Have you been in a situation like this before?

Carrie sells corporate clothing – branded t-shirts, jackets, and oxfords. She has spent a long time building up a reputation among her clients as a great supplier who always delivers.

One day, the buyer at Carrie’s best client was replaced without her knowledge. She got an email from the new buyer, Nick. He said that he has compared Carrie’s pricing with a competitor, and has decided to stop ordering from Carrie due to her high prices. Carrie knows that this competitor is using sub-standard quality materials, and that their products often fall apart after a few weeks.

Carrie calls up Nick immediately and asks for a meeting. He says he is busy with all the work, but has ten minutes to speak on the phone. She appeals to her longstanding good relationship with the company. He doesn’t budge. Then she tries to tell him how her products are of much higher quality. “A t-shirt is a t-shirt, right? I’m not looking for something fancy.” he says. [Read more…]