Competitive BSF companies

[MK-2]

Oh how hilarious.

We have a portacabin which is used for construction, teaching kids brick laying etc.

Teacher asked us to get a quote to network the cabin.

Get in our usual company, they quote to run a network cable to the room from existing points, put in 2 WAPs, job done, comes out at a grand.

Teacher comes back to us two weeks later saying I want a quote from . We got the guy in, told him the exact same stuff needed, and got the quote back today.

Bearing in mind its a portakabin, so you know the size, and we only wanted wifi in THAT one cabin. The quote from the BSF company is for two Cisco wireless APs, cabling to be run from a cabinet about 20meters further from where we wanted, and comes out at nearly 3 grand.

 

This is the way of BSF, same quote, same job, 2 grand more.

[Geoff]

Heh. Anyone else got any practical examples like this?

[MK-2]

Just to put it in better context, they quoted for 2 x Cisco Aironet 1231 wireless APs.

Ebuyer have them for £336 each. So thats nearly £700 of wireless kit in a 20x10 cabin.

Other company quoted for Buffalo Hi-gain APs that we have used before and work great, and are about 80-100 quid each.

 

The words kill, and over come to mind here

[Styloid]

How do you cope with this sort of stuff and remain committed / motivated / positive in your job ?

 

 

I've got no real idea. Its like bad news - we want to share it but after a while its easier to keep quiet, and not share the depressing a stuff.

 

But thanks for posting it. Its a crap outcome, but if you dont share it somewhere it will just build up to be a cause if depression and ill health. I may sound like a nut but I really believe this to be the case.

 

Your post raises so many issues about values, money and authority, responsibility and power, to name the obvious ones.

 

If I can ask a further question which you may not choose to answer here - after a period of cooling down and reflection - what are the deeper conclusions can you draw out of the situation?

 

Again - thanks for your post.

[Grommit]

Heh. Anyone else got any practical examples like this?

 

 

Yes CFP "Computers for Pupils"... Any supplier 20% cheaper than "The Chosen Company" RM.. yet we are forced to buy from RM... ?!?

 

Or the NHS ICT Rollout... 4 years over due and massive problems .. yet they say it's going OK and is best for everyone.... bit like the BSF..

Edited May 29, 2008 by Grommit

[Martin_Ebuyer]

Just to put it in better context, they quoted for 2 x Cisco Aironet 1231 wireless APs.

Ebuyer have them for £336 each. So thats nearly £700 of wireless kit in a 20x10 cabin.

Other company quoted for Buffalo Hi-gain APs that we have used before and work great, and are about 80-100 quid each.

 

The words kill, and over come to mind here

 

It seems such a shame that Ebuyer and other resellers try their hardest to be competitive but they're blocked out by such rules. Even more so when we are able to bid for items and add additional discounts in some situations.

 

I know that consortiums, preferred suppliers and other collectives are supposed to save you money, but all it seems to do often is give a select few people the opportunity to fix prices with no additional effort required to retain their customer. Surely the simpler option is to email your usual suppliers at the same time and ask them to quote for you.