The PITA Customer
You can see the warning signs a mile away: They push you on price, threaten to take their business to your competitors, make unreasonable demands, masquerade as the decision-maker, don't return phone calls; yet expect fast, complete and reliable delivery of your service.
You know who they are: The "pain in the ass" (PITA) customers. Do you have a PITA client-or perhaps more than one?
PITA customers are never happy. They drain your energy, test your patience, and waste your time. They demoralize your entire sales team. Yet companies accept this bad business continually, thinking bad business must be better than no business. But is it?
Dump Hidden Costs
When organizations take on these bad customers, they pay a hidden cost-the lost opportunity to use those resources going after and servicing the phenomenal clients they want and need to make money! Collect too many PITA customers and watch your profits dwindle… not a compelling scenario.
Why accept business from a few customers who drive us crazy and drain our resources? Many salespeople say they sell to "anyone who fogs a mirror"-because of a looming quota, or because their company insists on certain deals. Many sales organizations create unrealistic expectations that they can turn a bad situation into a good one. Are you dreaming? Bad business is bad business. Period.
