Ding Dong: Vendor Calling
It’s the same old tactic: An equipment vendor calls the vice president at an organization and requests a meeting. The topic: how the vendor’s expertise and solutions are helping similar organizations succeed. The translation: how the vendor can close down the in-plant, run it with its own staff and still somehow save the organization money (while making a profit for itself).
The topic came up again recently on a listserv discussion, engendering scores of comments from in-plant managers who have experienced this sneaky scheme. Several managers said their reputation as printing experts is so good, the VP asked the vendor to meet with the manager instead (and you know how far they got then). If that doesn’t happen, the manager should request to be at the meeting to lend his or her expertise and make sure the proposal is in the organization’s best interest. During the meeting, the vendor should be made to understand that a deal as big as this would require an extensive bidding process involving all major vendors. (Then watch them squirm.)
All managers should prepare for such a situation by continually promoting their successes to upper management. Highlight situations when the in-plant bailed out departments by meeting impossible deadlines. Get customers to speak out in your favor. Stress your total focus on the parent organization’s business needs. If you’re seen as the print expert, with the best interests of the organization in mind, then the VP may ask you to deal with the vendor.
- People:
- Ding Dong
Bob has served as editor of In-plant Impressions since October of 1994. Prior to that he served for three years as managing editor of Printing Impressions, a commercial printing publication. Mr. Neubauer is very active in the U.S. in-plant industry. He attends all the major in-plant conferences and has visited more than 180 in-plant operations around the world. He has given presentations to numerous in-plant groups in the U.S., Canada and Australia, including the Association of College and University Printers and the In-plant Printing and Mailing Association. He also coordinates the annual In-Print contest, co-sponsored by IPMA and In-plant Impressions.
