Recently, I learned that a large client used a "competitor" with less than satisfactory results. Mind you, I am not mad about the decision, but I am disappointed and sorry for the client that now has a project that was done poorly.
Had this client come to me and told me that they were considering using this "competitor", I could have provided them with some useful information to assist in making this decision. I also could have had a discussion about why the client wanted to try another vendor in the first place. In this case I was told, after the fact, that the "competitor" had been so high-pressure about an opportunity that the client decided to "give them a chance". If your product or service is so good, why the high-pressure sales pitch?
The "competitor" has a reputation for providing less than satisfactory work. I have heard complaints from clients and material providers about this vendor for years. (Why do material manufacturers still sell to this vendor? Great question for another time!) I have personally cleaned up several messes created by this company. In fact, a number of years ago, I cleaned up messes from this "competitor" operating under a different name.
Speaking of names, my company and its leader, me, have operated as the same business with the same tax ID for over 21 years. The "competitor" has worked with/for and operated as at least 5 different companies in less time. Why did the "competitor" have to change companies and names so many times? I know the answers and most of them would be red flags.
Here's another really sad part of the story. The "competitor", operating under a different name, had to return a deposit it took because the company was dissolved overnight, rendering it unable to complete the work. Sadly, the "competitor" returned the check to the same client that they recently completed work for. A few more questions would have been useful here because I doubt many companies choose to work with vendors that have a history of not completing contracted work.
"What brand of product does the vendor supply?" seems like another valid question that could have been asked. In this case, the vendor supplies a product that is not manufactured under the name they advertise. They provide, seemingly, several different brands, but they sell their "product" as if they manufacture it themselves. Why hide the name of the product your company supplies? Worse, they claim to use a premium brand when pressed on the issue, but rarely (if ever) actually deliver that brand. Classic bait and switch!
Sadly, this scam could have been prevented by asking a few of the right questions. Talk to your existing provider before you make a leap in another direction. If they are anything like me, they will be happy to answer your questions honestly and will appreciate the opportunity to at least have a discussion before you make a big change. They may save your from making an expensive mistake.
#vendor #vetting
