A little caring from a vendor goes a long way at the holidays!
Anyone who has been in vendor management or works with account managers from outside of his or her own company knows that in December, holiday business gifts are bound to be plentiful in the office. Gifts range from candy and boxes of chocolate to very nice fruit and gift baskets, and even the occasional fancy dinner.
Obviously, with any gift a person receives, there is a sense of gratitude and gratefulness. “Oh, you shouldn’t have,” we tend to say. But, let’s face it: Receiving gifts is fun! And as much as I hate to admit it, I shall not tell a lie. As a former recipient of office holiday gifts, I tended to pay attention to the vendors that gave me the gifts I loved the most. I’m sorry; I’m human.
I remember one project in particular, where a group of us was evaluating several vendors that were presenting a product that my former company was planning to buy. All of the products were about the same, and all of the vendors had about the same terms to offer.
Then, one vendor arrived bearing gifts unrelated to the project. We each received a super cool, soft-sided cooler with the insides and multiple pouches loaded full of surprises—candy, office supplies, snacks, you name it. When it came time to evaluate the vendors, the group of us promised that we were reviewing each vendor objectively.
In the end, we went with the vendor who brought the gifts, although we solemnly vowed to each other that the decision had nothing to do with the gifts. (But, it did.) It wasn’t just the gift, really; it was the fact that the vendor showed thought, planning, and caring. We were able to eat candy throughout the meeting and have some fun with the presentation. And, the vendor ended up delivering the product perfectly, so we chose correctly.
Why not show your planning, caring, and fun side to your customers or business associates? This year, send holiday business gifts that are meaningful and will surprise and delight your recipients.
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