Do you have some tough news you need to deliver to a customer, or a difficult discussion you need to have? Maybe you have a supply shortage, a production delay, a price increase, a product discontinuation, or a change to your rebate program. Perhaps the shoe is on the other foot and you have to ask the customer some tough questions. Maybe they are way behind on their payments or not living up to volume commitments they made to you. Things like this happen in almost every business relationship. What's the best way to handle these tough conversations?

Here's a strategy to consider: take control and present to your customer. By following the IMPAX presentation flow of Them-Us-Fit-Action, you have an opportunity to create the right context for the discussion. In this type of problem resolution presentation you can reflect on the customer's direction, your own company's priorities and the great fit between the two companies. This is a perfect set-up to then dive into the issue and define it, share your thoughts, solicit the customer's perspective and together define the right path forward.

This strategy puts you in the driver's seat and allows you to set the agenda. It's better than a phone call or a face to face meeting that gets emotional and spins out of control. This gives you a measure of control, keeps the conversation professional, and is designed to lead to a mutually determined outcome. Maybe most importantly, it keeps you from reacting defensively, stuck in a corner with no good way out.