Please use the following (hypothetical) situation to write a professional 'email' to an 'unsatisfied client'

• Demonstrate an understanding of the 'background' and 'corporate policy' (provided below).
• Educate customer on terms of agreement, without being rude/condescending.
• Prioritize/explain information customer needs to hear to resolve this issue.

Background

You're a Sales Manager for a Coffee Dis. where you've worked the past 4 years. The majority of your salary comes from commision - 1% paid invoices from customers. Victor Coffee, one of your large accounts, makes up 13% of your gross sales in a typical year. As more independent coffee houses fail and cease operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic, your total sales for the year are expected to decline by 20%. You cannot afford to lose Victor Coffee as a customer.

It is stipulated in P & Js contract with Victor Coffee that damage to packaging during transit (as long as the delivered product is in sellable condition) is not a cause for a refund. Victor coffee has two open damage claims and is refusing to pay for two shipments where the packaging of their coffee beans was damaged, but the individual bags were still in sellable conditionthe beans will be used in brewers that arent visible to their customers anyway, so it should be a non-issue. You are aware that Victor Coffee has a record of short-paying invoices with these types of claims. The two invoices that Victor Coffee are disputing are approximately 55 days past due.

Economic Considerations

During the COVID-19 Pandemic, the cost of raw imported coffee beans has gone up over 26%. P & J has done their best to absorb this cost escalation in their profit margins, but recently they have been forced to increase prices by 12% on a retail level. Poor sales growth and overall financial performance is likely going to cause another price increase of roughly 8% in the near future.

Corporate Policy

It is your company policy that short-term customer retention discounts can be no more than 10% less than their current price structure. It is also your company policy that you cannot offer your customer refunds on delivered product unless it is damaged, spoiled, etc. in a way that your contract with them specifies. Most importantly, if a customer has an unpaid invoice that is more than 60 days past due, you must discontinue service to them until their account is paid in full. Also, once a customer places an order, the standard lead time for delivery is 5 daysthis is written into your contract with Victor. Because most of Victors locations are near your roasting plant, they can be reached in 1-2 days, so Victor Coffee has grown accustom to ordering coffee and supplies and having them delivered the next day.

Customer Email: (RESPOND TO THIS)

Good afternoon, Patricia.

After ten years of doing business with P & J coffee distributors, we are considering severing our professional relationship permanently. Your recent price hikes and declining service level have made it impossible to see a future where Victor Coffee and our seven service locations will continue to use your product exclusively. We have two open claims against you for damaged product shipments that have not been resolved. We have calculated our total product shrinkage to be over $1,000 due to broken crates and boxes that were likely dropped by your careless delivery person. I HAVE CALLED AND EMAILED SEVERAL TIMES REGARDING THIS ISSUE AND YOU STILL HAVE NOT RESOLVED THIS!

Our senior management has met on the issue of your recent price increases and the reliability of your delivery times (WHICH ARE NOW AS LONG AS 3-4 days from when an order is placed) and we are demanding an across the board discount of 20% or we will exercise the terms of our agreement and give our thirty day notice to end our current agreement with P & J.

On top of price increases and slow delivery, your new driver, Paul, has been smoking out in front of our stores and bothering our customers. He also stands around talking to our employees, and has been asking for free food and drinks when he makes deliveries which puts our employees in an awkward situation. WE SIMPLY CANNOT HAVE PAUL AS A DRIVER, HE IS MAKING PEOPLE UNCONFORTABLE! We will be releasing several purchase orders this week for shipments that are needed immediately as things pick up in the fall. I need you to do something about this. We are currently vetting alternative suppliers and are ready to pull the plug. I dont want excuses; do the right thing.

Sincerely,

Kendra Hutchinson