Don’t play the “Don’t Contact My Customer” game

Hey Thea,
I recently saw your webinar on making collection calls. How do you handle your salesperson or branch personnel when they don’t want you to contact their customers? I have one sales rep, and the branch manager backs him, claiming their customers are “different.” If I call the customer, they run to the branch manager, who calls me with a ton of pushback and asks me to “be sensitive to the team.” How would you handle?

— Tired of the games

Dear Game Player,
Don’t hate the player, hate the game. They are playing you, and you’re rolling right into it. Why? From your question, it’s my guess this tactic has worked on whoever was there before you and they are working on training you to fall in line. The alternative narrative is you have allowed this behavior and they are perplexed when you flip the script.

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Whichever it is, we could title your dilemma “Gaslighting Credit Managers 101.” Call my customer, don’t call my customer, raise the credit line, let the customer stretch out a little further, it’s cool—I know this customer! I’m not worried about them, they are solid, been a customer forever. The list of pushback lines goes to infinity.

The biggest gaslighter line of the day: “My customers are different.” Instead of getting mad, get glad in your little credit manager shoes. This is a golden opportunity to improve your relationship with said sales rep and the BM. Start a dialogue. Ask questions. Start with one word: “How?” That’s it. Just “How?” Don’t add to it, don’t break eye contact. Say the word and wait for the answer. Be patient. It may take a few beats for them to catch up.

Most common response: “What?” Which runs a close race with “Huh?” And the recovery line of “What do you mean?” I mean, “How are they different?” Sometimes I shake it up and throw in a little “what gives” shrug of the shoulders. The conversation will take several twists and turns from there. Everything from “it’s hard to explain” or “they just are in this part of the country/state/county.” Go back to paragraph three and repeat your question.

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It is a painful process for both of you. People are so used to having communication that is indirect and sugarcoated that clear and direct communication appears aggressive. They are coming from a place of emotion, and while I am an emotion-based individual, as a credit manager you learn you cannot be emotional when making credit decisions. Bring me some logic, reason or at least a good bullsnot story. I want the sale, too, but I can’t work with what you are bringing me. Don’t apologize for doing your job.

At this juncture in the process, you will either start having an actual conversation that allows you to move forward, or they will mutter something really sweet and go off seeking someone else they can tell their tale of woe to. Connect the dots and include the sales manager. Get all the players involved.

The moral of the story, Game Player, is: stop participating. Call your customers. Stop waiting for permission. You need to have a relationship with your customers. With any relationship, customers or salespeople, you teach people how to treat you. If you set no expectations, you will get exactly that. Nothing. No change. Given that you sent this, my bet is you’re not cool with the pushback and just need a little push. Consider this your none-too-gentle nudge. Do your job!

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