Thoughtful Thursdays - "...Houston, we've had a problem..."

Words spoken by astronaut James Lovell just after an oxygen tank on the Apollo 13 Service Module exploded.

Have you ever had a problem delivering on a commitment to a customer? I would hazard a guess that you have, and you certainly are not alone in this situation. Every day things happen, that may not be in our control, resulting in process delays - it is a fact of life.

In most cases these delays go unnoticed without apparent consequences. There are times however when the proverbial s**t hits the fan creating a very uncomfortable situation. The customer is expecting to receive their order and you know very well that commitment will not be made.

The worst decision one can make is to ignore the problem and hope it will work itself out. As absurd as this may sound, you would be surprised how many apparently level-headed, logical, customer centred people will suddenly put their faith in an unknown higher power they have never called on previously to solve their problem. The best part is that they do not even have to talk to this mystic problem solver.

No matter how bad the situation appears to be, the words embarrassing and humiliating may come to mind, suck it up and make the call. Your customer had enough trust to place the order with you in the first place and it is your responsibility to insure this trust is not broken. Delivering bad news is part of the job - and the sooner the better.

You would want the maximum amount of time to adjust your schedule wouldn't you?

Do not make excuses for what has happened, it is what it is and your job now is to work it out. Determine with your customer the worst case scenarios and the best ways to work through the situation. In many cases your customer will thank you for help and appreciate that you did not run from the problem.

Good selling
Richard