Disappointment
Sure, no one asked me to stick my neck out for this vendor, I did it of my own free will because after years of working with them on several kinds of events and recommending them, I have never been let down and neither has anyone who's hired them based on my recommendation. So this time around, when it came to picking this service for an upcoming event, I was so certain I was on the money again.
Not so much.
After three failed attempts at fulfilling three simple requests for pricing and service proposals based on very specific and clear guidelines, follow-up phone calls and "When can we get this from you" messages were needed to actually get a response. And after the last phone call where 1) I was told I would receive something from her as soon as she returned to her office and 2) that my client and I "really should make a decision soon because that particular date is booking up fast" (ballsy huh?) I haven't heard anything, not even crickets, for a week.
Did I follow up? Well, at this point even though I see it's a requirement just to get a response, I felt like I shouldn't have to. CLEARLY we were/are peeved, and I gave her four business days' benefit of the doubt even after the mistakes prior to that. So today I had to send one of those emails that said "We're going in another direction, I understand how busy it gets this time of year but it's been a week and it looks as though we're not much of a priority so thanks, but no thanks."
That's the gist anyway.
I had some difficulty clicking "send" though because I would have hated to receive that email. Even though our budget wasn't huge, it was a substantial budget and to know that the faith I have in that company, the faith that they worked so hard to get from all their clients, is now faltering, that to me is an even bigger loss because I don't know if I'm ever going to recommend this company ever again. And to make us less of a priority because our budget might be smaller is just bad business. Of course, I'm just speculating. The rep may just be a flake.
Because I try to make it a point to not have negative reviews on my blog, I will not name them. But if I am ever asked of my opinion, I will be honest and I will advise whoever asks to proceed with caution.
It was a hard email to send, yet an easy one to write. I think the message (if not the disappointment) was communicated but MAN that was a real practice of diplomacy.
PS: I may be juvenile on Twitter, I know lots of you think that, but I am also a professional especially when it comes to business and my clients. I'm Chinese, I think I know a thing or two about saving face. Especially the faces of people who matter.
Not so much.
After three failed attempts at fulfilling three simple requests for pricing and service proposals based on very specific and clear guidelines, follow-up phone calls and "When can we get this from you" messages were needed to actually get a response. And after the last phone call where 1) I was told I would receive something from her as soon as she returned to her office and 2) that my client and I "really should make a decision soon because that particular date is booking up fast" (ballsy huh?) I haven't heard anything, not even crickets, for a week.
Did I follow up? Well, at this point even though I see it's a requirement just to get a response, I felt like I shouldn't have to. CLEARLY we were/are peeved, and I gave her four business days' benefit of the doubt even after the mistakes prior to that. So today I had to send one of those emails that said "We're going in another direction, I understand how busy it gets this time of year but it's been a week and it looks as though we're not much of a priority so thanks, but no thanks."
That's the gist anyway.
I had some difficulty clicking "send" though because I would have hated to receive that email. Even though our budget wasn't huge, it was a substantial budget and to know that the faith I have in that company, the faith that they worked so hard to get from all their clients, is now faltering, that to me is an even bigger loss because I don't know if I'm ever going to recommend this company ever again. And to make us less of a priority because our budget might be smaller is just bad business. Of course, I'm just speculating. The rep may just be a flake.
Because I try to make it a point to not have negative reviews on my blog, I will not name them. But if I am ever asked of my opinion, I will be honest and I will advise whoever asks to proceed with caution.
It was a hard email to send, yet an easy one to write. I think the message (if not the disappointment) was communicated but MAN that was a real practice of diplomacy.
PS: I may be juvenile on Twitter, I know lots of you think that, but I am also a professional especially when it comes to business and my clients. I'm Chinese, I think I know a thing or two about saving face. Especially the faces of people who matter.
