List the possible hidden costs in the account: damage, emergency buys, late deliveries, extra handling, freight issues, paperwork, or safety concerns.
Ask the buyer for one or two real numbers. Do not guess if they will give you the answer.
Use the Pallet Program Cost Map to create a conservative estimate.
Use that estimate to ask better questions before defending your price.
Tool of the Month: Pallet Program Cost Map
Use the downloadable worksheet to estimate hidden monthly and annual costs tied to pallet failure, emergency buying, freight disruption, rework, downtime, documentation gaps, and administrative time.
Warning: this is a sales conversation tool, not a substitute for customer data or business judgment. Conservative assumptions beat theatrical math every time.
Closing thought
The cheapest pallet can be the right pallet. It can also be the most expensive decision in the building. The difference is not visible on the quote sheet. It is visible in the operation. That is where value-based selling begins.
This is the first installment of a WPA Learning Series by Glenn Meeks-WPA Executive Vice President, that will focus on developing sales skills in the industry
Follow Glenn Meeks on LinkedIn
June 2026