Posts
When it comes to your business needs, low pricing is usually one of the most important factors considered when choosing a vendor to do business with. It is generally quite easy to find out if you are getting the best price by doing a little price comparison with other vendors. But price isn't always everything when it comes to getting the best deal.
Making large purchases from vendors typically means that you will need to interact with them for quite a while after the sale, depending on service contract lengths. If you have never bought from a particular vendor before, it can be difficult to know how they are to work with. The best price may not matter if they are unable to assist you when you need it or if their dealings prove to be unethical.
If you are looking for a new vendor for your needs, Jeff Muscarella, EVP of IT Spending Management at NPI, suggests that you be sure to ask yourself these questions before you agree to anything:
1. Is their pricing easy for you to understand?
2. Are the vendor's representatives helpful and knowledgeable about the products and services they provide?
3. Is the contract transparent and easy to comprehend?
4. Does the contract offer reasonable protections for both the seller as well as the buyer?
5. Is the vendor ready and willing to give information about their services and explain that information?
6. Do their terms and pricing allow for all future costs to be predicted easily?
7. Is their account management policy outlined in a way that is clear and reasonable?
8. Are their usage terms and pricing flexible to allow for changes based on demand?
9. Is their pricing justified by business cases?
10. Do they follow both fair and ethical business practices?
11. Do other clients rate their service, offerings and overall value postively?
If you are unable to answer yes to any of these questions regarding a potential vendor, it may be time to look into other options. Sometimes the lowest cost could mean the lowest level of service as well.
Making large purchases from vendors typically means that you will need to interact with them for quite a while after the sale, depending on service contract lengths. If you have never bought from a particular vendor before, it can be difficult to know how they are to work with. The best price may not matter if they are unable to assist you when you need it or if their dealings prove to be unethical.
If you are looking for a new vendor for your needs, Jeff Muscarella, EVP of IT Spending Management at NPI, suggests that you be sure to ask yourself these questions before you agree to anything:
1. Is their pricing easy for you to understand?
2. Are the vendor's representatives helpful and knowledgeable about the products and services they provide?
3. Is the contract transparent and easy to comprehend?
4. Does the contract offer reasonable protections for both the seller as well as the buyer?
5. Is the vendor ready and willing to give information about their services and explain that information?
6. Do their terms and pricing allow for all future costs to be predicted easily?
7. Is their account management policy outlined in a way that is clear and reasonable?
8. Are their usage terms and pricing flexible to allow for changes based on demand?
9. Is their pricing justified by business cases?
10. Do they follow both fair and ethical business practices?
11. Do other clients rate their service, offerings and overall value postively?
If you are unable to answer yes to any of these questions regarding a potential vendor, it may be time to look into other options. Sometimes the lowest cost could mean the lowest level of service as well.
About the Author:
Joseph B. Kappernick specializes in helping Fortune 500 companies save money. He recommends that you visit http://www.npifinancial.com to learn more about telecom expense management
No comments:
Post a Comment