IDEA: For new large customers, research all their businesses and if possible, consider buying from them.

Most large companies these days are involved in a number of different businesses of which it is has acquired during its growth.  Assign your marketing or accounting personnel to report on all of the other businesses are involved in so you may prepare not only your sales department but also your purchasing buyers. They may want to consider this customer as a potential buyer also.

Your new customer may import materials from outside the U.S., run its own trucking fleet versus buying freight, do its own outside service (i.e. plating metal parts, heattreating metal products, finish its own products, make parts versus farming them out). You want to know these other businesses in order to possibly get cost reductions from buying from your customer.  Your new buyer may be happy to drop the cost in exchange for a very competitive price from your firm.  This type of cross buying helps to ensure customers do not just leave without thinking of all of the ramifications of their actions, something you want to happen.