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to make you whole again? Is the factory
saying “Hey—stuff happens. We’re sorry.
We won’t charge you for the setup but
there’s nothing else we can do”? Or, are
they viewing this as more than a trans-
action?
Taking the position that the factory is
honorable and it will spend its money to
make good here keeps things professional and
keeps the heated emotions in check. Again,
no one wants to file a lawsuit or defend
against one.
Bottom line, what are the relationships
with your client and with your supplier
worth? Are you prepared to fire both? Are
you willing to be fired by the client?
Who Signs The Checks At The
Factory?
My first boss in this industry was the
great Ron Wolfman of San Francisco-based
Noel Associates. When stuff hit the fan on
projects and he wasn’t getting the help he
wanted from the first line of customer service
at the factory to fix something, Ron would
often ask that same customer service rep,
“Who signs the paychecks at your factory?”
He
then either got transferred or called back and
asked for that person. It may still be true
today that he or she is truly the person who
could make things happen.
In other words, if you’re not getting the
cooperation from the factory CSR you’ve
been speaking with, climb the ladder to the
person in charge of customer service, the
national sales manager, the principal(s) or
owners. The term “iron fist in a velvet glove”
may be old school, but being firm while being
respectful and polite may produce the results
you want.
Stay With This Factory Or Find
Another?
Assumption: You found this item on your
own or your client specifically chose it from a
source. In other words, you did not get multi-
ple bids from multiple factories. If that’s the
scenario, and you are flying solo and have no
associates or CSRs on your team to help you,
you may not be able to simultaneously find
another factory that has the same or similar
item and can ship it overnight.
However, no matter what, here’s what you
can do:
1. Send an email to all the multi-line reps
you know, even if they don’t have any-
thing in their stable remotely similar to
this item. Tell them the scenario and ask
them if any of their factories can do
anything to help or if they know of a
factory with a possible solution. Provide
all details about price, quantity, number
of colors in the logo, etc. Send the logo
in that same email.
2. Do a product search using all tools you
use.
3. Contact all the factories you know who
can
turn something in a day. It doesn’t
have to be this item, but say you’re look-
ing for something to fill the nothing you
now have.
4. Send an email to friendly competitors
from your professional association to ask
for substitute product ideas.
Solutions Obtained, Next Steps
Once you find a solution, get a confirma-
tion or acknowledgement in writing:
• Include the item, cost, ship date,
method, etc.
• If your solution is with the original fac-
tory, reference the new item as an alter-
native to the original and cancel the
original item.
• Establish a timeline for action: How
long do you have to make this happen?
Contact The Customer: “Don’t bring
me problems. Bring me solutions.”
1. You know how your customer likes to
communicate but call, email and text:
“Please call me ASAP …”
2. Ask for confirmation on the
actual
in-
hands date;
3. Offer an apology
and
a solution—these are
inseparable. Do not let the customer divide
and conquer by saying: “I can’t do X but
I’m ready right now to do Y.”
a. Reference the customer’s ego, exposure
and vulnerability, internally and exter-
nally, on the item chosen
b. Offer to mitigate the situation by
offering additional goods at no charge
and providing a personal apology to
the manager, an apology from the fac-
tory, a personalized gift, etc.
c. Can you offer a price discount? If
you’re offering a higher-valued item,
you may not feel inclined to offer
more.
When presenting the solution to your
client, make these points:
1. Compare the product you originally
ordered to your new solution:
a. Emphasize higher value and higher
perceived value all at the same cost;
b. Emphasize your expedited freight
solution at no extra charge to the cus-
tomer (It’s for you and your factory to
resolve.);
c. Prepare a mock-up of the solutions
with their logo
2. If you know you still have a day or two
before the in-hands deadline, empha-
size it.
Take Action
a. Proceed with the alternative by confirming
in writing to the supplier and getting a
confirmation back acknowledging each and
every term in the list below:
b. Tracking numbers: Get them the moment
they are available. When in doubt, have
someone at the factory take a photo of
them so you see can ensure the right
MARCH 2015 •
PPB
• 57
If you’re not getting the cooperation from the factory CSR you’ve been speak-
ing with, climb the ladder to the person in charge of customer service, the
national sales manager, the principal(s) or owners. The term ‘iron fist in a vel-
vet glove’ may be old school, but being firm while being respectful and polite
may produce the results you want.
“
”