Gambling on Customers: Know When to Hold ‘Em
Know When to Hold ‘Em “You’ve got to know when to hold ‘em Know when to fold ‘em Know when to walk away And know when to run” With credit to Kenny Rogers, who resembles my friend Frank Hurtte—I believe they once shared the same barber—I think of Kenny’s song “The Gambler” when faced with potential clients or customers that raise a red flag. Parents, teachers, and mentors have likely told you to trust your gut. Sometimes it’s better to collect data and use it in combination with your gut instinct. Either way, when you are staring at a potential problem customer and your gut is raising the red warning flag, don’t ignore it. There are some folks out there that are simply not a good fit for you or your organization. Let’s unpack those various hands you might be dealt. 1.) High-Maintenance Mike: Mike is not a good ole’ boy, Mike is a demanding toddler. He wants his part numbers and bin numbers on all his packages, he wants same-day delivery, he wants extended payment terms, a dedicate