I’ll never forget a distributor owner who told me, “We lose a customer every quarter, and I have no idea why.” His sales team blamed pricing. His top rep blamed a competitor’s fancy new catalogue. When we pulled the account history during our ERP Consulting review, the story looked very different.
Six Out of Eight Left Because of Delivery
We looked at the last eight accounts that canceled. Discounted accounts? Only two. And in six of the eight, the final order was delivered late or incomplete. Nobody had ever asked the customers about that — because nobody reported on it.
The 30-Minute Exit Conversation
We introduced one rule: whoever manages the account calls the customer within 10 business days of a cancellation. Not to argue. Just to ask two questions.
- What was the last order that went wrong?
- What would it take to win you back?
Three of the six lost accounts came back within nine months. The questions are worth real money.
What to Watch So They Never Leave
Forget customer satisfaction surveys. Watch the data that predicts who will leave: orders shrinking, newer customers ordering more, delivery windows widening. The ERP Consulting system made it possible to see those patterns, but the decision to act was management’s.
Here’s the bottom line: before a customer walks out the door, they usually tell you with their order size. Check this week how many of your active customers have quietly ordered less than they did three months ago.