🧹 This small mistake cost me $5 million

About a month ago, we were in the RFP process with a major video game production company to secure the maintenance contract for all their offices in the province of Quebec and in Toronto.

The process was incredibly long, but everything had gone really well. I had the feeling that I had delivered my best sales presentation ever!

After five months of waiting, the result finally came in: "Sorry, you didn't get the contract..."

Disheartened by this news, I requested a review meeting to learn what I could improve in the future. (I highly recommend adopting this practice)

I was pleased that they agreed to meet with me, but I could never have anticipated what I was about to hear...

The meeting started, and my contact said: "Etiene, you had it. We had chosen you. Your presentation was the best, and your price was the most competitive."

Okay... so why didn’t we get the contract?

“One evening, one of our VPs contacted your director in Sag (one of their offices we already service) to report a clogged sink. She told him that wasn’t your responsibility and to call a plumber.”

Alright...

“Our VP ended up unclogging it himself, and it took him two minutes.”

He then called us and said, "I hope you’re not considering this company for our RFP because this is not the level of service we’re looking for."

“Here, when a VP speaks, we listen.”

So, we had to change our choice and go with our second option instead...

I lost that contract because of my director’s mistake.

$80K per month, a 5-year contract... $5 million!!!

All because of a clogged sink!

I completely understand the client’s decision. They’re a premium client looking for premium service—something we didn’t deliver.

Mistakes like this one cost contracts all the time. If you want to make sure this doesn’t happen to you, get my course launching next Monday, December 2nd.

The course will be available for one week, after which I’ll close access for several months.

If you don’t want to wait and want to be sure you don’t miss it, reply “waitlist” and I’ll send you the info.

~ Etiene

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