Ep 70: When You Need to Say No to a Customer, think about this first with Wes Michael

When you should you say no to a customer? Wes Michael shares a wealth of thought this subject and why you should think about it first.

A market research industry veteran of over 40 years, Wes earned his MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a BA in English from the University of Pennsylvania. In 2013, Wes launched Rare Patient Voice based on a novel approach to building a market research panel, one that enables patients and caregivers to share their voices with the researchers and companies developing products to improve patients’ lives. He structured the company on the core values of being a good resource for patients, a good partner to clients, a good employer to staff, and a good citizen in our community. Since then, Wes has seen the company grow, expanding from the US to Canada, the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, France, and Germany, completing thousands of projects, and providing customized service to hundreds of clients. He hopes that RPV’s work can help the lives of patients and caregivers who are able to participate in our studies, and of those who come after.

• Hobbies: Walking his dogs, piano, history, exercise
• Pets: Ace (mix of Beagle and Brittany) and Stanley the Chocolate Lab
• Likes: Hearing from patients who have enjoyed taking part in a study
• Dislikes: When no one qualifies for a study
• Fun Facts: Wes spent a year in Edinburgh, Scotland and ran cross country with the Hare & Hounds

MAIN TAKEAWAYS:

• “You need to have a folder somewhere… where you say: IDEAS (...) Don’t loose track of these things”
• “Deadlines are important. We work towards deadlines. But you can negotiate, you can talk to them, let them know...”
• “You’ve got to look at what’s the fair amount. Somebody doesn’t deserve all of your time.”