Thirty years in sales teaches you a few things.
Here’s one of them:
Every sale is not a good sale.
Some customers grow your business.
Some customers grow your stress.
The wrong customers take more time, ask for more concessions, create more noise—and deliver less profit. They’re in a rush but light on details. “Just quote it.” Then they question the quote. They compare you to every supplier they’ve ever worked with. (None of them were good enough either.)
They pay slow.
They complain fast.
They negotiate after the fact.
And somehow, it’s always your fault.
Here’s the mistake: thinking revenue equals value.
It doesn’t.
If a customer consumes your margin, your energy, and your focus, they’re not a customer. They’re a liability.
The best customers are different.
They’re clear.
They’re fair.
They respect the partnership.
They understand that business works best when both sides win.
You don’t build a strong company by keeping everyone.
You build it by choosing who you serve.
Sometimes the most profitable decision you’ll make is letting the wrong customer go.