Speaking of bad days..

[Hellrazor]

For anyone who is management in a business, opinion time...

I have used a vendor for years and their service has been ok to decent. My salesman is the son of a co-owner in the company. I have done anyplace from 20-40k in business with them every year. My service has gone downhill, price quotes went from 1-3days to 1.5-2+ weeks and requests for service on equipment falls on dead ears. I know of other places that use this vendor and they had to go up the food chain about the same salesman and their one front office person for not getting back to them.

Would you:
1. Dump them without any explanation
2. Go up the food chain
3. Live with the inept

[Tom Slick]

Go up the food chain, explain concerns
if no satisfaction then dump them

how difficult is it for you to change vendors?

[docrowan]

Like Tom said, it depends on how hard it is to change vendors. If you have another vendor calling on you on a regular basis that you have a strong feeling can do a better job for little investment, I'd say make the switch and wait for them to come to you to find out why you haven't been ordering from them. I'll bet you have better things to do with your time than to be an unpaid (and unappreciated) business consultant.

On the other hand if it will be a substantial investment to switch, or you will have to make a lot of effort to find another reliable vendor than I'd say go up the food chain. Just don't be surprised if you get the feeling they treat you like a problem that they now have to deal with, rather than a valued client trying to give them an opportunity to continue receiving a revenue stream.

[crokett]

I am not a manager but was a project manager once and dealt with vendors and similar problems. I also deal with customers every day at work. I would not throw away the relationship you have built just yet, unless you've spoken with them before about it. Give them a definite time frame with a deadline that they need to have improved their service by and let them know you are switching vendors if their level of service doesn't improve. Use the time to look for a new vendor.

[Bill in Buena Park]

Agree with other posters - elevate the issue, and if no resolution, go elsewhere. I'm what you might call a client manager in a service-oriented R&D business, where building relationships is important - a hard conversation about your concerns and your desire to preserve the relationship should yield results if they care to keep your business. But unless you're running a NPO, or there's no impact to your bottom line, business is business.

[Uncle Cracker]

If you value the relationship, go up the chain. Be ready to give examples of those things you consider to be unacceptable. Be prepared to hear responses and think about their content. These times find many companies with no choice but to run slimmer and trimmer, and this often results in the decline of the level of service that has heretofore trademarked their companies. If you are satisfied with the explanations, ask if and how things might be improved. If you are not satisfied, tell them you are prepared to look elsewhere, and then do it. You may find that any alternative sources you may have are also in the very same boat, and your situation may not improve, or even become worse. Try to keep the decisions on your tree.

[Hellrazor]

A few more details:

1. The salesman got an shape up or ship out ultimatum from me a week ago. No contact or attempted contact from him since. So either he blew it off or didn't care.

2. I have other vendors waiting in line to pickup more business. With the economy in the toilet everyone else is fighting for a piece of the pie.

3. Changing vendors will cause a few problems but nothing that will take more than a few days to deal with. The only real investment I will have is my time.

4. I am going to start adding a deadline on my price quote requests. I have not done that in the 4 years I have done this job and I have never waited over a week for a quote (until now). Bids always have a deadline but a price quote??

[BobSch]

Sounds like nepotism at its worst. Either let Dad know about the problem or write them off.

[Rslaugh]

i would ignore the fact that your salesrep happens to be related to the owner. You've given the salesrep a chance to clean up his act. I would write the owner an email detailing your issues, what you have done about it so far and asking for his help. tell him you've been a loyal customer for X years and would like to continue the relationship but his company now is affecting the service level you can provide your customers and that you can no longer put your business at risk because of his. One of my conditions would be a new account rep. If things don't change then pull the plug.

[crokett]

Rick has an excellent idea. I would also add a deadline to it for action. Not just a response, but action.

[gjat]

I'm with Rick as well. I deal with suppliers and subs extensively. It's business. You gave the guy a second chance, time to start accepting other quotes. Do you have to use just 1 vendor, or can you use a couple until you decide to commit to 1?

[herb fellows]

I am not a manager but was a project manager once and dealt with vendors and similar problems. I also deal with customers every day at work. I would not throw away the relationship you have built just yet, unless you've spoken with them before about it. Give them a definite time frame with a deadline that they need to have improved their service by and let them know you are switching vendors if their level of service doesn't improve. Use the time to look for a new vendor.

I agree. It's just possible that they are not aware of the problems you perceive. Once you make them aware, their response will tell you whether it's time to move on or not.

[Hellrazor]

I agree. It's just possible that they are not aware of the problems you perceive. Once you make them aware, their response will tell you whether it's time to move on or not.

I am not the only person having the same issue though. I know of atleast one other company having the same problem with the same people. I know he went to the top and left them have it.


As far as suppliers, I limit the number I deal with. I would sooner keep a core of suppliers that I have a relationship with instead of having a huge number to deal with. I try to divide the pie so everyone has to keep competitive. The company I am having problems with has a monopoly on their products because the Manufacturer has regional distribs and they can't cross each others lines.

[cgallery]

I'd convert them into a secondary or tertiary vendor and find a new primary. Who needs the aggravation?

My quality strategy is simple: Constantly evaluate replacements for the bottom 25 to 33%. Products, services, it doesn't matter. If I feel like the guy washing my windows isn't doing a decent job, or is unreliable, or is priced too high (and won't budge) I find someone else. I check references and pricing, then give the new guy a shot (and never look back).

[billwmeyer]

You might also contact the manufacturer and tell them of your problems. They may put downward pressure on the distributor.

Bill