Different types of psychology


Nine Hidden Dangers Of Wasting Your Time, Effort and Sanity On Nickel-and-Dime Cheapstake Buyers

There are some buyers out there wholike the proverbial stuck pig. They want it
understand value but there are many of themall and they want it now but at a lower
who understand only price. A few years agoprice.In negotiation the experts teach that
when I was doing a course for my Certifiedupon hearing the price you have to flinch and
Management Consultant accreditation, I hadthe seller is likely to reduce the price.
some debates with one of the instructors. HeYes, likely, but who says that you have to be
kept saying that my idea about value was aa typical "likely" seller. When the buyer
delusion, and the reality of consulting wasflinches you can also recommend an
the number of hours I spent working with theappointment with a neurologist. Check what
client. His idea was that clients must bethe buyer's step is to this. Or if you're not
able to derive huge value from my services,sure what to say, just say what - according
but I could only get paid for the number ofto Alan Weiss - can be said in almost any
hours I actually worked because of thesituation: "What's your point?" You will see
obscure nature of "value".I may be wrong, andsome major league back-pedalling on the
unlike him, I don't have an MBA, but Ibuyer's end. After all, they expect you to
believe if the client derives huge value fromargue and defend yourself and your fees.But
my help, a deserve more than a competitive(lydefence can be dangerous, as General Patton
low) hourly rate. I got into business toexplained in his address to his troops in
overcome the typical wage slave syndrome asEngland, on 5th June 1944."I don't want to
an employee, and it would be plain silly toget any messages saying, 'I am holding my
become a self-employed wage slave. I alsoposition.' We are not holding a Goddamned
believe that I shouldn't be penalised justthing. Let the Germans do that. We are
because I don't take much time and effort toadvancing constantly and we are not
create that new value for the client.1.interested in holding onto anything, except
Nickel-And-Dimers Waste A Hell Of A Lot Ofthe enemy's balls. We are going to twist his
Your Time Have you ever noticed how easy itballs and kick the living shit out of him all
is to come to agreement with prospectiveof the time. Our basic plan of operation is
buyers who actually have an intention toto advance and to keep on advancing
change and now is just looking for a fit withregardless of whether we have to go over,
a consultant with whose help and guidance tounder, or through the enemy. We are going to
go through the changing process?Now contrastgo through him like crap through a goose;
this to Nickel-And-Dimers, who want to makelike shit through a tin horn!" I believe in
sure all Ts are crossed and all Is are dottedwin-win situations, but you can create
even before making a shred of commitment.Whenwin-win only with win-win people. It's a
Carl Rogers, a pioneer in social psychologymentality. I also believe that you have the
was asked about the most important aspect ofright to - figuratively speaking of course -
human interaction when there is a strongwipe the floor with buyers who are pushing
difference of opinions, he said this:you.The other problems is the so-called
"Unconditional positive regard for the othersatisfaction. And Nickel-And-Dimers usually
person. It's about holding the other personhave a very twisted notion of satisfaction.
in a positive light and assuming that his/herThey believe that if they buy a car from you,
interest is for the best interest of theit is their statutory right to receive free
discussion and the relationship, regardlessdriving lessons from you and at the end of
of what the person actually believes at thatthe day you pay for their driving licences.
moment."A few months ago the businessThen they try to convince you that it is also
development manager of a web design firm toldyour duty to service that car for free until
me "I've forgotten more about marketing thanyou die.As Jim Rohn says, "Liars lie,
you will ever learn. I just don't have timecheaters cheat and the perplexed are always
to do it." Yet, instead of implementingperplexed." And complainers always complain.
proper marketing (which he's apparently aThe tendency for complaining is more than
master of), his firm peddles its servicesskin-deep. Just think of a tiger. It's not
using three call centres (Los Angeles, Indiajust the fur that's striped, so is the skin.
and China) to cold call harass people to findAnd it's striped in the same pattern. You can
new business. It seems the worsthardly change that. Then let's stop trying.5.
underperformers claim to know the most aboutNickel-And-Dimers Prevent You From Attracting
everything.Remember, low-level prospectsGreat Clients Nickel-And-Dimers take up so
usually drop to an even lower level asmuch of your time and effort that it can
clients. Send them on their way with anprevent you from attracting great clients.
