Don’t Get Bamboozled by Gatekeepers!

One of my firm’s newest clients is a project management outfit that provides move-management services. I knew, positively, that XYZ Corp was planning a large move because a mover with whom I network had a meeting scheduled on June 20th to provide them with a bid. When I reached an admin at the company and asked who was in charge of overseeing the project (so I could book a meeting), she told me, “all of our vendors have already been chosen, thank you for contacting us but it’s all a done deal.” I very politely but firmly said to her, “Listen, I happen to know for a fact that a moving company was at your offices TODAY to discuss submitting a bid so I don’t think that that is the case.” To my complete amazement, she replied, “Then you must know something that I don’t know. The person handling the project is Bill Donnelly. Here is his direct number and his email address is ________”. This proves a point that I have made time and again: underlings are told to lie to vendors that call so their bosses don’t have to field dozens of sales calls a day. Know your facts and don’t be deterred by people in the lower ranks that are trained to mislead you. Keep your eye on the ball. And oh yes, I got my client the meeting.