strange question to ask................

[Pieuk]

bit of a strange one but you are the people who's opinion counts ! I work for an IT reseller and i'm curious to find out how you going about making your purchasing decisions? is it all down to the money? good account manager? someone you can get hold of and doesn't only call you when its renewal or time for a sale? or a mix of all of them? any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated . cheers Steve

[unixman_again]

All of what you said. Also, a supplier who supplies what I want, not what they think that I want. Persistent cold callers are noted in my "Do Not Purchase From" list. We also support local suppliers where possible. At the mo, we have some projector fitters in, who are from the Black Country, which is where we are. The last time we had a big projector fitting, they came from Teeside and kept pissing off at 3:00pm so they could get home.

[Pieuk]

completely agree! with regards to the cold callers, if someone called once introduced themselves maybe sent you some info on the company they work for then left you alone would they still go in the file? just its very hard to find new business, and I myself get hounded by repeat cold callers 3 times a week. I ONLY call once and no one else from my company calls again, we have no telesales / cold calling dept, as most of our company business is repeat or by word of mouth. also would you rather deal with a LAR or a VAR sized company?

[mrbios]

bit of a strange one but you are the people who's opinion counts ! I work for an IT reseller and i'm curious to find out how you going about making your purchasing decisions? is it all down to the money? good account manager? someone you can get hold of and doesn't only call you when its renewal or time for a sale? or a mix of all of them? any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated . cheers Steve

 

contact via skype messenger is always useful once you've established a buyer-seller relationship, being able to see when you're there is very helpful, and if you're not, knowing an email would go to the next available person is fine.

 

Calls to "let us know about offers" or "just to see if you need anything" are really REALLY annoying. We know what we want and when we want it, but we're still happy to receive such things over email any time.

 

As regards to cold calling, I'd prefer that if someone was to phone up that they'd preempt what we would say and just ask for an email address that details could be sent to, make the call nice and short and offer further correspondence via email.

 

As a school who can't purchase from mid July - September knowing that orders could be placed with delayed payment is very beneficial to us, not all companies allow it to be over 30 days but it's useful to us.

 

Assuming you're selling IT equipment on the whole including components then knowing i could ask for specifics and get those specifics (such as a particular make and model of motherboard) is good (unlike one supplier we never use anymore who used to give me completely different specs on quotes than i'd asked for, that was frustrating!)

 

Just a few things that tick boxes for us when we're looking for suppliers

[iom100]

I prefer to deal with suppliers who know how to use capital letters.

[Pieuk]

contact via skype messenger is always useful once you've established a buyer-seller relationship, being able to see when you're there is very helpful, and if you're not, knowing an email would go to the next available person is fine.

 

Calls to "let us know about offers" or "just to see if you need anything" are really REALLY annoying. We know what we want and when we want it, but we're still happy to receive such things over email any time.

 

As regards to cold calling, I'd prefer that if someone was to phone up that they'd preempt what we would say and just ask for an email address that details could be sent to, make the call nice and short and offer further correspondence via email.

 

As a school who can't purchase from mid July - September knowing that orders could be placed with delayed payment is very beneficial to us, not all companies allow it to be over 30 days but it's useful to us.

 

Assuming you're selling IT equipment on the whole including components then knowing i could ask for specifics and get those specifics (such as a particular make and model of motherboard) is good (unlike one supplier we never use anymore who used to give me completely different specs on quotes than i'd asked for, that was frustrating!)

 

Just a few things that tick boxes for us when we're looking for suppliers

Great! Thanks for the information, never thought about using Skype messenger as a contact tool. I couldn't agree with you more with regards to quoting on what you actually want to be quoted on! changing it to fit products you sell or have the highest margin is the sign of a salesman not an account manager, I wouldn't dare dream of ever doing that! is location important to you? what about case studies to show similar industry or products before during and after installation?

[Pieuk]

I prefer to deal with suppliers who know how to use capital letters.

Apologies for the incorrect punctuation.

[iom100]

Apologies for the incorrect punctuation.

 

Sorry. I'm very tired today and that was a snarky reply. I think what I meant was that it's good to deal with suppliers who treat you with a bit of respect, value your time and you can trust to get the detail of technical orders correct.

