Key takeaways
- Treat the first 100 days as proof of delivery, not a celebration of the sale.
- Clarify scope, ownership, timelines, communication, and success measures before work begins.
- Protect cash flow by planning for deposits, milestones, payment terms, and working capital pressure.
- Manage team capacity, so one big account does not weaken service to existing customers.
- Review profitability, service load, payment performance, and relationship health at 30, 60, and 100 days.
Winning a major customer is a milestone. It can also expose every weak point in the business.
The first 100 days are not about celebrating the win. They are about proving you can deliver, protecting cash, and turning the new customer into a long-term relationship.
This is your bi-weekly SME Entrepreneurs Newsletter with more in-depth analysis.
Start with delivery discipline
Before work begins, confirm exactly what has been sold, who owns each part of delivery, and what success looks like for the customer. Do not rely on the sales conversation. Put the scope, timelines, responsibilities, and decision points into a simple operating plan.
Then manage expectations early.
A big customer will often have more stakeholders, slower approvals, and higher reporting needs than smaller accounts. Agree how communication will work. Set a weekly check-in. Share progress before they ask for it. Raise risks early, not when they become problems.
Protect your cash position
Large customers can create large working capital pressure. They may expect extended payment terms while you carry the cost of people, stock, subcontractors, or materials. Review the cash impact before delivery ramps up. Push for deposits, milestone payments, or shorter first-project terms where possible. If terms are fixed, forecast the cash gap and fund it deliberately.
Watch team capacity
A big account can quietly consume your best people. That may damage existing customers or pull senior leaders into daily firefighting. Decide what work your A-team must handle and what you can systemise, delegate, or support with temporary capacity. If the customer needs a dedicated account lead, name one.
Do not over-customise too quickly
It is tempting to reshape the business around a major customer. Be careful. Some adaptation is normal. But every custom process, exception, and manual workaround adds cost. Track these decisions. If the account requires a different operating model, price and resource it accordingly.
Build the relationship beyond the buyer.
In the first 100 days, map the customer’s organisation. Who uses the product or service? Who approves budgets? Who influences renewal? Who feels the pain if delivery slips? Build trust with the people who matter before issues arise.
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Review profitability, not just revenue
At 30, 60, and 100 days, check margin, service load, payment performance, customer satisfaction, and team impact. A big customer should make the business stronger, not just busier.
The win is only the start. The first 100 days decide whether it becomes a profitable anchor account or an expensive distraction.
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See you in two weeks for another edition of your SME Entrepreneurs Newsletter. May you always have the mindset of an entrepreneur.
Sajjad Hamid is an SME & Family Business Adviser who supports entrepreneurs in scaling their ventures. In his spare time in Trinidad and Tobago, he cultivates organic tropical fruits and vegetables, practising sustainable farming in his home garden.
He is the author of Build Your Legacy Business: Solopreneur To Family Business Hero. Sajjad is a Fellow of the Family Firm Institute. He writes a column titled Entreprenomics in the Business section of the Trinidad and Tobago Guardian. You can contact him at [email protected] or visit www.entrepreneurtnt.com.
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