imaginary recreational kick in their butts,There are several facets of this problem. One
and move on with a lesson learnt.2.is that they demand so much of your time and
Nickel-And-Dimers Like Bragging About Theattention that you simply have no time left
Special Deals They've Received A few yearsto diligently execute your marketing plan.
ago a friend of mine worked with a largeFor a while your practice is carried forward
manufacturing company, and some six yearsby momentum from past clients, but since
later that manufacturing company referred oneyou're not planting today, tomorrow's harvest
of their vendors to my friend. Yes, theis  doubtful.
manufacturing company was a Nickel-And-Dimer
and they were bragging to their vendors thatThe other problem is that the quality of
with the right pressure they could arm-twistyour service falls. One reason for that is
my friend to give them very very good pernow your time is occupied by taking remedial
diem rates. The vendor expected my friend toaction to please Nickel-And-Dimers. And this
give the per diem rate he was charging theaction not only eats up your time, but also
manufacturing company six years before. Iteats you up emotionally. And the real problem
was a retarded situation. He was given a faitis that you act out these emotional problems
accompli: "Either you give us the same rateon great clients. Yes, you may want to argue
you gave them or you're out." And sadly myhere, but don't. Life is holistic and
friend did, simply because the immediatenon-compartmentalised. If you're hurt, then
smell of money was more attractive than theyou will show that hurt feeling both at work
gut-wrenching stench of a slowly decomposingand at home. Personally I wouldn't want to be
project that was waiting for him down theoperated on by a surgeon whose teenage
road.And it was waiting all right. The clientdaughter has just run away with the Hell's
demanded detailed reports on everything. MyAngels, or whose family dog has just been
friend had to write reports on report, memoseaten by a crocodile in the back garden
and meetings. He had to document every secondswimming pool.Clients come to you not merely
of his time. Really. The client demanded afor the service you provide (accounting,
time sheet from him in 15-minute segments. Hedoctoring or lawyering). They come to you for
would hand in the time sheet and the clientthe overall experience. And experience is a
would decide which segments got paid andhighly emotional thing. If you're on an
which got deleted. On average, 35% of hisemotional roller coaster, your clients
time sheet got unpaid. When he asked thereceive a roller coaster of an experience. It
client why, the client just shrugged, "Iis your job to keep yourself on even keels,
don't think it was necessary for theso your clients receive a consistent
project." Imagine, here is this egotistical,experience with you.6. Nickel-And-Dimers Like
stupid idiot who hasn't been able to solveDelaying and Forgetting Payments Now you've
his problem for himself, and then when thesecured everything. Really. The fat is in the
hired help does the work, he decides what'sfire, the die is cast, the gun is loaded, the
needed and what's not.The problem is thatfuse is burning, the sausage is sizzling, the
when Nickel-And-Dimers brag, they don't bragstew is simmering, the jig is up, the fate is
about the great service they've justsealed, the stamp is licked, the goose is
received. No! They brag about how cheap thecooked and even the cat is out of the bag.
service was. And just as birds of the featherIt's time for payment. And this is where the
flock together, so do Nickel-And-Dimers. So,trouble started.Nickel-And-Dimers left their
if you accept work with one of these businesswallets at home, they have to check the price
cretins, rest assured that you will bewith their spouses, dogs, cats or the spirit
favourably inducted into the world ifof their long-dead parrots. All in all, by
Nickel-And-Dimers, and many of them want yournow they've got everything they wanted from
help. And from here on it's a downwardsyou, and as far as they're concerned, you
spiral. Bad projects attract each other. Theburn in one of the most pestilential pits of
world will soon know that you're thehell in screaming agony, before they give you
Nickel-And-Dimers specialist and more of themeven a penny.Of course there are cases when
will come.I believe money is the walk of theNickel-And-Dimers actually start working with
talk. When you ask people to invest in theiryou. You were generous and trusting enough to
own futures, you quickly learn how seriousgive them instalment payments. But the
they actually are by whether or not theypayments are not coming. The cheques seem to
cough up the dough.3. Nickel-And-Dimers Ruinbe in the mail every time you call but never
Your Market Reputation And Your Credibilityseem to arrive. Then they get irritated by
In The Eyes Of Great Clients While Greatyour calls to collect your money and threaten
Clients and Nickel-And-Dimers hardly everyou that unless you stop making these
flock together, still, Great Clients can hear"collecting" calls, they simply cancel the
from the good deals Nickel-And-Dimers got cutproject and you'll never see your money.A few
for themselves. How do you think it willyears ago I started working with a high-tech
impact the perception Great Clients havefirm and the very first cheque the president
about these deal-cutters. Why do you thinkwrote me bounced. When I asked him what
people haggle with car salespeople andhappened, he told me that he suddenly took
realtors but not with lawyers or doctors?Carall the money from the company's bank account
salespeople and realtors are notorious forto put down the downpayment on a new BMW.