[Pieuk]

Sorry. I'm very tired today and that was a snarky reply. I think what I meant was that it's good to deal with suppliers who treat you with a bit of respect, value your time and you can trust to get the detail of technical orders correct.

no worries at all mate, we all have those days! being in sales I get told a lot worse often believe me - the respect issue is something I try to pride myself on. most of my long term customers are now friends ( invites to birthdays and party's both ways of course ) I believe that if you treat someone how you would like to be treated, it makes the whole process a lot more dignified! I have some technical knowledge, obviously, but rather than lie to a client/potential if I get stumped by something I simply hold my hands up and get one of my specialists to have a chat with them. That way I can be sure of what im quoting will be the best solution for them. unless they have specifically requested a brand or specific kit.

[Pieuk]

on a slightly different note, has anyone stopped working with a supplier due to something that they did ( as in it was in there control and was entirely there fault?)

[synaesthesia]

I certainly have in the past. Everyone makes mistakes however; we've been on the receiving end of a suppliers mistake very recently (they're on here and know who they are ) but the difference is when someone is able to put their hands up to it and act on it immediately. Honesty is easily the best policy.

 

Personally hate people that don't take the hint though, daily calls from some people who don't seem to understand things like "We don't have the budget" "We have no plans" and "We can't order until next year..." and keep badgering regardless.

[Pieuk]

I certainly have in the past. Everyone makes mistakes however; we've been on the receiving end of a suppliers mistake very recently (they're on here and know who they are ) but the difference is when someone is able to put their hands up to it and act on it immediately. Honesty is easily the best policy.

 

Personally hate people that don't take the hint though, daily calls from some people who don't seem to understand things like "We don't have the budget" "We have no plans" and "We can't order until next year..." and keep badgering regardless.

Yup I couldn't agree more, once I have spoken to a potential new client and sent some info about my company I will leave it with them, unless they ask me to call back around a specific time (ie end of August) as they will be starting a new project! the only time I will call potential clients is if I haven't heard from them in say 4-6 months. Then it will be a 20 second call just to hopefully put me back in the fore front of there mind.

[mrbios]

on a slightly different note, has anyone stopped working with a supplier due to something that they did ( as in it was in there control and was entirely there fault?)

 

Definitely, thing to remember is that there's loads of different suppliers out there and every one of them is looking for an opportunity. We've dropped suppliers due to not giving us what we wanted on a quote, giving us incorrect information on delivery time scales (they either have it in stock or they don't, i don't mind if they don't but when they lie or guess that annoys me) and also due to standards of contact dropping.

 

EDIT: oh and location isn't important so long as delivery times/costs are unaffected.

 

That brings me to another point, as schools we often find a lot of suppliers give us improved pricing (and often even free!) on postage costs. I won't deal with companies who want to charge the full price for a pallet full of kit to be delivered (often in the region of £100+)

Edited August 6, 2013 by mrbios

[Pieuk]

Definitely, thing to remember is that there's loads of different suppliers out there and every one of them is looking for an opportunity. We've dropped suppliers due to not giving us what we wanted on a quote, giving us incorrect information on delivery time scales (they either have it in stock or they don't, i don't mind if they don't but when they lie or guess that annoys me) and also due to standards of contact dropping.

 

EDIT: oh and location isn't important so long as delivery times/costs are unaffected.

 

That brings me to another point, as schools we often find a lot of suppliers give us improved pricing (and often even free!) on postage costs. I won't deal with companies who want to charge the full price for a pallet full of kit to be delivered (often in the region of £100+)

location not being important is a plus for me. And any supplier that try's to charge delivery on large orders really is pushing there luck in my opinion!《Sales pitch removed》 . normally makes them smile in my experience

Edited August 7, 2013 by elsiegee40
sales pitch removed

[twin--turbo]

One supplier on here gave me a Gr8 quote as a first batting.

 

took 2 months to deliver the item and then totaly screwed up on the second thing we tried to order from then by selling us a totaly useless warranty.

 

 

I hate companies that ring up and when we tell them we have just spent our capitation or completed our main procurement for the next year they still persist in askinig if they can help.

