Small Fish, Big Fish...
An e-mail reply to my follow-up on a proposal I sent this client is a grave and stark reminder of why I as in Naziq Skills Training, chose to associate with other consultancies and not aggressively pursue business under Naziq's brand.
Why, you ask me? Tiresome, frustrating and pathetic.
I am tired of submitting proposals after proposals, most of them fresh initiatives while others are based on request, only to be told that they have decided to shelve the program. Or that their management has decided on another/different approach. Or that well, our proposal is beyond their budgetary expectation.
And yet there are times when we do learn that they did go ahead with the program...using a different already-decided-on provider who have in their pool of consultants, foreign names, or using an established internationally accredited provider. I mean, they are a GLC, so they should be associated with a BIG name, too! Never mind that the cost to them is almost 5 times what we offer.
If you wonder, aren't GLCs supposed to support local, home-grown SMEs and the likes? Wonder no more because what they are supposed to do does not necessarily translate itself. If they do, it would probably be for the media eyes and publication.
In this particular case, we had done some consultation and training work for their front line in the last quarter of 2012. The management of this subsidiary then asked for a proposal to train and coach their supervisory levels, along the same outline as the one for their subordinates. There was a sense of urgency in the matter, the company was going back to basics with their front-line operations.
A few follow-ups, and some positive responses follow through. Until the last reply to well, a final follow-up, maybe? It seemed their holding company decided at a recent outstation retreat to pursue a similar program on a bigger scale, and being a subsidiary, it is only proper for this company to be part of that bigger picture.
Get the picture now why we chose to not pursue businesses direct, when it comes to dealing with the big fish? In their defense, the company was not at fault. They did gave us the opportunity to serve them...and in a way, we should be proud to have triggered their top management into action and kick-start a similar program on a bigger scale.
Let's du'a, pray and hope we still get to be a part of this exercise...shall we?
Why, you ask me? Tiresome, frustrating and pathetic.
I am tired of submitting proposals after proposals, most of them fresh initiatives while others are based on request, only to be told that they have decided to shelve the program. Or that their management has decided on another/different approach. Or that well, our proposal is beyond their budgetary expectation.
And yet there are times when we do learn that they did go ahead with the program...using a different already-decided-on provider who have in their pool of consultants, foreign names, or using an established internationally accredited provider. I mean, they are a GLC, so they should be associated with a BIG name, too! Never mind that the cost to them is almost 5 times what we offer.
If you wonder, aren't GLCs supposed to support local, home-grown SMEs and the likes? Wonder no more because what they are supposed to do does not necessarily translate itself. If they do, it would probably be for the media eyes and publication.
In this particular case, we had done some consultation and training work for their front line in the last quarter of 2012. The management of this subsidiary then asked for a proposal to train and coach their supervisory levels, along the same outline as the one for their subordinates. There was a sense of urgency in the matter, the company was going back to basics with their front-line operations.
A few follow-ups, and some positive responses follow through. Until the last reply to well, a final follow-up, maybe? It seemed their holding company decided at a recent outstation retreat to pursue a similar program on a bigger scale, and being a subsidiary, it is only proper for this company to be part of that bigger picture.
Get the picture now why we chose to not pursue businesses direct, when it comes to dealing with the big fish? In their defense, the company was not at fault. They did gave us the opportunity to serve them...and in a way, we should be proud to have triggered their top management into action and kick-start a similar program on a bigger scale.
Let's du'a, pray and hope we still get to be a part of this exercise...shall we?
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