"cutting deals": "Buy now and I'll give you aWhen I asked him when I could expect a real
special deal." In spite of the "specialcheque, he went on his usual delusional
deal", most people hate this approach becausejourney about bills and expenses and tough
they know what the special deal really is: Notimes. When I asked him about why he bought
big deal. Just a previously inflated pricethe car, he said it was a special deal and he
shrunk back to normal with lots of fanfarejust couldn't resist.So, here is this guy
and manipulation.My friend, Katie (not herwith two cars in the driveway and no money in
real name) is a web designer. She got a callthe company's kitty. And he's just too busy
from Fred on a web design project. With lotshiding from his vendors and dodging
of pep talk and promises on future projects,payments.7. Nickel-And-Dimers Demand Huge
Fred convinced Katie to design a site with aUpfront Commitments From You Before They
serious drop on her fees. Fred manipulatedCommit To Projects Nickel-And-Dimers expect
her by telling her how good this would be foryou to jump through many loops before they
her portfolio. By the way, I've alwaysmake, not even a commitment, but a mere
believed that this "portfolio stuff" isdecision. Just think. The ultimate
highly overrated. Smart clients want to seeNickel-And-Dimers are governments. Have you
value not portfolios. Well, she accepted theever checked their retarded processes of
deal. And then two more.Then she found outhiring consultants? A few years ago a
that Fred was just a broker between her andcolleague, to the demand of her local
some real buyers. Fred knew that the lowergovernment in order to win the contract,
price he could demand from Katie, the moredropped all her clients. She started working
money he would pocket. I have nothing againston the government contract and then two
brokers per se. I too broker projects heremonths later the committee pulled the plug on
and there. Over the years, thanks to mythe project. We know that the most amount of
military training, skydiving and otherwork goes into projects right at the
experiences, I've become a damn good projectbeginning. Nevertheless, after putting in all
manager and I have an innate talent to havethe initial work, all she got paid was a pro
people work together as a - real - teamrated hourly fee.But at least that was paid
towards a common objective, so I co-ordinatefor. But she was expected to climb the
large high-stake projects with functionalproverbial mountain of broken glass and rusty
experts. But I do have a problem that thenails barefoot and butt-naked just to win the
greedy bastard Fred increased his money bycontract. And she even relinquished all her
lying to a good designer about futureclients for this "big gig". And the big gig
projects.And rest assured that Fred will bragbombed miserably. Then it took her a good six
to his friends, that "If you need amonths of living on her savings to get some
super-cheap web designer, let me know. Myclients back.So, be very careful about what
contact is super-cheap and super-good." Yes,sort of commitments you make upfront. Make
she is super-cheap because she wassure that every commitment is a mutual
manipulated by this scumbag, and she iscommitment. For instance, if the prospect
super-good because doing excellent work isrequests a proposal from you to think more
part of her DNA. By genetic design sheabout it, then ask for a small payment, which
doesn't rest until she produces "WOW!"later you can lump into the project. The
calibre work. And these are the people slimepayment shows the prospect is serious.8.
