Most companies make a critical mistake when classifying accounts by considering those that currently spend the most money as their best clients. In her new book “Nonstop Sales Boom: Powerful Strategies to Drive Consistent Growth Year After Year” (AMACOM), sales consultant Colleen Francis emphasizes that not only are all accounts not created equal, the ones currently spending the most money are not necessarily your best.
The key factor in identifying the clients that your salespeople should be spending the most time with is growth potential or incremental sales opportunities (ISO). Francis’ Sales Leaders Classification Model (SLCM) separates the highly engaged/high potential clients from the ones who merely see you and treat you as a vendor.
Once they are identified, Francis offers these tips for firing the customers who are miserable to work with and who are not profitable:
Make the call. Do not use email. Call with an explanation that you’re not the best fit for them moving forward. Always keep the focus on their interests.
Be professional. Don’t use the call as an excuse to tell the client all the things that are wrong with them and their approach. Simply tell them they will be more successful working with another company.
Recommend another option. You want to help these clients find a new home quickly, even if you send them to a direct competitor.
