When the Customer Demands: Give a Discount or Lose the Order

Periodically every sales person encounters the customer who refuses to buy unless they receive a discount. Sometimes this is driven by the organization's culture or the buyer wanting to look good to their boss and sometimes it is simply the mindset of the individual buyer them self. To some people price satisfaction and their perception of value, is not about the actual amount paid as much as it is their sense that they have negotiated the price down from a higher starting point, thereby obtaining a "better deal." A case in point is the retail consumer who will only buy items that are "on sale," even if the sale price is really no lower than the everyday price at a competitor.

Although not that common a practice in the western world, in some parts of the world this "bazaar haggling" mentality is almost universal among buyers. For companies that endeavor to enforce a published price list among their sales force, encountering a customer who "demands a discount or lose the sale" can leave the sales person and the company in a no-win position. The following is useful in arming your sales force to effectively counter such customer demands.

Our Pricing Commitment

We cannot discount the price of our products beyond the quantity discounts listed on our published price list for the following reasons.

1. Fairness to All of Our Customers ? At ABC Company we believe in treating all of our customers equally. That means we do not play favorites or offer "special deals and pricing" to any customers. We believe it would be unfair to offer selected customers preferred pricing.

2. No Hassle ? No Haggle ? When you deal with us, you are always guaranteed the best price for your purchases, period! You don't have to be an expert negotiator and you do not need to lie awake nights wondering if you obtained the "best deal" for your organization. When you buy from ABC Company, you know that you have received the best price.

3. One Price Guarantee ? With ABC Company, the first price we quote will always be our "best price." If you don't believe us, call around to any or all of the references we provided to you earlier. The price they received, based upon their specific configuration, quantity purchased, and unit prices effective on the date of their order, will be the same as the price at which we are selling to you.

4. We Sell Value, Not Price. Obtaining the lowest price does not always mean that you have obtained the Best Value. In fact, the contrary is too often true. If through your purchase you do not obtain the optimum results for your organization, then the price you paid, no matter how low, was NOT a good value. We believe ABC Company's products are the highest quality available and we offer them at competitive prices, resulting in you obtaining the Best Value, the first time and every time you order from us.

5. Everyday we continue to invest in our future and yours through product development. Our published prices reflect the costs of not only the product you receive, but also the support included with them, as well as product development. We continuously reinvest into on-going product development, in order to bring you more new and improved or cutting-edge technologies such as .... Without this constant reinvestment, we cannot continue to support you and your organization with the materials, technologies and systems you will need tomorrow.

6. Your Trust and Our Name ? Since 19XX, we have endeavored to earn your trust. Today, ABC Company has an unparalleled reputation for being the premier provider of XYZ ... in the XYZ marketplace. We will not destroy that hard earned Trust and Reputation by offering lower prices to some of our customers than others. At ABC Company, every customer is a Preferred Customer.

7. Anti-Trust Legislation ? The U.S. Sherman and Clayton Anti-Trust Acts are federal legislation designed to protect buyers in all marketplaces, including XYZ. These acts require that we offer the same pricing to all of our customers within the same class of trade. As with all laws and regulations, ABC Company expects all of its sales representatives to operate well within both the spirit and intent of the law.

Publishing this statement on your company's letterhead provides an excellent tool for your sales force to combat customer demands for price discounts.

Copyright 2005 by John Di Frances

John Di Frances is an internationally recognized organizational legacy expert and motivational speaker; http://www.difrances.com

