Get Multiple Quotes on Everything?
Northeast Project Manager in distribution electrical construction as well as whatever other weird jobs they decide to say yes to. I know my owner would love me to get multiple quotes on everything but is it realistic? Obviously, I am not getting multiple quotes on anything under a few hundred dollars but I have 10-12 jobs, maintenance contracts, service calls. I am writing anywhere from $1k to $100k in POs daily. Getting multiple quotes and going with the low guy, over a year, could probably pay my salary, maybe a couple of times.
Here is the real reason I am asking. I have this one salesman that I love. He brings intensity to every exchange. He gets back to me so quickly it almost feels like he is waiting for my email. But the other day he quoted me a list and one of the items had a lead time that wasn't going to work so I checked with another local vendor and they had it on the shelf. Also half the price of my favorite guy. I just can't shake the feeling that my favorite guy who probably has an extremely high hit rate on the quotes he does for me might be taking advantage knowing that he almost always get's the sale when I reach out. I think i am just going to start blasting my quotes to everyone we have an account with. More work but I need to know if I am being taken advantage of. I like to do a good job and if sending a few extra quote requests out reduces my job costs i am in to it.
I feel like I provide a lot of value to the vendors i deal with and I am sure they feel the same about me but I am the one knocking on the door with the checkbook and I this situation has me feeling like I have been giving up some control to someone who does not have my best interests in mind. I have heard on here about vendors ghosting guys who shop every quote. Is that a real thing?
Anyone ever experience this? What have you done in the past?