“Why didn’t you show me this technology was available” is bad enough to hear from customers, but getting the phone call that they are changing suppliers because someone else did show them “this technology” and you didn’t is much worse. So what can you do to avoid this situation or at least reduce the likelihood of it happening?

Make sure you diligently “groom” your horses and customers alike. When you take either for granted, bad things happen on your trails to success. Here’s a path to follow:

1. The horses are your most important first consideration. These are your trusted people that carry the heavy load of doing your business. Treat them with respect, care and discipline.

2. Groom customers with continual but not overwhelming marketing messages about new solutions that other businesses that work with your company are enjoying. I know this sounds fundamental, but guess how many “assume” this is a reality when it’s not.

3. Ensure that your inside sales team is actively reaching out to customers, advising them of new and more effective offerings. Break this down into manageable chunks. Take your top 25% RMR or recurring buying customers – these are the first to be touched. This should be done within a 45-day period. NO excuses! Then take your next 25%, and repeat throughout your customer base.

4. When are your commercial customers’ fiscal calendars? Do you know? You should, because if you aren’t 60 days ahead of their budget planning cycle you can ‘fuhgeddaboudit’ when it comes to incremental revenue growth next year.

5. Make sure your sales team or outside customer service team always takes five minutes to advise customers of new technology solutions. Use a “did you know that customers in your industry are using xx” approach. This is low stress, reality based and a real dialogue starter for your outside sales team. 6. Most importantly, ensure your technical and service teams drop subtle hints about new and better technologies as they leave a customer’s premises. Customers believe technicians and pay attention to their advice.

Bottom line is, never get too comfortable where you stand with customers, security technology or your competition. There is a reason they call it a “flash flood” when you are moseying across that business stream and one hits – it will happen fast and unexpectedly. Pack your saddle bags with buoyant technologies that can help you survive.

Don’t Be Intimidated by IP Solutions

Let’s take a look at another common statement from customers. “The IP technologies are complicated and will require us to hire more expensive technical installers, which frankly we can’t really afford.” There is some truth and some fiction with this excuse, so let’s carve it up a bit.

In the early days, IP technology mystified many technicians who weren’t used to home-run dedicated cabling. It was simple, direct and easy to install … or was it? If you were getting paid by the hour, this was a flexible way to hide inefficiencies with traditional wire-pulling challenges. It often was the single biggest friction point between sales and installation teams. Could it get any worse?

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