As technology continues to thrive, agencies and corporations are teaming up with vendors to make processes easier, cultivate and report data, and even help with traditional media efforts. The trust factor has many companies going with vendors that are recommended by peers, without really knowing the why or the how of such a decision.
When I was 7 years old, my dad took me to a work event with him. That first taste of networking and being taught to absorb a room, use intuition, and know how to make people feel at home was one of the principles heavily taught in a Cuban family. "The Arturo," as we affectionately call him, is someone with 34 years of sales experience for some of the largest medical and surgical equipment companies in the world. His words of wisdom---such as "In a sales-oriented world, you must always have a market-oriented mind and approach"---have stuck with me throughout my career in public relations and digital communications, from the B2B clients to even the B2C sector.
Are your vendor-client relationships matching up to "The Arturo" criteria? Why are you pairing up with a certain vendor? Is it because they meet your needs? Did you only choose them because of audience recognition? Are you a brand that doesn't know the why for choosing a product?
Product, Meet Need
"The Arturo" is fond of saying that "if a product meets all criteria and needs, it doesn't matter if it has the extra bells and whistles. Problem is, if there is no communication or support from the vendor, those bells and whistles mean absolutely nada." Even the best relationship builders need to have a quality product that meets all base needs. My boss is fond of telling me that I always say, "Own the industry, not the product" and "The two things that matter most in a tool is meeting basic needs and phenomenal tech support." Those two statements are what make a vendor stand apart from others.
Thought Leadership
Is your vendor only e-mailing you in response to a crisis or question or to get you to renew the contract? Look to see what vendors provide that something extra. There are even vendors out there that provide thought leadership to those not even looking at their tool.
Do they:
- Email you when they see an interesting article for your industry/client industry just to share?
- Call to tell you about a conference that you might be interested to speak at/have a client attend?
- Connect you with interesting people, even if you are not a client?
- Have DM and e-mail conversations about the industry and your thoughts on it?
- Ask you to blog and collaborate with them, even when a deal is not in the works?
The little things can add up and really enhance that vendor-client relationship.
Response Protocol
Remember, the bells and whistles are great. But if the support isn't there for questions, glitches, or overall assessment, then the client and/or brand is risking only using 10 to 20 percent of the actual product power. A vendor that waits three days to respond to questions about reporting, tool capabilities, or upgrades isn't going to satisfy client needs. A powerhouse product is only as good as the people who respond on the other side. Another product might not have the extras, but if it gets the job done, the support is what will make the product better.
Person vs. Robot
We've all experienced the slick salespeople that only want to make a sale. "The Arturo" taught me that the best salesperson is able to build a relationship on trust without the client/brand getting the heebie-jeebies. But how do they do that?
"The Arturo" tip is to go for the vendors that ask how you are, how the family is, and have connected with you on a hobby or interesting quirk. He always used my hatred of chocolate as an example: "That's weird, but it's something to start the conversation." For every product mention he might make, my dad makes three other mentions that relate to the person. It could be a personal quirk, how bad the Dallas Cowboys are, or even talking about his kids.
What would you add? Do you think "The Arturo" is on target or could learn a thing or two? What makes a vendor shine for you?
Author note: The next post in this series will include the vendor voice, so if there is something you would like to be discussed, let me know in the comments.
