Time – more valuable than money?

30 Nov 2008

Now I am not one to winge and moan, honest, but in business, some people just take advantage.

Money is quantifiable, but time! Well there’s the rub!

Just like a lot of sales companies out there, we understand how important it is to give as much of our time as required, to prospective clients, to help them make the right decision, for them, and I really do mean ANY amount of time, however, some prospects make the assumption that regardless of any agenda they may have, we should put whatever resources they require at their disposal.

Now please, don’t get me wrong, peoples buying decisions,

are arrived at in many different ways, I respect that, but what I am talking about here goes way beyond this. These I call “Time Thief’s”!

Some prospects don’t just waste our time, but the time of our partners and (in some cases) clients who have been kind enough to give a reference. I mean, come on, if you are not seriously considering us, just tell us.

I know it sounds silly, why would people waste their own time in this way? Well, it’s nearly always larger companies that fall into this category, I suppose they need to justify any decision they may have to take, sometimes a decision that has already been taken.

As you read this I hope you can understand my sentiments, and that I am not just coming across as a “sore looser”! We sign a lot of business, and manage a number of different types of enquiries, of which the vast amount is (I hope) mutually satisfying, so the number of people I am referring to is very very small (albeit comparatively frustrating).

So my opening gambit, time more valuable than money, yes in our case it is. Being so busy as we grow, with a culture of wanting to help as many people as possible and offer the levels of service that are uncommon in this market, time thief’s (as I call them) can be more disruptive than we might at first think.

As an organisation we are all acutely aware of being a time thief and strive very hard to avoid this label, weather this is with our own suppliers and partners, or in dealings with our team members.