Post by Gurunath Gavli

No = Not Now At the end of 2022, we lost the Chandrapur Cancer Hospital project. We had been involved right from the drawing stage—working on specifications, mock-ups, and closely collaborating with the architects. I remember team travelled on priority to site at chandrapur for an immediate meeting .From our side, we had checked all the right boxes and were confident about winning. However, when the customer decided to go with another partner, we respected the decision completely. We maintained professionalism and stayed connected. We strongly believe that when a customer says “No”, it often means “Not now.” Six months later, when the competition’s terms no longer aligned, the customer returned. By mid‑2023, we won back the very project we had once lost. *Key learnings from this journey:* 1. Work so sincerely for an opportunity that even if you lose it, the client feels the loss too. Effort, intent, and commitment are always noticed—sometimes later than expected. 2.Always be a fair company and a fair person to work with. When the client returned, we didn’t use the situation to push unreasonable negotiations. There was a price revision, but it was justified, transparent, and accepted. 3.Never challenge the customer’s choice—respect it, even when you disagree. Professional respect builds long‑term trust. 4.Recency bias applies not only to appraisals but also to customer decisions. How you end your last meeting truly matters. We stayed focused on what was within our circle of influence and thanked the client for the journey. 5.Have healthy relationships—even with competition—but never compromise on integrity. What you ask for, what you give, and where you draw the line defines your reputation. Some wins are immediate. Some just take patience, consistency, and belief Post#2 Lessons from the field Also adding Shatrughan Gitte who was leading this opportunity for us and eventually won it for us .