. It was not a key direction in the company, so I did not set any plans for revenue and looked at the work from the position of “lossless and good.” One day, I decided that orders paid in cash, can be allowed "past the box office." Conscience did not torment me. I did all the work myself, and the company did not overpay me for them, since I worked at a percentage (unless I used their phone for free and occupied a place at my desk, although I wasn’t at the office for most of the day). Then, I opened an LLC and a current account, which allowed me to "squeeze" serious customers working only "by bank transfer". Thus, I signed a contract with Lukoil for my company. When the turnovers for my company amounted to a decent amount, I decided that I no longer needed an employer and quit my job by starting my own business.
Subsequently, the chief of the company in which I worked, was very offended at me when he learned that I did this on my own. In their firm, no one else took up this direction, and it gradually came to naught, although for almost a whole year I still had a steady, tangible income. My departure did not have an absolute effect on the general welfare of the employer, since the income from the direction was a fraction of a percent of the total revenue.
I note that I never hid in front of a potential client that I work on behalf of an employer’s company. I had business cards and promotional material from this company. However, it was impossible to calculate the "spin" on the part of the boss. All contacts were closed to me. No one but me had access to the list of "wrung out" clients. If they called the office, no one except me could help them on any issue. I was a company inside the company. This state of affairs lasted for about a year, I have never been not only not caught by the hand, but not even suspected of “spinning”.
So. How to correctly "squeeze" the client and not be dismissed from work?
1. The best option if the client knows that he works not with the company you represent, but with you personally. In this case, all the items listed below are simply not needed. The customer will call only you, you will do all the work, and there will be no problems. Until the moment you are all right with him. As soon as friction arises, you may be blackmailed for disclosure of “pressing” to the employer, demanding either a reduction in rates or other concessions. Therefore, this option should be used very carefully. I did not use it.
Further we will consider only the situation when the client does not know what is working “past” the company.
2. If you have “squeezed out” a client without his knowledge, then under no circumstances should he communicate in the firm with anyone except you. How to organize it? Very simple. You must be the only specialist on the subject in the firm. No one except you should be able to help him on any issue. You must understand everything from the conclusion of contracts, to the issuance of invoices. If such a client mistakenly switches to the phone of another employee, then after the first sentence this employee should have an overwhelming desire to transfer the call to you. If besides you in the question at the firm someone else understands, the option will not work. You need to act according to plan 1. Otherwise, you will be very quickly calculated.
3. For the client, you must be one of the first persons of the company you represent. I had a “business director” written on my business card. This is necessary so that the client does not think that it is possible to solve the issue with a company other than you. To avoid the temptation to talk or meet with the first person of the company. You must convince the client that you are authorized to resolve any issues.
4. The client should not know any names in your company, except you. No commercial offers signed by the first person of the company, etc. All papers are signed by you. By calling the office, he should only remember your name. I strongly recommend not to bring it to the office.
5. If the client has already worked directly with the employing company, he can be “pressed” only by option 1. Tell him that the payment details have changed or the legal entity has been changed. face is stupid. In 99% of cases he will recheck it.
6. The quality of your work should not cause complaints to the client. If the client is obviously a problem, it is better to work with him immediately through the employer. Do not be greedy, "wring out" the other. It will be worse if the client is dissatisfied with the work done and starts official communication with the company through registered mail, visits to the office, etc. Hide "spin" becomes impossible.
7. If already with a “wrung out” client there are difficulties and everything goes to conflict, break off relations as quickly as possible. Return the money and make it so that it never occurred to him to contact your company. But the client should not feel deceived. He must firmly believe that your company is a sucker, but he has not lost anything. Otherwise, he may begin to communicate with the company via registered mail ... (hereinafter referred to in paragraph 6). It is better to lose a one-time profit than to lose a permanent job.
8. If the client is familiar with someone from your company, it’s stupid to press it. By any option. Rumble or on the bases or on blackmail.
9. Do not try to "squeeze" the client along with someone from colleagues. All that two know, learns the third. You can quarrel with a colleague, and your boss will be the third.
10. Do not be greedy. Do not "squeeze" all orders, otherwise you just get fired as an unprofitable employee. Better to be in good standing with management.
These are the basic principles of "spinning" customers for themselves, which I was able to recall. Once again, I do not call for "squeezing" customers. This is not good. It is better to be an exemplary employee and not load yourself with unnecessary problems. But if you do not have a starting million, this is one of the best ways to start your own business.
PS Tomorrow I will try to have time to write how we managed to build a company with branches in different cities, for which for 5 years they did not “squeeze” a single client.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/76404/
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