Comments on: Customers that I’d like to fire http://www.column2.com/2006/04/customers-that-id-like-to-fire/ BPM, Enterprise 2.0 and technology trends in business. Wed, 07 Jan 2009 20:08:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: brenda michelson http://www.column2.com/2006/04/customers-that-id-like-to-fire/comment-page-1/#comment-4755 brenda michelson Mon, 10 Apr 2006 22:29:54 +0000 http://www.column2.com/2006/04/customers-that-id-like-to-fire/#comment-4755 oops... my comment must have read wrong... I knew you weren't under that illusion... and yes an email would absolutely be appropriate... what I was intending to say was sometimes a month (or two) would just fly by. now that I'm on the other side (awaiting the email) I feel the pain... payback! I think your "1 year to open" example must be close to a record. -brenda oops… my comment must have read wrong… I knew you weren’t under that illusion… and yes an email would absolutely be appropriate… what I was intending to say was sometimes a month (or two) would just fly by. now that I’m on the other side (awaiting the email) I feel the pain… payback! I think your “1 year to open” example must be close to a record. -brenda

]]> By: Sandy Kemsley http://www.column2.com/2006/04/customers-that-id-like-to-fire/comment-page-1/#comment-4754 Sandy Kemsley Mon, 10 Apr 2006 21:56:34 +0000 http://www.column2.com/2006/04/customers-that-id-like-to-fire/#comment-4754 Brenda, I don't have the illusion that my customers are just sitting idle at their desks, waiting for my email to arrive; however, an email along the lines of "sorry, I'm pretty busy right now, get back to you in a couple of weeks" would be good manners. No plans to go to the Global Integration Summit. Brenda, I don’t have the illusion that my customers are just sitting idle at their desks, waiting for my email to arrive; however, an email along the lines of “sorry, I’m pretty busy right now, get back to you in a couple of weeks” would be good manners.

No plans to go to the Global Integration Summit.

]]> By: brenda michelson http://www.column2.com/2006/04/customers-that-id-like-to-fire/comment-page-1/#comment-4753 brenda michelson Mon, 10 Apr 2006 19:59:19 +0000 http://www.column2.com/2006/04/customers-that-id-like-to-fire/#comment-4753 Sandy - I almost hate to admit this, but in my previous life as an IT buyer, I'd have proposals I really cared about sit on my desk for weeks on end, because every day brought a new fire to fight. Post fire fighting, I'd be shocked to see the proposal had aged so. Most often, I would get around to closing the deal. -brenda ps - any chance you are attending this: <a href="http://www.globalintegrationsummit.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.globalintegrationsummit.com/</a> Sandy - I almost hate to admit this, but in my previous life as an IT buyer, I’d have proposals I really cared about sit on my desk for weeks on end, because every day brought a new fire to fight. Post fire fighting, I’d be shocked to see the proposal had aged so. Most often, I would get around to closing the deal. -brenda

ps - any chance you are attending this: http://www.globalintegrationsummit.com/

]]> By: Sandy Kemsley http://www.column2.com/2006/04/customers-that-id-like-to-fire/comment-page-1/#comment-4752 Sandy Kemsley Sun, 09 Apr 2006 21:29:44 +0000 http://www.column2.com/2006/04/customers-that-id-like-to-fire/#comment-4752 Thanks for the comment, Bob. I've been doing this for almost 20 years now and it shouldn't bother me any more, but sometimes it just makes me shake my head and wonder. I agree, most work comes to me now instead of me seeking it out. In the case of customer #2, that's what I thought was happening. In the case of customer #1, my email was more of a courtesy and intended to be something of value; obviously not, if it took them almost a year to open it! No guesses about which customers will not be offered discounted rates in the future ;) Thanks for the comment, Bob. I’ve been doing this for almost 20 years now and it shouldn’t bother me any more, but sometimes it just makes me shake my head and wonder.

I agree, most work comes to me now instead of me seeking it out. In the case of customer #2, that’s what I thought was happening. In the case of customer #1, my email was more of a courtesy and intended to be something of value; obviously not, if it took them almost a year to open it!

No guesses about which customers will not be offered discounted rates in the future ;)

]]> By: Bob McIlree http://www.column2.com/2006/04/customers-that-id-like-to-fire/comment-page-1/#comment-4751 Bob McIlree Sun, 09 Apr 2006 18:31:46 +0000 http://www.column2.com/2006/04/customers-that-id-like-to-fire/#comment-4751 Sandy, Welcome to the world of tire-kickers! :) If I had a dollar for every 'incident' I had like this in my many years as a consultant, I could retire. The worst ones are those that shop around and around, and we propose and propose and propose again, but they never buy for some reason that we'll never know. I would chalk up these two previous clients as lacking a sense of urgency. If these issues were biting them in the posterior, you'd be on the next flight out pronto. Doesn't look like tht happened in either case. Over time I've learned that good, serious business usually comes to me, not me to it. That doesn't mean I feel all high and mighty, it's simply a means of not wasting my time chasing nearly-dead projects or initiatives at comatose organizations whether I've worked with them previously or not. Enjoy the rest of your weekend and regards, Bob Sandy,

Welcome to the world of tire-kickers! :)
If I had a dollar for every ‘incident’ I had like this in my many years as a consultant, I could retire. The worst ones are those that shop around and around, and we propose and propose and propose again, but they never buy for some reason that we’ll never know.

I would chalk up these two previous clients as lacking a sense of urgency. If these issues were biting them in the posterior, you’d be on the next flight out pronto. Doesn’t look like tht happened in either case.

Over time I’ve learned that good, serious business usually comes to me, not me to it. That doesn’t mean I feel all high and mighty, it’s simply a means of not wasting my time chasing nearly-dead projects or initiatives at comatose organizations whether I’ve worked with them previously or not.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend and regards,
Bob

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