balls like Fred are seeking for "contractNickel-And-Dimers Demand Extensive Proposals
work".Then she participated in my Fee AuditJust To Steal Your Intellectual Property For
and Protection Plan programme and learnt thatIn-House Implementation Nickel-And-Dimers
clients don't pay for portfolios but fortend to call it the bidding process but
value. With this realisation Fred wasrealistically it's nothing more than
immediately out of the picture.4.euphemism for the theft of your intellectual
Nickel-And-Dimers Do Most Of The Complainingproperty. These people demand detailed
About You And Your Services Nickel-And-Dimersinformation on everything and then with your
are extremely good at complaining. They keepinformation they often go to the lowest
nudging you that they could get the samebidder for implementation.Just think about
service next door a lot cheaper. Well, ifthe typical request for Proposal (RFP). It
they could, they wouldn't be arguing withgives you a detailed guideline on how to
you. They would go and get that cheaperwrite that proposal. So, the RFP creates a
service. But that cheaper service won't belevel playing field where are unique value is
the same.There are some common factors incut out of services and bidders are
projects.  Two  of  them  are  are...completing purely on price. And RFPs usually
specify very expensive and detailed
proposals. A proposal I've seen lately
started with a 21-page executive summary. The
Certainty  of  successful  completionwhole proposal was 410 pages. The appendix
section was a separate document some 700
Velocity  of  progresspages long. Can you imagine how many hours it
takes to create such a monster? And who's
And your fee is a reflection of these twogoing to read it all. Maybe a civil servant
elements. The funny thing is thatwho has nothing else to do anyway.9.
Nickel-And-Dimers want to maximise bothNickel-And-Dimers Never Become Repeat Clients
factors while minimising your fees.If I wantAnd Never Refer You Anyone This is just a
to travel from New York to Los Angeles, I canforegone conclusion from the previous points.
take different options. The option with theThey create a pretty relationship dynamic and
lowest investment can be a pair of runningblame you for everything. So, it's just
shoes. That will give me a certain velocitynormal that they spread only bad words about
of progress and certainty of arrival. But ifyou and your services. What else can they do?
I invest in a plane ticket, I increase bothWhat they don't realise is that they are the
the velocity of progress and certainty ofonly rotten apple in a whole barrel of good
arrival. I, the buyer, can choose whichapples (great clients). And as we all know
option to take and I get what I paid for.Andeven one bad apple can spoil the whole
of course this complaining can go as far asbarrel.Summary So, what is the lesson here?
the courtroom. When these people make upSometimes it's worth negotiating, reasoning
their minds to get full refund on a projectand explaining things to people but reasoning
that failed (over 90% of failed consultingwith Nickel-And-Dimers is the same as
projects fail because of clients' diminishingwrestling with a pig. You get dirty and the
commitment - Dr. Edgar Schein, Processpig won't enjoy it either.It's the same as
Consultation), they stop at nothing to blametrying to negotiate with Hitler about world
their consultants and are willing to go todomination. No. Instead of arguing and
any length to recover theirreasoning, the Allies shoved a bomb up his
investments.Studies done by McKinsey & Cobutt and blew him and his empire to hell. Now
also  indicate  that...I don't suggest that you do that to your
Nickel-And-Dimers, but you're free to walk
away, saving your sanity and start with a
clean slate and live another day.And what is
75% of solutions don't return a profit tothe other option? You can try to please
the  buying  companyNickel-And-Dimers and they'll consume your
life. They are the people who just take, take
50% of solutions don't deliver the expectedand take some more. And you may try to be the
valuegood-hearted Samaritan, but eventually you
get run to the ground and resentment starts
Now referring back to Dr. Schein's research,kicking in. As the former UN General
we can see that more often than not it isSecretary, Dag Hammarskjold once said, "It is
clients who disallow consultants to delivermore noble to give yourself to one individual
the value that was laid out in thethan labour diligently for the salvation of
agreements.the masses." Being a Nickel-And-Dimer is a
serious disease, and most of us are not
Nickel-And-Dimers complain because to themqualified (hopefully not interested either)
this is negotiation and they feel this is theto cure these hopelessly lost souls. The best
only way to get a fair deal. They learnt inwe can do is just to avoid them with amazing
some Arab bazaar that haggling is part ofaccuracy and move on with our own
life and without haggling they would be takenlives.Organisational Provocateur Tom "Bald
for a ride. So, they apply what they'veDog" Varjan of Dynamic Innovations Squad
learnt: "C'mon man, you can do better thanhelps providers of professional services to
that" or "Is this your best price". The funnyachieve the income and lifestyle levels they
thing is that when you start taking valuedesire through high-trust high-impact client
elements out of your agreement, they screamrelationships.



1 A B C D 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103