Comments on: Pound Stupid

By: Daryl Mather

Daryl Mather — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 06:09:10 +0000

Guys – the real “kicker” was that this lady wasn’t willing to step out and invest in her future. That’s the point. (Darn it)

She was quibbling over nothing without an eye to the value that the product (the book) offered. The result, pennies saved dollars lost.

Smart move…

By: Alan Weiss

Alan Weiss — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 14:08:59 +0000

Thanks for your profound psychological insights, but you project your needs and your values to others. The real “kicker” here is that you feel it important to make an ad hominem attack due to your own insecurities. Keep your psychoanalysis to yourself and your own actions.

By: Sam

Sam — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 01:21:33 +0000

Alan,

The real kicker here is that retail exchange rate includes the bank’s margin (often ranges 10-20 cents on any currency) – which essentially means that, for small transactions it does not matter what the exchange rate is at the moment. Same applies for filling up the tank with “cheaper” gas from across the town. One may save a few bucks and drive around for hours (to and from) to get it.

That was ignorance on part of the buyer.

The ignorance on part of the seller is not educating the buyer about these things. Had you just mentioned that the total cost of the order will be higher by 2-3 dollars (or that you can give the buyer a whopping $3 discount to complete the sale), you would have had another happy customer.

In this case, Inanity defined both egos involved in the transaction.

By: Alan Weiss

Alan Weiss — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 17:19:04 +0000

Thanks for your advice, but that’s what YOU would do, not I. I’m not interested in making book sales, I’m interested in helping people, and she needs a shock if she’s going to be helped. I don’t think you understand my point at all. It’s not about the economy, it’s about how you think. I’d rather lose a sale and try to help her understand her error, then make a sale and enable the wrong mentality. That’s my point.

By: Justin Beller

Justin Beller — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 20:54:58 +0000

Is this what you think of all your customers? I’m not sure I would agree with how you handled the situation. Rather than make the sale later, which is what the customer wanted, you lost the sale entirely by offending her.

I understand your overall point; business goes on regardless of the economy. Successful people are going to do what it takes to make the sale and impress the client by demonstrating their value. If you nickel & dime your business transactions it will cost more in the end than you tried to save.

So, you don’t want to waste your time with this person and their cancelled order. That’s fine, move on. No need to guilt her into buying your books. Just say “Sorry you feel that way.”, and fulfill the other orders. I’m sure you had many more upon your return.