Free More business English para Dummies by Varios autores Page B

this must not automatically mean a lot more work and effort. Finding a solution together with your customer can result in a long-lasting and trustful collaboration.
    Customer problems cannot always be solved
on the spur of the moment
and demand quite a bit of energy. Do not leave the customer alone with such a problem, because otherwise he may swiftly drift away to the competition as a result. If a customer confronts you with a problem such as this, you should signal to him that it requires a special solution. Offer your customer to develop a solution together with him. Under no circumstance should you make hasty and
precipitate
promises that you cannot keep. Tell him that you need to consult with your colleagues when dealing with unclear issues. Set a specific date for your actions. That way your customer will
acknowledge
that you are really
campaigning
for him and his
predicament
.
Analysis and selection
    Therefore, determine which of the customer companies will probably get back on its course and which, on the other hand,
are bound to fail
. If the company is healthy at its
core
, if it has good potential and if the managers are
capable
enough to master the crisis, then is pays not to lose one’s patience during the crisis and to
stay true to
the company.
    There are
several
different options:
    You can
pass on
the industry’s experience and know-how that you have collected during your years in the business from other customers when they were in a
similar
situation.
    Propose
to present your view of the situation to the customer in a results-oriented manner.
    Confer
with your own company and offer your customer
inter-coordinated
terms of payment,
grants
for advertising expenses or the like.
    Such
measures
can
contribute
in preserving
promising
customer relationships. It is
decisive
, however, to signal to the customer that he can count on his supplier even during hard times. This way, a customer’s crisis can
blossom
into an
enduring
customer
commitment
.
     
Palabras para recordar
to pay: to be worth one’s while or worth it
to advise: to give advice to, to counsel, to give an opinion to
subsequent: consecutive, successive, following, succeeding, later
recovery: growth, boom, boost, upturn
to decline: to drop, to decrease, to fall
to curtail: to limit, to reduce, to shorten
downside: disadvantage, harm, drawback, difficulty, snag, snare
to count on: to trust in, to believe in
dire times: bad, difficult, trying, tough, dismal, dreadful, or critical spell
to be bound to fail: to most likely go under, be unsuccessful, or fall short
core: foundation, basis, centre, marrow
capable: efficient, effective, competent
to stay true to someone: to remain loyal, faithful, or dedicated to someone
several: a number of, some, a few
to pass on: to convey, to communicate
similar: alike, comparable, related
to propose: to offer, to suggest
to confer: to have a consultation, to exchange views, to parley, to deliberate
inter-coordinated: aligned, balanced
grant: partial funding or allowance, stipend, subvention
measures: activities, actions, steps
to contribute: to play a role, to be a factor, to play a part
promising: encouraging, hopeful
decisive: important, crucial, key, pivotal
to blossom: to flourish, to thrive, to grow
enduring: lasting, continuing, stable
commitment: attachment, allegiance
on the spur of the moment: at first go, right away, straight away
precipitate: hurried, impulsive
to acknowledge: to recognise, to appreciate, to admit, to accept
to campaign: to work, to stand up, to fight, to champion
predicament: problem, challenge, trouble
     
Pricing as a competitive factor
    Aside from product benefit, product pricing is also an effective marketing instrument.
    There are businesses, which calculate their products’ prices from a cost and
yield
viewpoint. And there are businesses that practise so-called pricing, which means
determining
the prices from a marketing viewpoint and
adjusting
their cost factors and yield