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Hi. I am a shipping company director, transport academic, author, family man and all round nice guy. I have worked as shipbroker, shipowner, freight trader and bulk charterer, in senior positions, with some of the largest and most disrespected (joke) companies in the world. Ask my advice on all things shipping and you will receive my blunt and always honest answer. Hang around to learn more about chartering and ship broker salaries, chartering and ship broker jobs, chartering and shipbroker recruitment agencies, cheap freight, maritime education, chartering and ship broker qualifications, become a ship broker, tips on how to be a successful bulk shipping executive, philosophy, Zen and the art of shipbroking, and much more. Yours The Virtual Shipbroker Andy Jamison is the alter ego (pen name) of ex shipping guy and blog creator Nick van der Hoeven Copyright © 2020 by Virtualshipbroker Contact virtualshipbroker@yahoo.com

Monday, July 18, 2011

Turn a negative into a positive

Shipbrokers are in the business of providing a service and with that comes the usual ups and downs of dealing with people with varying needs and personalities.

I want to relay a common situation that I have become increasingly good at dealing with. THE DIFFICULT CLIENT!

Maybe if you had good ships I could find you a cargo!

Once upon a time, if a client seemed unreasonable for whatever reason - I took it personally. This would then manifest in negative thoughts about both the client and my ability to deliver. Here is what I do now. If a client is difficult and I mean UNREASONABLY difficult - i see this as a great opportunity. I am talking about the irrational client. The one where the PROBLEM was not your fault but somehow you have ended up taking some kind of blame.

Heres the thing. I love it when I get blamed for something that is irrational...why? Because in the cold light of day, when the sea's have calmed and even the most emotional of clients has calmed down they experience another raw emotion...GUILT! And guilt, if managed properly, can be worth alot of money. The payback may not be immediate but mark my words a broker is often on the receiving end of a guilt deal, from a principal who regularly flies of the handle with little or no cause.

So my advice with difficult clients is NOT to fight fire with fire. Act rational and measured. Don't let them walk over you - but don't mirror their behaviour either. Find that middle ground that will have you looking good and build a relationship that will stand the test of time.

Now thats good broking

Cheers
VS

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