September 13 this year, my friend of mine reach me out asking if I can join her to attend a business seminar. She also had this particular client she just knew from social media. Her client is telling if he could check out the product that my friend is offering.
We already had several conversation about her client that seems for me too suspicious. Her client seems to be bragging too much his several companies locally and abroad. He had this so called hotels in major city and hotel near popular beach. He also joking that he was looking for a partner in life and he really needed that beauty product.
It might sound that he was super rich but that's where gold turn to tin. Upon travelling several hours with a ride from my friend's godfather, we were a little bit late meeting her client.
At first approach the client looks descent, suited with a black jacket inside is a long sleeve with a pair black leather shoe and on his hand is a catalog of BMW model car.
Honestly he was too boastful and braggy all day long and I think it was his strategy for getting our feelings.
The client was great telling stories with his so called family and his properties and company. He also added he made a purchase with top of the line BMW model. Ask me and this guy is really good at it and it was seems too effortless on his part.
Once we're on the company's head office we went inside a conference room with my friend's godfather and presented everything to my friend's client.
After the presentation he told that he was taking the most expensive package of the company worth 70K peso and more than that he told us he was getting 4 times of it and later after a call from his mom he will make it 10x making a staggering 700K worth of package.
Talking about big time he was really nailing it. He's telling that he will make a managers check for it. Another phone call late around 6 in the evening and he told us he did make a reservation in the Crown hotel restaurant for dinner later at 7.
So we went there and gather our self up in that nice expensive restaurant. It was located way up to the top 5 floor from the underground parking lot.
He was insisting us to make a order and assuring us that he left his credit card on the reception and he will pay all the bills. No one of us really did an order and just waiting for him to order for us and later he ask that he will go out to a store to buy some sugar free drink for his mom who had diabetes.
So he ask if I could accompany him to the ground floor to buy. So we went there and pick up the drink. Once we're on the cashier he told me that he will look for a doughnut to buy. So he ask me for a cash because he doesn't have it in his wallet full of credit cards.
After I gave him the cash wew. He just left nowhere to be found. That's what I call an escape artist.
I was like waiting for several minutes. I was already wondering what really happens then I get back on the restaurant to talk with my friend telling that her client left me in the ground floor.
So it was like within an hour and he did not went back to us. From the ground floor waiting, I just thought we've been outsmarted. It was really a great lesson for us people who just wanted to do simple business with client.
Lesson I picked up from the experience.
Honestly I never experience this event before on my previous business transactions. So here's the lesson.
1. Don't trust people you don't know, specially people who you knew from social media.
2. Don't meet up if you're alone, just to avoid even worst incident.
3. Be very keen if the client really credible and trustworthy.
4. Don't be deceived by their looks even they carry a BMW catalog and bragging too much on his possession. Rich people tend not to project too much of luxury.
5. Don't lend anything to your client, cash or product it depends. But as much as possible aside from brochure don't ever lend them anything.
6. Beware if the client is taking advantage from you or asking too much favor. Being a little bit suspicious in some cases are not so bad.
Hopefully you get some good tips to avoid this things in setting up appointment to your client in your businesses.
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