 

Companies that ask about print cartridges and we tell them we have pay per print service contract and don't go away.

 

Companies that ring back even though you have said that we will contact them if we want a quote.

 

I don't mind a cold call as long as they get the message in under ten seconds that we are not in the market for anything.

 

Companies that ring up as a cold call and have not looked at previous history of trading with us.

 

Can't say we have had a decent account manager on many suppliers in a long time, usualy why the previous comment seems to be comon.

 

Rob

[round2it]

Right.

 

If you ring and lie to the receptionist that I know you=no sale

If you ring me once a week=no sale

If you email every couple of days=your domain added to spam filter

If you email me with "it's the end of the month can you order something"=no sale

I ask for best price and I want the best price non of this I can do it cheaper than someone else

Give me what I want not what you want to sell

If you mess the order up=no more business

Turn up at my place of work without an appointment=quick ejection from the building

Please answer the phone when I ring.

 

 

 

It's a cut throat world so get it right first time

[jamin]

My account managers, who are quite good, know the two key things:

I don't have time to speak for ages on the phone: keep it quick but professional

No bidding contests: The first quote you submit is the final, It a fair playing field and any extras (discount or service) they add on after the call is not accepted.

 

They know that I will always ask at least three of them to quote and pick the lowest. Also that if any poor customer service is experienced I will bring it up and if not sorted they will not be one of the three.

 

I find this way everyone knows the way we work, we get the best price / service / goods for the school and all in all the account managers do their best and don't try and sell things we are not interested in however still get a chance o meet their quota.

[Pieuk]

right well thanks to everyone that has posted there comments! from what I have understood - call once introduce yourself and leave it there, you will get back to me when its purchasing time. make sure that you inform the client of lead time and don't promise things you cant deliver. make sure your available when your needed. all great advice so many thanks.! once again thanks for all your feedback it has been priceless. Edited August 7, 2013 by elsiegee40
sales pich removed.

[Steve21]

call once introduce yourself and leave it there, you will get back to me when its purchasing time.

 

Honestly, I realise this is sales and all, but that's just as bad as calling a lot of times imho. 1 ring per company = a lot of damn calls.

 

End of the day I've never had a phone call where I've gone, you know what... I actually want something you're selling that I never thought I wanted Generally you'll ring out if you want things.

 

Friendly emails etc, all good. Phone calls are bad imho!

 

Steve

[Pieuk]

ok steve I understand that only problem is I feel sending a company introduction out of the blue wont even be looked at and is a waste of time, for the sake of a 30 second phone call to inform you I am sending details across seems to make it a bit better received. just what I have found from personal experience

[Steve21]

If it's not looked at it's generally for a reason though Like I said generally if you're after something anyway you'd reply to an email, if you're not after it you wouldn't.

 

But only my two cents.

 

Steve

[mthomas08]

As others have said but I don't want the call to introduce your self, it came to a stage where I got 13 of these in one day and I wish I was joking.

 

I don't mind the emails but I don't want spam

[cpjitservices]

This annoys me...

 

I usually get 2 maybe 3 quotes from suppliers and go with the cheapest / best warranty etc. But when I go to a supplier, and then go to another supplier who does the same thing - no difference in the item and see a 5 - 6000 pound price difference then alarm bells ring. I hate suppliers who put huge margins on stuff they sell. I understand that profit is good, but thats too much! priced themselves way out!

[Miscbrah]

I had a supplier harp on about how adding more things to PCs I was speccing for a summer build would increase the cost of the PCs over machines which had less added to them. Which would cost less.

 

I then talked to another supplier who gave me a cheap quote without discussing the bleeding obvious at great length.

 

Moral is, efficiency and succinct communication wins the day.

[twin--turbo]

[quote=Steve21;1040323

End of the day I've never had a phone call where I've gone, you know what... I actually want something you're sellingSteve

 

 

 

LOL...

 

We had a guy ring up, short intro and "Anything you need"..

 

"Well actual we were just lookign for a quote on 60 Toshiba 850 Laptops."

 

 

He got the best quote, but probably made a loss and never got any more business as we needed nothing else.

 

Rob