There's an old adage, if you don't get good service during the sales process, it isn't going to get better after you're a client - it's all downhill from there.

I think very often you need to audit what you are doing in sales. Complacency starts to set in. You sign a few deals and you get comfortable. You start to feel like your prospects are pitching you, rather than the other way around. You start controlling the pace of the deal too much -- rather than take cues from the organization you're working with.

Take a beat. Remember who is serving who. If you don't appreciate learning during the sales process, you won't know enough to determine if you are a fit. If you don't know if you are a fit, you could drive away someone you could help, or you could sign someone you shouldn't.

Patience isn't something normally associated with sales and "coffee is for closers", but without it, poor impressions, a reduced conversion rate, and increased attrition will surely follow.