---

Google News Updated : Tue, 14 Oct 2008 11:56:09 GMT Berlusconi Shares Investor Pain With $2 Billion Loss (Update2) - Bloomberg Voice of America Berlusconi Shares Investor Pain With $2 Billion Loss (Update2) Bloomberg - 2 hours ago By Andrew Davis and Lorenzo Totaro Oct. 14 (Bloomberg) -- Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi promises Italians they won't lose ``even a euro'' of their bank accounts in the current credit crisis. Video: Bush Says He Will Help US Banks AssociatedPress Bush To Speak About $250 Billion Banking Rescue Plan Monday Morning AHN BBC News - Voice of America - The Associated Press - Wall Street Journal all 809 news articles Publ.Date : Tue, 14 Oct 2008 09:46:59 GMT House Race Is Shaken by Report of an Affair - New York Times ABC News House Race Is Shaken by Report of an Affair New York Times - 8 hours ago By IAN URBINA WASHINGTON - The Florida congressman who succeeded Mark Foley after he resigned because of a sex scandal is now embroiled in a sex scandal of his own, and has requested a Congressional ethics investigation to clear his name. A Florida (House) Bombshell Washington Post House to investigate lawmaker for alleged affair, ethics lapse CNN The Associated Press - Local10.com - CBS News all 357 news articles Publ.Date : Tue, 14 Oct 2008 03:20:36 GMT Cambodia: Thailand withdraws troops from border - The Associated Press Washington Post Cambodia: Thailand withdraws troops from border The Associated Press - 2 hours ago PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) - Thai troops retreated from a disputed border zone Tuesday, a Cambodian general said, averting a possible military clash after Cambodia's prime minister issued an ultimatum to Thailand to withdraw by midday. Thai army to maintain troops in disputed area Xinhua Thailand, Cambodia spar over border troop positions AFP AHN - Scotsman - Bernama all 747 news articles Publ.Date : Tue, 14 Oct 2008 09:51:31 GMT North Korea to resume nuclear dismantlement - The Associated Press Voice of America North Korea to resume nuclear dismantlement The Associated Press - 2 hours ago SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - North Korea planned to resume dismantling its nuclear program Tuesday for the first time in two months, days after the United States removed the communist regime from a terrorism blacklist as a reward under a disarmament pact. IAEA: N. Korea disabling set for Tuesday CNN International North Korean foreign minister set for nuclear talks in Moscow RIA Novosti Bloomberg - AFP - New York Times - Daily Nexus all 3,718 news articles Publ.Date : Tue, 14 Oct 2008 09:11:42 GMT Asian, European Markets Continue Upbeat Rally - Washington Post Washington Post Asian, European Markets Continue Upbeat Rally Washington Post - 1 hour ago By Blaine Harden TOKYO, Oct. 14 -- Feverish buying in Japan on Tuesday replaced last week's market panic, as the benchmark Nikkei stock index soared to its largest-ever percentage gain in a single day, up 14.15 percent -- part of a global rally in ... Video: Asia Markets Mostly Up Monday AssociatedPress World Markets Reflect Growing Hope TIME The Associated Press - guardian.co.uk - Bloomberg - MarketWatch all 1,133 news articles Publ.Date : Tue, 14 Oct 2008 10:11:14 GMT Kashkari Leaps From Obscurity to Lead Role in US Bank Rescue - Bloomberg New York Daily News Kashkari Leaps From Obscurity to Lead Role in US Bank Rescue Bloomberg - 3 hours ago By Robert Schmidt and Rebecca Christie Oct. 14 (Bloomberg) -- Minutes before Neel Kashkari's public debut as the chief of the US Treasury's financial rescue plan, he sat in a hotel lobby in Washington, unrecognized by many of the international bankers ... What Treasury is planning CNNMoney.com After Historic Rally, Feds To Buy Bank Ownerships WCBS-TV New York Reuters - Bizjournals.com - San Francisco Chronicle - The Associated Press all 1,670 news articles Publ.Date : Tue, 14 Oct 2008 07:57:34 GMT Milk, Sunshine Each Day Keep the Doctor Away - Washington Post ABC News Milk, Sunshine Each Day Keep the Doctor Away Washington Post - 5 hours ago · Kids from newborns to teenagers should take twice as much Vitamin D as previously recommended because it may help prevent serious disease, a leading medical group said yesterday. Video: HealthWatch CBS More tenacious about vitamin D Chicago Tribune Reuters - WBIR-TV - WebMD - eFluxMedia all 656 news articles Publ.Date : Tue, 14 Oct 2008 06:17:28 GMT RSS Parser Web Site Traffic

PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts, Websites, and more...

Adsense websites

Cultivating the Trust Factor

In today's highly competitive economy, it is difficult to maintain... Read More

Sales Marketing: 10 High Impact Ways To Improve Your Customer Service

If you want to last a long time in business... Read More

11 Ways to Get What You Want - Be a Clever Customer!

We all want great service, whether we are buying our... Read More

Whats Love Got To Do With It?

Customer Loyalty, we all want it. Don't we?Some people say... Read More

Your Actions Tell Your Clients How You Expect To Be Treated

There is a widely accepted principle of human behavior that... Read More

Managing Your Business When One Client Takes Alot of Your Time

How often has your schedule been thrown out of whack... Read More

Learning from Your Employees and Customers Complaints

Listening to complaints, whether they're reasonable or not, is a... Read More

3 Special Benefits Every Customer Wants

Every customer looks for 3 special benefits when they do... Read More

Clients... and 38 ways to communicate with them

As Alan Weiss (guru to the savvy consultant) says: "It... Read More

Five Ways To Wow Your Client

Running a business is about providing goods and services to... Read More

Sorry, No Customer Service After 4:00 P.M.

A few months ago, I wrote about ingenious styles of... Read More

Courting Customers - From First Date to Marriage

Landing a new client is like courting a potential spouse.... Read More

Be A Resource

What is one of the greatest ways to add value... Read More

Revealed ? A Simple Formula For Success! Exceeding Expectations

Delight = Customer Expectation plus 1. This was the simple... Read More

Listening: The Foundation of Communication

Listening is the #1 communication skill for leadership, selling, customer... Read More

Boomerang Customers- What You Might NOT Think Brings Them Back!

With all of the calendars and PDA's and lists I... Read More

Client Appreciation - It Means Everything!

Want to know the secret for keeping your clients forever?... Read More

Handling Difficult Customers - 8 Strategies

In any business our customers are one of our most... Read More

Develop Loyal Customers for a Lifetime ? part 2 (11 ? 20)

Traditional marketing strategies encourage business owners to continually grow their... Read More

Accountability

The Call Center world is an intense pressure-driven environment continually... Read More

Call Center Software - Your Tool of Choice in Customer Relations

The call center represents your first line of communication with... Read More

10 Customer Service Quality Statements to Measure up Against

It might sound quick and simple, to say how well... Read More

RETAIL GREETERS: Sales Builders or Customer Turnoff?

Do you need greeters or should you avoid them? That... Read More

Becoming A Solution To Your Customers Problems

Those of us in home based and small businesses are... Read More

What Do Your Clients REALLY Think of You?

*********************************************Know Thyself - Socrates*********************************************I'd like to start this article with... Read More