> But to return to my point, perhaps the way to think of it is to say that vendors are to Records Management what the Koch Brothers are to the Tea Party.  You can see 7  commonalities here. I suspect that others could find more
> 
> 
> 1.       A source of funding
> 
> 2.       A willingness to exploit for their own ends
> 
> 3.       Some clever insights
> 
> 4.       Ability to capture the infrastructure
> 
> 5.       Skill in tapping into weaknesses in the current state of practice
> 
> 6.       Aggressive advocacy of the need to upset the "apple cart"
> 
> 7.       Create the impression that the problem is simple and will be resolved by following their leadership
> 
> David B. Gaynon, CRM
> Huntington Beach CA USA
> [log in to unmask]

I could keep this in the political vein but as a vendor on the List I will go another way…….

I was all ready to be offended but upon reading it I thought this is a really intuitive description of what vendors truly want to accomplish.  And like the famous Seinfeld episode where they kept proclaiming “Not that there is anything wrong with that!”

I would question #6 as it could be that the vendor wants the Apple Cart to stay upright.  For example the vendor wants microfilm to be the permanent record not shift to media.  But certainly we always have an agenda.

But everyone has an agenda…………..everyone.  ( A good vendor helps you achieve your agenda. A great vendor helps you and your organization achieve your ideal agenda.)

Most trade groups would not exist without vendors financial support or the vendors participating to do the work.

A smart person uses the vendor to educate themselves; and that same person tries to educate the vendor so he can be more responsive. Vendors are beneficial parasites.  Every organism and bureaucracy seeks to propagate and draw beneficial results for itself.  This is so natural that it is hardwired into evolution.  The vendor who fails to create value soon loses his job.  The records manager who fails to learn from vendors about the pros and cons of new technology and or the benefits of existing technology is also………soon out of a job.

Are you sure you are not a Marketing Manager? You hit this on the head!!  RM’s who cannot market their programs soon fade away.  The best place to learn about sales techniques is the vendor.

So on behalf of vendors everywhere, thank you for getting us.  It is so much nicer when we understand the ways we help each other.

I will need to work on my “clever insights” though!  I have never been clever or subtle. I once had a client tell me that watching me sell was like watching a blacksmith beat metal into the shape of a horse shoe.  If only I can become clever………..??

[Truly I am sending this email to my marketing consultant to see if my web site meets your list as it was quite brilliant.  So I already have my “value added” from the Listserve for Monday.]

Hugh Smith
FIRELOCK Fireproof Modular Vaults
[log in to unmask]
(610)  756-4440    Fax (610)  756-4134
WWW.FIRELOCK.COM


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