July 2007
Don't Break the Relationship
7 ways to deal with difficult clients – and come out
ahead. By Dan Jellinek
| In an ideal world, all of our clients
would appreciate the many things we do for them – just for
starters, finding creative solutions for all their advertising
specialty apparel needs. However, the reality is that we all have
a client or two who are a tad difficult. And quite often, the way
distributors handle those clients can make or break the relationship. Personally, I’m a big believer in trying to make a relationship work, so I wanted to share some of the tactics I turn to when dealing with a difficult (at CorpLogoWare, we like to say “challenging”) client. 1. Stay calm. For some reason, when you deal with a difficult client, it’s easy for the volume level to elevate during a problematic situation. During any discussion, as much as you may want to raise your voice in return – don’t. Stay calm. A screaming match – whether in person, on the phone or even via e-mail – will get you nowhere. A calmer head will always prevail, and will earn you respect in the end. 2. Know the facts. Make sure you have all your facts handy and are able to back them up with e-mails, notes, times, faxes, signed purchase orders, etc. If an order goes bad, a difficult client may come at you from all angles. If you have your facts straight about the order and its timeline, you can answer any questions (or accusations) the client throws at you. And hopefully, if you’re able to provide the client with all the facts, he’ll calm down and see that you’re on the ball. Then, you can work on a solution to the problem together. 3. Have a solution or two. Unfortunately, not all orders are going to go perfectly. When they don’t, how are you going to handle your client? I’d recommend having a solution or two on hand – ahead of time. Try to offer your client an option that’s very comparable, if not an upgrade, to the current apparel or accessories item. If at all possible, try to avoid going right to a discount price. We all work hard for a sale, so don’t just hand it back when there’s a bump in the road. 4. Reiterate all you do. Believe it or not, sometimes clients do fo rget all the time, effort and cost that we’ve invested in them. Every once in a while, toot your own horn. Gently remind your client of some of the concepts, or virtual or spec samples that you’ve brought to the table. Or, pitch a few new ideas to your client to let him know that even when he’s not asking you for ideas or samples, you’re thinking about his organization’s needs and how you can meet them. |
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5. Face the music. Every once in a while we distributors are in the wrong – it happens to the best of us. You may simply have dropped the ball somewhere along the way, and your client has the right to be upset – and to expect you to right the wrong. When that’s the case, face the music, so to speak, and admit your wrongdoing. Let your client know that you’ll avoid this same mistake in the future, and in the meantime, explain what you’re prepared to do to rectify the situation.
6. Say thank you. Everyone likes to feel appreciated, so find a way to thank your client for staying with you. Your thank you can be as simple as a phone call or a handwritten note. Or, if you’re located near your client – or you’re traveling in the area – take your client out to lunch or dinner just to say thanks.
7. If all else fails, fire your client. As I said above, I try to save any client relationship, but sometimes it’s not meant to be, for a variety of reasons. Sometimes, it helps to create a pros and cons checklist and evaluate whether the relationship is worth saving. For me, a very strong pros and cons list includes the volume of business this particular client gives me, but that may not be enough to salvage the relationship if the cons outweigh the pros.
For years, left-chest embroidery and full-chest screen printing have been the norm, but there are so many more options that can help turn a logo from ordinary to extraordinary.
• Screen printing. There are a variety of specialty inks and
creative techniques that can be used to achieve those looks that
are popular at retail. Foil and shimmer inks can add sparkle and
shine, while high-density and suede inks add textural interest. Consider
distressing a logo’s artwork to give it that worn Abercrombie & Fitch
look. Ask your decorator if she has a name-drop program allowing
you to customize a retail design with your customer’s name
or logo.
• Digital printing. This newer method of four-color process
printing allows you to print directly from a computer file onto a
garment. It’s great for multicolored complex designs or low-quantity
runs since there are no screen charges involved. It’s also
an eco-friendly process because it utilizes water-based inks with
no excess ink waste.
• Heat transfers. There are several different kinds of transfer embellishments
that can be heat applied to a garment. These include printed transfers that look
very much like a screen print, flocked transfers that consist of colored fibers
with a soft hand, and studded transfers that use metallic and rhinestone studs
to create a design. The latter are especially popular in the women’s market.
• Multimedia. Combining a couple of these techniques is another hot retail
look. You’ll need to get direction from your decorator as it’s not
always possible to use some of the techniques together; for example, you can’t
combine a heat transfer with regular screen-printing inks. However, a screen
print with elements of embroidery or a digital print with a studded transfer
design over it can really change a simple design into something unique and special.
3. Understand your audience. You really need to know your customer’s needs
and objectives to offer the right decoration options. You should no longer look
at screen printing as just a cheaper decoration alternative to embroidery. Today’s
screen printing, especially when using specialty inks, can have a high perceived
value – just check out the price tag on the fashion tees in any surf or
skate shop.
4. Samples help sell. The decoration techniques described above are best explained
to your customer along with a sample. You might think a studded transfer would
be a great idea for a customer, but it’s hard to visualize without seeing
a sample. Ask your decorator what sales tools she offers to help sell her techniques.
Telling your customers about these new decoration techniques will help you stand
out and, most importantly, increase your sales.
