This month’s breakfast featured speaker was West Coast Industries’ (WCI) CEO Mona Lindquist.  Her message of how to win back clients was based on her own “turn-around” success story at WCI.  Being a family-owned company that specializes in designing and manufacturing furniture for corporate and hospitality public meeting areas, her clients include such names as Google and Apple; helping them re-shape their shared spaces with innovative and original fabrication of unique furniture.

The situation Mona found her company in was a precarious one, with a well-known international client that at the time represented 40% of their total revenues.  There was a breach in trust and WCI was in danger of losing them.  So in order to turn the situation around, Mona relied on the company’s values and guiding philosophy.  She said, “We needed to show that we were honest and sincere, and were wholly accountable – No Excuses!”

In an unprecedented move towards transparency with the client, Mona allowed them limited access to WCI’s financials, to not only attest to their financial strength, but perhaps more importantly, emphasize their willingness to do whatever it took to remain a trusted partner.

WCI continued to reinforce its partnership with the client through on-going value-added services and guarantee commitments that, while costing the company, consistently carried the message of trust to the client.  This “building back” with the client strengthened the long-term viability of the company, and will very likely provide for increased sales as WCI increases capacity at their plant.  Winning the customer back comprised of:

• Honesty
• Transparency
• Authenticity
• Value-Added Services
• Commitment to sustained quality

And while there was terrific networking that occurred following Mona’s presentation, many attendees were looking forward to April’s Bay Area Economic Futurecast with Micah Weinberg at Dominican College’s Creekside Room.

Hope to see you for our next meeting!