Conversations with vendors, part 573

[Some days, like today, I think I could do a better job at selling other people’s products than they could…-Shabbir]

<ring ring>

Me: Hello?

Vendor: Hi, this is Bob from XYZ Software.  We noticed that your annual subscription to our software inventory product for your desktops is coming up, and we wanted to discuss renewing it with you.

Me: So the enterprise LAN firm that takes care of my desktops has instead deployed ABC Software’s product for my desktops software inventory compliance, so I don’t think I’ll be needing your software anymore.  I loved the product, but I can’t really pay for you.

Vendor: Well that is disappointing.  So you won’t need XYZ’s product?

Me: Nope.

Vendor: Well if you ever need anything, please feel free to call me at XXXXXXXXXX.

Me: Wait, that’s not what you’re supposed to say.  You’re supposed to tell me about this valuable feature that XYZ Software has that ABC doesn’t have.  Tell me how good it is and convince me to urge my LAN firm to reconsider using ABC software’s product.

Vendor: Um, ok, well, our product is a managed service, but their product is a client/server architecture, which much more work to install and run.  Managed services are much less work and virtually no impact on your staff.

Me: No, I think your best argument is in the P2P software area.  You should tell me that your product has the ability to identify people using P2P software on my network, which will help me shut them down and enforce my information security policy.

Vendor: Oh, ok.  <vendor then launches into a two minute treatise about how cool their P2P functions are>

Me: Yep, I agree.   I think that’s your best argument to differentiate your product from ABC.

Vendor: You do?

Me: Yep, but I still don’t need both of them.  Call me in six months to see if I’m unhappy with ABC.

Vendor: (dejected) Ok..