Читать книгу Buying and Selling a Business - Garrett Sutton - Страница 15

If the sale does not go through and the company is taken off the market, the owner will need to talk to those involved and reassure them all that he or she is committed to the business and looking forward to future success. Any sense of failure projected by an owner will lead others into the cycle of uncertainty. As we all know from experience, uncertainty leads to fear. Fear leads to grasping for safety. And that search for safety can mean customers, vendors and employees finding new opportunities elsewhere and leaving the owner behind.

To allay customer fears after deciding not to sell, owners should redouble customer service efforts. It is unlikely that most customers will even know there was the potential of a sale, but the owner has no way of knowing who might or might not have heard the news. Customer service never hurts a business and making service a priority not only convinces those who did hear that you are recommitted to the business but may increase loyalty of those who never even knew anything was in the offing. For those who ask what happened, be frank but don’t give away details. Customers need reassurance, not a lesson in capitalism. As Henry Ford said, “Never complain, never explain.”

The fallout with vendors could have financial consequences. Most vendors have relationships with owners based on long-term rewards. They may offer good credit deals in hopes of keeping an owner’s business for a long time. The news of a company being up for sale makes those long-term hopes less likely. Don’t expect the news of the sale not going through to be a relief. It is likely that vendors will now see the company as a short-term investment (they will be wondering if the owner is still trying to sell, questioning his or her commitment). This is especially true with smaller, privately held businesses where relationships are more intimate. Owners may find vendors have hurt feelings about being kept in the dark. While from your perspective it is none of their business, from their viewpoint it is their business. Your business is their business. Appreciating their position will help in understanding the dynamics involved.

Employees likely will be relieved the company is no longer for sale, but they may have some of the same feelings as vendors and customers. They may still question owner loyalty. Once that happens, their own levels of loyalty are likely to decrease as they turn more toward protecting themselves. Morale is likely down. Owners might consider having a company party or perhaps a team-building retreat to reinvigorate the company.

No matter what work the owner puts in, the damage may be done. In the end, there is still the danger that not selling will cost the owner more than dropping the price would have.

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