Recently, one of my clients was disputing his bill. After discussing his issues on the phone, I set an appointment to meet with him. I remember years ago when I was in the staffing business, the owner of our company said that when he started his business and got behind on his bills, the people he paid first were the ones that came to see him.
This technique has served me well in my 14 year sales career.
I was well prepared for our meeting with documentation and I knew what my goals were. Our discussion went well, and I understand his frustration a bit better. His biggest disappointment was that he had to pay for a missed appointment (a small portion of his overall bill) which we agreed to split.
In business, periodic financial disputes are inevitable. Being well prepared and having a goal is extremely important in a financial negotiation, and whenever possible, I would highly recommend having these discussions face to face.
Jason
