One thing I’ve learned over the last 15 years in the business is that supply chains are not hard and fast – sometimes you can get better concessions from the guy next door rather than dealing with the supplier direct or the majors like Ingram Micro or Tech Data. This means that every time we go through the exercise, we truly do shop several sources – the bonus is pure profit – we’re sometimes able to shave 2%, 5% maybe even 15% off the top.

At the same time, we like to see what pops up on the radar so we regularly check out Microsoft, HP and other company resellers to see who’s up, who we haven’t worked with in the past and who’s new.

On this one occasion, after checking out an HP reference on the Microsoft site (HERE) we decided to shop a company called Sudden Service. What transpired thereafter was totally shocking!

Original message:

From: Rajesh.Taneja
To: Sales / Marketing
Sent: Wed Oct 31 00:25:30 2007
Subject: Please quote

Hi – can I get a quote on below? Also, I need a media kit for Microsoft P73-00295 both x32 and x64 version, please. It corresponds with Microsoft license # XXXXXX. Thanks!

… message truncated

Initial reply:

From: Roger Parmar
Sent: Wednesday, October 31, 2007 7:27 AM
To: Rajesh Taneja
Subject: Re: Please quote

Quit sending me these

I’m thinking to myself, holy freaking abrasive, batman! Needless to say and although the message was routed via Sudden Service Technologies’ Sales/Marketing email contact as the recipient, poor Mr. Parmar seems to have forgotten that he is representing the company…. or perhaps he was just towing the company line.

Obviously perplexed, I needed some clarification:

From: Rajesh Taneja
To: Roger Parmar
Sent: Wed Oct 31 11:14:26 2007
Subject: RE: Please quote

Sorry? That’s a really odd response to a request for someone to quote on hardware from your company.

Today’s quote of the day:

“There comes a special moment in everyone’s life, a moment for which that person was born. That special opportunity, when he seizes it, will fulfill his mission – a mission for which he is uniquely qualified. In that moment, he finds greatness. It is his finest hour.”

– Winston Churchill

Rajesh Taneja,
President

SSID Inc., A Venture Technology Firm
+1 800 668-1868 x 911

Visit our website at http://www.ssid.net.

This message is directed in confidence solely to the person(s) identified. This message may also be subject to privilege and all rights to that privilege are expressly claimed. If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender(s) and destroy the message immediately.

And the response?:

From: Roger Parmar
Sent: Wednesday, October 31, 2007 11:20 AM
To: Rajesh Taneja
Subject: Re: Please quote

Which company do you work for. To provide any quote we will have to meet.

Nice quote from churchill

Okay… so you can read my quote of the day but you can’t see what company I represent? Now that’s truly shocking!