We will not be able to work with you
3 comments
It could be that they decided to go with someone else, but in case the other guy screws it up they want to keep you on standby without paying you yet.
Often times companies just want to see proposals for the sake of evaluating an idea - they may not have even committed to going through with their plans.
A possible solution: In your proposal, include an offer deadline so that the current offer expires within a certain time (whatever makes sense for your industry). This way you can know with or without hearing from them if they are ready to move forward. If a flat out deadline seems too rude, include a proposed timeline for your project using real dates (we would start on the 1st of March and be done in the middle of May), but tell them that you can only guarantee those dates if they give you the green light within a week, otherwise you'll have to re-check your schedule and give them a new timeline.
Often times companies just want to see proposals for the sake of evaluating an idea - they may not have even committed to going through with their plans.
A possible solution: In your proposal, include an offer deadline so that the current offer expires within a certain time (whatever makes sense for your industry). This way you can know with or without hearing from them if they are ready to move forward. If a flat out deadline seems too rude, include a proposed timeline for your project using real dates (we would start on the 1st of March and be done in the middle of May), but tell them that you can only guarantee those dates if they give you the green light within a week, otherwise you'll have to re-check your schedule and give them a new timeline.
hmm indeed i've never though about offer deadlines.
now i need to find my next customer-to-be to try this :)
many thanks
many thanks
It's the all american stuff: we don't want to hurt your feelings so we are going to tell you that we'll get back to you :)...
Most are afraid to tell straight in the face...
I've been to business meetings with many companies and people from many different sectors with varying levels of profesionality and revenues for years. In meetings, I introduce myself, tell them about what i can provide and how i can help them with their projects. Everything seems to go fine during the meetings, we are professionals, we put our cards about "what they need, what i can give etc" on the table. We seem to have a spoken agreement there. After the meetings i send my offer for the project.
And never hear from them again. I call them some time(a week or so) after i send the offer, they just say "we'll get back to you" but then, days pass by and still no response. This happens most of the time.
Why is this so hard to say "Sorry, we'll not be able to work with you"? What happens to the professionality we have seen in the meetings? I need to be able to get any kind of feedback from the meetings and people i try to do business, to improve my skills and styles and to see what i did wrong or right. No feedback means just a waste of time.
I guess i expect much from the people. Is this always the same HN? Any stories to share?
Any feedback is very welcome. Thanks.