外贸正好一年了,成绩不大,只是一个积累的过程,也许现在才是真正的始.曾经我也像很多新朋友一样从充满希望到失望到绝望,又突然有了转机并且坚持到现在有了一点点成绩.那段迷茫中摸索的日子给了我很多经验和教训.今天,我把一封说服一个历经磨难的客户下订单的邮件跟大家一起分享.
这个客户四从去年八月份就上的(称MR.A吧),因为当时刚涉入这个行业,许多东西还在学习摸索中,包括跟客户的谈判.所以过程特别缓慢,就包括报价解释一个C&F就来回谈了很多封邮件.陆陆续续地谈,终于到了十一月份,客户说准备下一个20'FT的试订单.当然我想,付出终于有回报了.可后来一直等都没有客户的消息.
到了一月份,突然到MR.A的邮件,说他退休了,准备享受晚年的幸福生活,而且说把我的方式给了他的继任者MR.B.然后MR.B会跟我的.当时我感觉挺晕的,因为另一个客户马上要下单了,突然他老婆动手术住院没时间安排证(也可能是借口).当时打算好的两个单顷刻间化为乌有.郁闷啊!
不过没法,谁叫我运气不好.只能耐着性子,给客户发了一封邮件.祝福他,可以安度晚年了,而且希望有机会可以和他一起fishing啊之类的.并且给他的继任者MR.B发了邮件,说了跟MR.A一直谈得很愉快,表达了继续合作的愿望.
后来估计MR.B找了他公司专门负责我们这块的MR.C跟我.过完春节回来,我们谈得挺快,在二月底他决定下一个40'HQ的单.而且P/I一传过去就打了50%的预付款,效率惊人.后来在我的引导下,说工厂很快要涨价(工厂每隔段时间就要涨价的),客户又下了三个柜的单.不过因为还不知道多久能发货也就没有让客户先打预付款.
外贸道路是曲折的,这句话绝对没错.在客户下了四个柜的单的时候我还很高兴,毕竟是经过一番漫长的辛苦的谈判后得来的.可是跟工厂协调的时候,工厂出问题了.原先说可以接的,一到给他们下订单的时候,他们说工厂改革设备要更新调整,需要停一段时间.时间也不确定,这次说下周看看,再问的时候又说再下周看看.客户这边问什么时候能发,然后我也这么推.
本来签P/I的时候说到预付款一个月内发的,可到了三月底货连影都没有.这下我急了,因为要失信于客户了.这个客户可是很好的客户啊,我不想失去.只能一个劲跟他解释,另外催工厂.可是工厂更新设备一时半会好不了.而客户的客户又一个劲地催他,搞得他也不好交代.最后得知工厂要五一以后才能恢复产量,我晕啊.实在没法,我只能找客户协调,看能不能以其他工厂的货代替.可是就是我们的这个工厂的价格便宜,牌子也好,而且这个客户其实一直跟其他厂家合作的.
第一次合作就碰到了我们无法控制的事,真是无奈啊.在这种很被动的情况,客户想要的货发不了,推荐给他的他已经从别处了.郁闷啊.最后为了至少保住客户对我们的信任,退一步,只能先退款,等工厂恢复生产了再谈.客户也无奈同意.
经历了前面这些已经够曲折的了,没想到的是,退款又出现问题了.当初我们财务经理说是按原路返回的,可是已经退了十多天,客户居然还没到.一边让客户查他们的银行,一边让财务查这边的银行.这边说已经理了退款,并且把那个单子给我,我给客户传过去.可是跟客户确认他还没到.真是福不双至祸不单行,费了我那么长时间单子没成,现在退款又这么不顺利.苍天啊,大地啊,我到底得罪了哪位天使姐姐啊?
过了一个多周,也就是五月多了,工厂已经恢复产量了,价格也涨了.本来想和他再谈的,可是款没到哪?不过估计款是应该没问题,工作得在前面啊.于是,我搜肠刮肚,绞尽脑汁,写了一封自认为非常动情的邮件.如下:
Dear MR.C,
How are you? Hope you he got a wonderful weekend and your business goes on well with you.
About the payment we remit back to you, I think you he received it if there isn't anything wrong. God bless you, hope you he already received it.
What a pity that there are so hardships to our cooperation for the first time. From August 2005 I contacted with Mr. A firstly, it has been for nearly nine months long until now. If there isn't any change in the factory, I am sure that we he dealed some containers with each other. But it hasn't come true. However, as the old Chinese proverb:" the road to happiness full of hardships." I still he confidence on our future.
I am very appreciated if you can inform me the progress of your new orders. All product lines are ok in the factory now. So please rest assured that we never let that matter happen again and we can work for long-term cooperation.
I remain with fondest regards
Respectfully & Companionably
me
这封邮件发过去后,客户说还没有到款,不过他说一到以后马上会把这些款当作下个订单的预付款.至少让我又看到了希望,因为经历了这么多让客户觉得我很没信誉的事,我不敢保证能把客户保住.但是我希望尽最大努力把他拉回来,因为这个客户我感觉很不错.
果然,没过了几天,客户发邮件告诉我,款早到他们银行,不过工作人员不知道怎么.因为这款是通过银行中转的,工作人员也不知道是谁的.这下,悬在心上的石头终于落地了.
其实在下五月份计划的时候,经理早就把客户要的货给工厂下过去了.客户到款已经是五月底了,货已经快生产好了.于是赶快跟客户确认,如果马上确认并且把款打过来,十天之内就发货.客户欣然接受,并且很快把款打过来了.发货也按预期的,很快.
就这样,这个客户现在每个月都有单,虽然不大.但是经历了种种曲折磨难后得来的我很珍惜.
already. But, we encountered so many obstacles, such as Mr. A retired, his successor Mr. B took over and we had to start all over again, the factory stopped production because of the equipment update and so on. I believe you also experienced a lot of difficulties during the cooperation period.
However, I want to assure you that we are still willing to work with you and provide you with high-quality products and services. I hope you can understand that these difficulties were beyond our control, but we will do our best to prevent them from happening again in the future.
Please let me know if there is anything we can do to assist you. We appreciate your patience and understanding.
Best regards,
[Your name]
P.S. By the way, when you received the payment, please let me know. Thank you!