Fontayne56 Posted June 30, 2020 Posted June 30, 2020 We are currently ordering our summer equipment and when we go over a certain figure we need three quotes. Has anyone got any suppliers which can produce and e-quote online ? Many Thanks
TechMonkey Posted June 30, 2020 Posted June 30, 2020 Which equipment? PC Hardware there are millions. Very PC, Stone, Dell, HP. Or do you mean a hands off, fill in a form and give you a price type e-quote? The only ones will be the big box shifters, and even then it won't be an official quote, but a shopping cart list. 1
Fontayne56 Posted June 30, 2020 Author Posted June 30, 2020 Any really just need a Document With "Quote" on really .. lol Yes a "hands off, fill in a form and give you a price type e-quote"
paulkerton Posted June 30, 2020 Posted June 30, 2020 (edited) I think Insight do that kind of thing. I get where you're coming from though, sometimes resellers get a bit too pushy and contacty and try to be your buddy. Gets my goat that. I don't need contacting every month cause you have a sales quota. I'll come to you if I need anything. Gimme a price with your best quote, and you'll get the deal if you're the most competitive. If you're not then you won't. It's when they get upset at you that you keep asking them for quotes but never get the work that gets me. Had that a few times. Be better priced then! Edited June 30, 2020 by paulkerton 1
LeMarchand Posted June 30, 2020 Posted June 30, 2020 Softcat will let you produce an actual "saveable" quote, but unless you already have an account etc you'll still need to speak to someone! Only good for stuff in their catalogue and I strongly suspect that you might get a better price on a large purchase by speaking to your rep.
ICTDirect_Dave Posted June 30, 2020 Posted June 30, 2020 If it's PCs I'll give you a comparative quote using our lovely refurb kit email me your details and I'll throw something together for you.
Wubbalubbadub Posted July 1, 2020 Posted July 1, 2020 Sounds like some proper best value is being sought here... Not! Do a proper tender man.. get 3 true comparisons and get the best value with that money! It is our tax money you're spending! Just getting an online quote to tick that you got 3 quotes is not proper! 1
paulkerton Posted July 1, 2020 Posted July 1, 2020 There's always the Crown Commerical Services Purchasing Platform That goes out and does all the work for you in finding multiple quotes and returning the best value ones back. Though whenever I did it at an old work place, I still had to run off print offs directly from the site showing each price because they were extremely cautious! https://purchasingplatform.crowncommercial.gov.uk/ Sounds like some proper best value is being sought here... Not! Party on Wayne, Party on Garth! 1
Norphy Posted July 1, 2020 Posted July 1, 2020 There's also Cresent https://www.thecpc.ac.uk/ When I did my recent switching project, I put in a spec and left it to see who would pick it up.
paulkerton Posted July 1, 2020 Posted July 1, 2020 When I did my recent switching project, I put in a spec and left it to see who would pick it up. Am I right in saying that if you've made that effort to get muliple quotations, and only one or two return to you then you don't have to keep seeking that third? You've put it out there, and if you've reached out to say, 20 different companies, its not your responsibility if only 2 got back to you? I'm sure that was the case but it's been a while!
Norphy Posted July 1, 2020 Posted July 1, 2020 Am I right in saying that if you've made that effort to get muliple quotations, and only one or two return to you then you don't have to keep seeking that third? You've put it out there, and if you've reached out to say, 20 different companies, its not your responsibility if only 2 got back to you? I'm sure that was the case but it's been a while! You don't put any effort in to get multiple quotes. You put your spec into the website and it's then down to the companies who are registered on the framework to get back to you. You've done your due diligence because you're using a recognised framework so even if only one company returns a quote, you're covered. You're not obliged to buy, even when the process is complete either. 1
Andycat Posted July 1, 2020 Posted July 1, 2020 You don't put any effort in to get multiple quotes. You put your spec into the website and it's then down to the companies who are registered on the framework to get back to you. You've done your due diligence because you're using a recognised framework so even if only one company returns a quote, you're covered. You're not obliged to buy, even when the process is complete either. I do it for licensing and big purchases. Very rarely are they cheapest or best, but you've proved due diligence.
paulkerton Posted July 1, 2020 Posted July 1, 2020 (edited) I do it for licensing and big purchases. Very rarely are they cheapest or best, but you've proved due diligence. And there is the farce behind this all. All a purchasing portal really does is provide 3 quote due diligence, but it almost certain won't find the absolute cheapest out there... just the cheapest offered on the platform at the time you checked. Let's face it, if there are twenty companies out there providing the equipment you want, and you just so happen to qet quotes for it from the three most expensive in the country, you're not getting best value, you're getting 3rd worst value. But you can still say you did what you were required to do. Or my favourite. Its taken me 2 days to get all my quotes together, have my ear chewed off for an hour at a time by salesmen schmoozing you in triplicate... going back for revised pricing when the spec has changed because someone in SLT had a brainwave. Trying to explain to the salesman whose playing it naive that they haven't quoted me what I asked for and I need like for like, not a piece of kit they'd like to sell me as it's "virtually the same" but really, it gives them a bigger margin or needs to be cleared out their warehouse... and the difference between the most expensive and cheapest for 30 laptops, is £60 for the lot. Money well spent on my wages managing all of that eh? There have also been quite a few caught out breaking down a long term job like maintenance contracts into individual contracted pieces work to come under the three quota limit. Grass cutting for next year could be £3000 for six visits, but if you do it as six separate sessions it can be £800 a time for someone in SLT's cousin's sisters families business. No best value needed. It's really is a hoop jumping exercise. Edited July 1, 2020 by paulkerton 2
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