Today I had the pleasure of briefly speaking with a client that I have done business with for 5 years. Sadly he told me that he recently retired. I say sadly because we had built a very good relationship & I will miss providing service for him.
I have a story that I often tell about Jay, a regional leader for a firm that I desired to provide services for. Jay led their SOCAL group & was the person that I needed to persuade. For years he hung up on me immediately. I never stopped & attempted to speak with him several times each year with the same result. Finally I called & blurted, “You aren’t going to hang up on me are you?” He asked who was calling and I replied, Tony Ventimiglio & you have hung up on me for years. Why do you do that? He chuckled a bit & we had a very nice conversation that led to an agreement to do business & a professional relationship that benefited our companies for years.
There are some lessons. First, it’s never over until we quit. Next is that things change. Persistence paid off when Jay finally had a business need and I was present. In addition, I am sure that things have changed again& I that I will have to create a new relationship with his replacement. I look forward to the challenge!
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