与外贸客户因样品费拉锯战中，我们何以生存？

Winne清早回到公司打开邮箱边收到了一封这样的邮件。看完之后Winne当时的反应便是很诧异。这是来自波兰的一家大超市客户在中国代表处这边的跟单Sally发过来的邮件。

Winne returned to the company early in the morning to open the mailbox and received such an email. After reading, Winne was surprised. This is an email from Sally, a merchandiser in the Chinese Representative Office of a large supermarket in Poland.

事情是这样的，Winne与客户波兰总公司的采购负责人一直有在沟通推进相关的产品，也顺利报了价格，并且波兰总公司负责人也非常快就将需要查看样板的款式确定落实下来。

Winne had been communicating with the head of procurement of the customer Poland head officeto promote the relevant products, and had also successfully quoted the price,and the head of Poland head office had also determined the model styles to bechecked very quickly.

一般情况下Winne公司是不会提供免费样机给到所有需求样机的客户，尤其是还没有开展合作的客户。特别是这次波兰公司挑选的款式都是高货值的款式。

In general, Winne will not provide free prototypes to all customers who needed prototypes, especially those who had not yet cooperated. In particular, the styless elected by Polish companies were all high value ones.

而客户因为公司总部是在波兰，在中国这边也有采购部，他们的大部分样机首先会经过中国办公室的质检检测，然后波兰总部则负责查看样板的外观而做评估。

Because the customer's company headquarters was in Poland, and there was also a purchasing department in China, most of their prototypes will first pass the quality inspection of the Chinese office, and then the Polish headquarters isresponsible for checking the appearance of the samples and making evaluation.

而现在客户的意思是要求WINNE公司免费提供两个的产品给他们波兰公司总部以及中国办各一套。

Now the customerrequests Winne's company to provide two products free of charge, one to thePolish company headquarters and the other to the Chinese office.

Winne与公司商量后，公司考虑到在现如今疫情的环境下，也想尽力给予到客户更多的支持并且能开展合作。所以最后Winne公司的意思是一套免费样机给到客户进行检测，但是如果还需要多一套样机就得客户这边支付样机费用了。

After consultingwith the company, considering that in the current situation of the epidemic,the company also wanted to try its best to give more support to customer and begin the cooperation. In the end, Winne's company decided to give a free prototype tocustomer for testing, but if a second one was needed, it will not be free.

客户波兰公司总部那边很快就将Winne的联系以及洽谈样板的事宜转接给到其中国办公室这边去跟进。

The customer'sheadquarter in Poland has transferred Winne's contact and sample negotiation to China Office for follow-up.

接着客户中国办的跟单Sally 便与Winne杠上了。

Then, the situation was deadlocked.

Sally的意思是要Winne尽快安排两套免费样机寄出到他们中国办公室，语气生硬地说道：“样机我们是不会支付费用的，我们所有的供应商甚至乎更高货值的产品都是免费提供的。但是这次会先接受负责样机的快递寄送费用。”

Sally asked Winneto arrange for two free prototypes to be sent to their Chinese office as soonas possible, and said in a blunt voice: "we will not pay for theprototypes, and all our suppliers even provide us with higher value prototypesfor free. But this time we will accept the express delivery fee for theprototypes first. "

Winne看到此信息之后满头黑线，马上回应道：“这次其实我们公司已经是给到很大的支持，同意免费提供一套免费的样机，一般我们所有的客户都是需要收取费用的，尤其是这次你们所挑选的款式是我们公司专利产品并且货值也高。我们每天都那么多客户需要提供样机，我们是不可能全部都免费提供的，而且目前我们还并没有合作呢？”

When Winne saw theinformation, she immediately replied: "in fact, our company has given alot of support this time, agreeing to provide a free prototype. Generally, allour customers need to charge a fee, especially this time, the style youselected is our company's patented product and the product value is also high.We have so many customers who need to provide prototypes every day. We can'tprovide them all for free. What's more, we haven't cooperated yet. "

Sally马上回复：“寄送快递的费用我们都已经负责了，而且我们还要负责直接寄出到波兰那么远，这里的快递费用可是很高的，我们公司并没有多余的样板费用来支出。”

Sally repliedimmediately: "we are already responsible for the cost of express delivery,and we are also responsible for the direct delivery to Poland. These expressdelivery costs are very high, and our company does not have any extra modelcost to spend."

Winne头上也是一只乌鸦飘过：“我们供应商安排样板给到你们检测，样板和寄送快递费用我们是不负责的，但是这次我们也额外给到了你们公司支持一套免费的样板。如果你们实在是没有相关的样机费用预算，那么就先拿一套样机检测吧。”

Winne replied:"our supplier arranged samples for you to test. We are not responsible forthe cost of samples and express delivery, but this time we also gave yourcompany a free sample. If you really don't have a budget, take a prototype totest. "

Sally 见到Winne如此反应，简直就是要跳起来了：“那就算了，都别寄了吧，我会直接与波兰公司总部沟通。”

Sally was very angryat Winne's reaction: "well, don't send it. I will communicate with theheadquarter of Polish company directly."

Winne便没有再与其纠缠。直接与波兰总部负责人沟通了这个样机提供的问题，客户表示很理解，告诉Winne会了解清楚是否必须需要两套样机来进行检测，再帮忙推进反馈的。

Winne did notargue with her any more, but directly communicated with the head of Polishheadquarters about the problem of providing the prototype. The customerunderstood this and told Winne that he would find out if two prototypes wereneeded for testing, and then help push it forward.

事情暂时还没有结果，但从这件事情来看，Sally和Winne都没有捞到好处，特别是Winne，万一以后真的合作了，肯定是少不了要经常跟Sally接触沟通的，第一次闹翻，以后怎么会有好日子过呢？

Things haven'tcome to an end yet, but from this point of view, Sally and Winne haven't reapedany benefits, especially Winne. In case of cooperation in the future, it'snecessary to contact and communicate with Sally frequently. The future progressmay not be smooth after they fall out for the first time.

在于Winne看来，她觉得自己公司已经作出了让步，由收费变为其中一台免费，但她没有把握好沟通的度，虽然客户表现得很“硬”，但我们没必要要跟她硬碰，更何况客户的立场看来自己也是作出了给快递款的让步，凭什么我要跟你的安排呢？

In Winne's view,she thought that her company had made a concession from charging to providing afree sample, but she was not hold about communication. Although the customer isvery "tough", our attitude doesn't need to be tough. What's more,from the perspective of customer, they also made concessions to expressdelivery fee.（来源：外贸连）

所以我们该用柔中带刚的方式来跟客户沟通，例如客户一直不愿意付费，那么可以先尝试立在客户的立场去跟她好好说，可以多用“我知道你们的难处……”、“我理解你……”等这样的句式。

We should use flexibleways to communicate with customers. For example, if the customers have been delaying payment, we can try to communicate with them in the position of customers first, and use the sentence pattern, like this:" I know your difficulties..." "I understand you..." and so on.

实在不行的情况下寄一台给客户先做测试，检测没问题客户满意了，再来尝试沟通第二台样品的问题，沟通方式可以用“不如一人让一步……”这种商量的语气令客户感觉你是尊重她。适当的时候表现的弱一点没关系的，反正自己知道原则不变就行了。

If it can't be solved, send one to the customer for testing first. If the test is OK, the customer is satisfied. Then try to communicate the problem of the second sample. It can make the customer feel respected by the way and tone ofcommunication. It doesn't matter if you are in a weak position at the righttime. Anyway, your principles have not changed.