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  • These Guys Have a Very Warped Concept of Their Importance

    We sell quite a few software packages to schools and governments. These are places with purchasing departments, layers of bureaucracy, and inflexible rules regarding vendors.

    Things we have to do for this sort of customer that we don't have to do for others are:

    -send written and signed quotations, verbal doesn't work

    -accept purchase orders

    -sign a contract that we will deliver the goods as specified

    -explain that we are NOT the sole source and cannot certify ourselves as such

    -give names of two resellers so they can solicit the minimum number of bids for other sources

    -fill out tax ID forms

    -fill out forms certifying whether we employ and/or are owned by minorities/women/disabled folks/etc.

    -fill out forms to get onto the agency/school vendor list.

    All this is a pain in the neck, but arguing about the rules with a purchasing agent who is far removed from those who make the rules is much harder. So we comply.

    Up to a point.

    I have a theory that making us vendors jump through so many hoops to get a sale has warped reality for some of these government agencies. They are letting it get to their head that we'll do ANYTHING for a sale.

    Not quite.

    First one state tried to make us sign a contract making a warranty according to THEIR terms or they didn't have to pay. Our software did not and could not meet those terms. Thus, we wisely refused to sign anything guaranteeing that it would.

    They wanted it anyway and found a way to buy it without their warranty.

    But the best of all came when another state wanted to place an order. They called and mentioned they couldn't generate a PO until we were on their "approved vendor list." We had sold to them before, so we were confused a bit.

    The caller explained that they were creating a new list from scratch; would we mind filling out the forms again?

    We did mind, but we said we didn't and gave the caller our fax number to send the forms.

    We got the forms off the fax machine. They were pretty standard until we got to the final page.

    This particular state realized that somebody needs to PAY for all the people who spend time faxing, reading and filing all these vendor approval forms and who better than the vendors?

    In order to get on the approved vendor list for that state, we were expected to pay a $300 processing fee.

    After we stopped laughing, we informed them that we weren't going to pay money to get on the list of approved vendors; perhaps there was another way? They insisted they couldn't buy from us otherwise.

    We gave them sincere regrets that we couldn't do business with them any more.

    Their reaction of shocked suprise was quite amusing.*

    We do understand that having customers is our lifeblood and we treat them as such, but do they seriously expect us to PAY THEM to grace us with their presence?

    *Note: To be nice, we did let them know the names a few resellers in their state who might be on the approved vendor list.
    The best karma is letting a jerk bash himself senseless on the wall of your polite indifference.

    The stupid is strong with this one.

  • #2
    ... they want you to pay them to buy stuff from you?

    What's that, a built in discount?
    Everything sucks. I must be living in a vacuum.

    Comment


    • #3
      Have you asked them if they had been forced by some chance to leave the office of a bureocrat using the window instead of the door?

      A glass of chilled strong mead to the people who get the reference.
      I pet animals, I rescue insects, I hug trees.

      "I picture the lead singer of Gwar screaming 'People of Japan, look at my balls! My swinging pendulous balls!!!'" -- Khyras

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      • #4
        Would it have involved the use of a bat-rehydration system, perchance?


        Oh, how I love Adam West Batman....absolutely kills me

        Comment


        • #5
          Quoth Foxglove8778
          ... they want you to pay them to buy stuff from you?

          What's that, a built in discount?

          Worse.

          They expected us to pay them for the possibility that they may buy something from us.

          If this becomes a trend, the next thing you know SCs will start demanding that stores pay them to browse.

          And from the stories I've seen on this site, that's actually not much of a stretch.

          Quoth AFpheonix
          Oh, how I love Adam West Batman....absolutely kills me
          "Some days you just can't get rid of a bomb."
          Last edited by Dips; 05-21-2007, 06:59 PM. Reason: forgot quote
          The best karma is letting a jerk bash himself senseless on the wall of your polite indifference.

          The stupid is strong with this one.

          Comment


          • #6
            And thusly confirming that YES, you can be fired as a customer.

            I've done it a few times
            "I reject your reality and substitute my own"....Adam Savage-Mythbuster

            Must remember to stop using "brain of death" on slower morons.... I meant customers.

            Comment


            • #7
              Quoth Dips View Post



              "Some days you just can't get rid of a bomb."
              ..."Confound it, the batteries are dead!"

              Comment


              • #8
                Quoth Dips View Post
                the next thing you know SCs will start demanding that stores pay them to browse.
                Quoth Mr. Rude View Post
                And thusly confirming that YES, you can be fired as a customer.
                do we get a refund from them when we fire them, if we're sucky enough?
                Everything sucks. I must be living in a vacuum.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Send them a bill for all the time you spent filling out those forms. I'd say $300 should cover it.

                  If you have to ask, it's probably better posted at www.fratching.com

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Quoth Boozy View Post
                    ]I'd say $300 should cover it.
                    $750.
                    Aggrivation fee.
                    Everything sucks. I must be living in a vacuum.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Btw my reference has nothing to do with Batman keep trying
                      I pet animals, I rescue insects, I hug trees.

                      "I picture the lead singer of Gwar screaming 'People of Japan, look at my balls! My swinging pendulous balls!!!'" -- Khyras

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Quoth Bliss View Post
                        Have you asked them if they had been forced by some chance to leave the office of a bureocrat using the window instead of the door?

                        A glass of chilled strong mead to the people who get the reference.
                        I would prefer a Pan-Galactic Gargleblaster...if it's not too much trouble.
                        Last edited by justZu; 05-22-2007, 02:01 AM. Reason: 42

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Bingo!!!, but are you sure you can survive the Gargleblaster? hehehe
                          I pet animals, I rescue insects, I hug trees.

                          "I picture the lead singer of Gwar screaming 'People of Japan, look at my balls! My swinging pendulous balls!!!'" -- Khyras

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Quoth Bliss View Post
                            Bingo!!!, but are you sure you can survive the Gargleblaster? hehehe
                            I have my towel, I am ready for anything.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Quoth justZu View Post
                              I would prefer a Pan-Galactic Gargleblaster...if it's not too much trouble.
                              Don't Panic, I'm sure there are enough for everybody. Just don't let the Vogons have any
                              Aerodynamics are for people who can't build engines. --Enzo Ferrari

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