When businesses DON'T deliver!

[XmisterIS]

I absolutely hate it when online business-to-business vendors don't advertise their prices!!

When I have 50 different vendors to compare and enter prices into a spreadsheet, the last thing I want to do is spend time phoning vendors individually to get their prices!

I've just had a bloody infuriating conversation with one such goat of a vendor but after a five minute conversation with him warbling on about how their business is so out-of-the-box-blue-skies-enterprise-global-solutions-going-forwards, etc, etc, etc and me repeatedly saying, "that's lovely, but how much does it cost?" ... he finally gave me a price!

Rant over ...

(clearly, I do have time to type this on CC though!

)

 

[thomas]

hehe. I remember phoning a printer for a quote for Sixth Form year books. Rather than just give me the price for x books of x pages like everyone else had, he broke down the pricing far more than I cared for. He said the book would be photocopied (sounds like something you get done for 10p a page in the newsagents - but after 5 minutes of him explaining the printing industry I learned it's just their jargon for printing pages)....I managed to just about bite my tongue through that (had already decided I wouldn't be using him)...but when he told me the price and included the cost of stapling the books together as a separate fee I told him to run and jump.

I just want a total price, I don't care if staples make up a cost of 20p per book....and I don't care how you print it as long as it looks good.

I think a lot of businesses like to speak to customers directly so that they can sell their service, where as a website is really just price. Which is fair enough, as I am willing to pay more for a better service...but, like you, I like to know where I stand before hand. A lot of the time I'm thinking into the future so just want to get some ideas for pricing and don't like going through a 10 minute conversation explaining that every time.

 

[TVC]

Ah yes, the difference in price between a supplier and a solutions partner is abut 50%.

 

[XmisterIS]

It does irritate me when "solutions partners" don't quote their prices! If they listed all their packages straight up, no messing about, then that would make things so much easier! I always get the line, "Oh, we can't quote you a price because we don't know what your requirements are, we need to phone you and spend an hour talking about it". No, you DON'T!!!! There are plenty of "solutions partners" out there who just publish prices for basic packages in each category and then say "phone for more info about the options on this package". Simples ....

 

[ThePainInSpain]

Sounds like more 'management speak', WTF are 'Solutions Partners'.

I'm glad I'm retired and don't have to put up with all your 'yuppy' b$ll$x.

I think I would either burst out laughing, or smack you one.

But thinking further, this could actually be part of the cause of poor industrial relations. If you young thrusting managers are talking some pompus 'in' language to a bunch of hairy ar$ed lorry drivers, what can you expect. You've probably offered them a fantastic pay rise and pension deal. They just didn't understand what you said. And thought you were taking the pi$$.

I used to have to negotiate with SOGAT and Lorry Drivers, and a good smattering of of f's and c's was a language they understood and they felt closer to you. Because that's how THEY spoke.

 

[Lizban]

True it's very annoying but you don't actually think they charge the same price to everyone do you?

 

[XmisterIS]

No, I don't and that's the problem! I like vendors who are honest, to the point and don't dress their products up with fancy "marketing solutions".

 

[TVC]

Sounds like more 'management speak', WTF are 'Solutions Partners'.

I'm glad I'm retired and don't have to put up with all your 'yuppy' b$ll$x.

I think I would either burst out laughing, or smack you one.

But thinking further, this could actually be part of the cause of poor industrial relations. If you young thrusting managers are talking some pompus 'in' language to a bunch of hairy ar$ed lorry drivers, what can you expect. You've probably offered them a fantastic pay rise and pension deal. They just didn't understand what you said. And thought you were taking the pi$.

I used to have to negotiate with SOGAT and Lorry Drivers, and a good smattering of of f's and c's was a language they understood and they felt closer to you. Because that's how THEY spoke.

I do have to put up with this bull, I like to think of myself as a straight forward engineer who wants to get stuff made and delivered to our customers on time and with a reasonable profit. However my working world is cluttered with pratts with their silly management diplomas spouting all this jibberish and generally making things more long winded and complicated than it need be. the phrase 'adding value' is one they like to use, so it's the one I turn on them.. "So how does your idea for more paperwork and more people add value to what I'm doing?"

 

[Dave Davenport]

Coming at it from the other side, I prefer to talk to a prospective customer about thier requirement so I can get an idea of how much I can get away with charging them for it. Nothing more annoying than someone placing an order and saying they thought it would cost more!