| For several years, I was a purchasing agent for an | | | | started grabbing bags, and over half of the samples |
| office of the federal government. Yep, it was me | | | | split before we could even think of putting anything |
| spent your tax dollars, and not always wisely, but | | | | in them! |
| that's another article. | | | | Can you imagine us EVER buying ANYTHING from |
| Vendors, and those who wanted to be, often sent | | | | these yahoos? |
| us samples of their products in the hopes of | | | | It wasn't bad enough that they were attempting to |
| convincing us that their products were really what | | | | sell an inferior product, but they had the pure lack of |
| the U.S. government couldn't live without. | | | | common sense to send us samples of their inferior |
| One day, a package arrived from a company which | | | | product in hopes of inducing us to buy from them! |
| purported to specialize in the handling of hazardous | | | | Now, does that make sense? |
| waste. The specific samples they sent us were | | | | Yet, several times a month, sometimes several times |
| plastic bags designed for the disposal of various | | | | a week, I encounter someone who "wants to get |
| hazardous and toxic wastes. These bags were in | | | | rich on the internet" trying to sell a product or service |
| different bright colors in order to make it obvious | | | | that is evidently inferior in quality. |
| that they were different from standard garbage | | | | Oh sure, we sometimes don't NEED to buy top of |
| bags, and the colors were keyed to the level of | | | | the line items, and can save a few cents that way, |
| hazard and types of materials that the bags were | | | | but attempting to sell that way is going to limit us to |
| intended for. The bags were also imprinted with | | | | the customers who buy that way. Most, however, |
| large, easily readable lettering which said what the | | | | want quality. |
| type of hazardous material the bag was intended to | | | | Always offer your customers quality. It will pay off |
| hold. | | | | for you in the long run. |
| Now, getting a government contract, or at least the | | | | Don't be in a hurry to shove your product in front of |
| attention of a purchasing agent could be pretty | | | | your customers. Taking a few minutes to verify that |
| lucrative for a vendor. We're talking about a chance | | | | everything is in order and that you are making an |
| to get regular orders from the federal government, | | | | offer that you can be proud of will repay you. |
| in large quantities. So, you want to do everything | | | | Your product, literature, or web page will tell your |
| possible to put your best foot forward, right? | | | | customer a lot about the sort of service and quality |
| The package was neat, the accompanying literature | | | | of goods that they can expect to get from you. |
| was well put together, and the bags were | | | | Always make it your best shot. |
| impressive. They probably spent a lot of money | | | | I'm not talking about the most expensive, either. One |
| sending packages like this to several purchasing | | | | of the most effective marketers I ever knew was |
| offices in hopes of getting some orders. | | | | an office supply salesman in Austin, Texas. He had no |
| As luck would have it, we didn't need to dispose of | | | | fancy cards, no great sales pitch, no copious pile of |
| any hazardous waste at that moment, at least none | | | | literature. He just provided great service and refused |
| that we could use the bags for. However, one of the | | | | to sell anything to us that didn't meet HIS standards |
| purchasing agents was in the middle of a project, so | | | | first. He was even willing to help us find goods and |
| he figured he would use one of the bags for his | | | | services outside of his normal field. Even though he |
| excess trash. | | | | was an employee of the company, he took a |
| You know how you take a garbage bag and fluff it | | | | proprietary interest in insuring that every piece of |
| out so it fills with air before you put it in the can? | | | | equipment and every supply item, from the most |
| Jim, one of the agents, did that and the bag | | | | sophisticated and expensive office machines, down |
| (intended to hold hazardous waste) split in two. I | | | | to the lowliest pencil or paper clip, was exactly what |
| don't remember what sort of waste it was intended | | | | we needed and that it performed exactly as |
| to hold, but I DO remember it was something very | | | | advertised. |
| dangerous, and the bag was a vibrant purple. Jim | | | | Guess who got a lot more of our business than the |
| grabbed another, and it did the same thing. We all | | | | company with the purple bags? |