You Get More Flies with Sugar

Let's be serious. If you're having problems, anyone asking you about them already knows what's up. So cowboy-up and face the music.Be open and honest. You don't have to share the dirty laundry and all the details. But you can be honest, open and paint a picture that is true. People respect other people that open the kimono and tell the truth. And guess what, customers are people!

Ask yourself, which do you respect more?

• The person or vendor who admits they have a problem and talks to you about how they plan to fix it ? This approach assumes that you are a trusted partner, that there is a trusted relationship and that working together you can fix and or improve the situation. It's a teaming, highly efficient way to focus on the solution and not how we got here.

• The person or vendor who sits there and justifies why the issue is not their fault, points at another vendor or your staff and blames them, or tells you why the issue just isn't that bad (even if it is interrupting your ability to take orders, or ship product). This approach assumes that everyone is the enemy, that we're all in it for ourselves and that being right is the most important thing of all - certainly more important than your business running smoothly.

Trusted relationships are one of the keys to success in today's business world. So start building and participating in trust, with everyone your business touches.  Tell you customers the truth - and they will trust and respect you more for it. And while you're at it, tell your employees the same truth. They're on your team, and they most likely already know what's real. So anything less than the truth kills your credibility with them, too. 

A Case in Point

Being from the south, my mother had all kinds of cute sayings about life and the pursuit. This one came to mind this morning.

"You get more flies with Sugar than you do with Vinegar". 

I was chatting with an associate about a client of his who is in a battle with another vendor at a customer site. There's lots of finger pointing about who was causing which problem. In the meantime the customer is stuck in the middle as his business grinds to a pace that even tortoise land would view as slow. My buddy was frustrated with their approach, so he'd called me more to vent than anything. From his client's perspective there were only two solutions:

• Get proactive. This sounded exactly like the right option until I learned what they meant. To them, proactive meant 'slinging mud' and 'FUD' at the other vendor. I thought he was kidding, but it turns out he wasn't. It truly was (and is) a strategy on the table.Point the finger and focus on proving that the other vendor was at fault. Now that's helpful to the customer, isn't it?

• Be reactive: After the proactive approach I figured this one had to be better. Wrong. This approach basically meant they would say as little as possible about anything to the customer or the other vendor, lay low and see how things worked out. Basically, the vendor would play ostrich with his customer.

Do you see the problem now? I was floored. I honestly didn't think anyone thought this way anymore. But obviously some do.

• Is anyone thinking about the customer and the business impact this little vendor game is having?

• Are they focusing energy on finding a solution instead of just covering their tails?

• Are they taking an honest, open, partnering approach to handling this situation?

In case you're wondering, the answers are No, No and No. This vendor has an option to be honest, open and direct with the customer. Instead, this company is focused on proving that it's not to blame and potentially starting a war with the other vendor. ALL at the cost of the customer's best interests.

This situation is a GREAT opportunity to create a stronger partnering relationship with the customer. This vendor could join forces with the other vendor and the customer's team - and show that customer that their business success is more important than any corporate ego. It's the chance to tell the truth and gain credibility. Instead, that chance is lost.  I bet the flies do come even with this 'vinegar' approach. But it's most likely they'll show up to buzz the carcass of this vendor after the customer shoots them dead.