Unscheduled vendor visits

Recently, vendors have just been showing up at our offices uninvited and unscheduled. Question, how do you feel about unscheduled vendor visits? Personally, I hate when they try to force me to meet with them by entrapping me that way. The way I see it, this is a disrespect of my time AND space. They are basically trying to put me in a position where I “can’t say no” to a meeting by just showing up and speaking to my colleagues.

Thing is though, every time it has happened I have said that I am busy. The only time I got caught was very early on in the game, and it was cause the guy claimed to be with Verizon which we use. He lied, he was a Verizon affiliate and had nothing to do with us. Never again!

The latest guy was from a Xerox affiliate, I said the same thing I always say, that I was busy and could not meet. When one of my colleagues heard that I wouldn’t meet, she asked me why I couldn’t set aside five minutes for them? She said that’s just someone trying to make a buck. I replied that I understood that, but it was a pointless effort as I don’t need what they are selling.

Why waste their or my time if I already know the end result? No, I’m good with that. Furthermore, I hate that sneaky approach at trying to get time.

There was one guy who called me over and over and over, and I told him over and over and over that I didn’t need a CRM developer, but if I ever did, I’d reach out. Well, guess what? One day, I actually needed a CRM developer, I called him, we worked out a contract and the work was done.

If I need something, I will seek you out. However, trying to strong arm me or my colleagues into getting a service we don’t need, that’s a surefire way to guarantee I call someone else.

My HR representative met with the guy, I guess she felt bad. Want to know what came of it? Nada. Our CEO got caught by one a few months ago and asked me to talk to him, he said he liked the guy. So I did, but once I determined that there was nothing to be gained from it, I told my CEO, that we didn’t need what the guy was selling and I moved on.

He tried to call many times and use the CEO’s name in trying to get me to buy the product, but we didn’t need it, we have that already, so I just said “I appreciate that our CEO liked you, and I appreciate your tenacity, but we don’t need that, we have it already. Thanks.” He continued to call, and I was left with no recourse but to ignore the guy.

There are ways to get things done, and I can appreciate a good hustle, but unscheduled vendor visits are a big no no for me! Pick up the phone, identify yourself, what you are selling clearly, and hope for the best. Some just call, say their name, no reason, no company, no product, just “Hi, it’s John, call me at this number.” Uhm, why would I call you? I have no idea who you are, represent, or what you are selling! Delete!