The Lifetime Value Of Your Customers

More work, when you need it: One of the questions I believe should be asked on almost every order is, "How long do you expect this order to last for you." Or, "When do you think you might need to reorder?"

Too often an in-plant has predictable periods (and particularly in the first two weeks of each month) when it is slow, but it is overwhelmed with work in the last week of each month, and particularly the last weeks of a calendar quarter. Customer service folks should be tracking when customers are expected to reorder, and then proactively contacting those buyers whom they believe are flexible—and who would be willing to place their work two weeks to a month before they normally need the work produced and delivered.