Perhaps somewhere in this discussion on 'corporates' we should define what is meant by corporate and sme - where are the cut offs in terms of bureaucracy, size, number of people one is dealing with etc.
When should one expect an order up front as an example - any company (no matter the size) should operate on some sort of order system, but we find that an email seems to be the order of the day for sme business.
The big corporates, have designated powers setting out levels of sign off etc. Now in our 'old' world an order still had to be produced within the overall purchasing system - I used to see an order for an order to be produced by the buying department.The small guy mainly produces and services on the peripheral side of large business and the buying department, if one exists, is set up to deal with trading items only. So the general management and senior staff deal with small businesses in a more informal manner, operating within designated powers. They also see small business as not tolerating their bureaucracy and an order etc as a potential risk to not receiving timeous adequate service.
We need the electrician around here now to fix the lights - we do not have time to organise orders and go through the buying department and all that stuff - just get the guy here and we will sort him out later. So he arrives and says you need whole rewiring scenario to fix this problem. Just do what it takes ........The electrician puts in his invoice and it is paid via the cash system and all settles down with no problem. The next week he is called in to fix the geyser - same paperwork chase or lack thereof, only this time his invoice goes to the creditors clerk for processing - well he is now a regular supplier isn't he? We need to recognise him for his efforts and put him into our system. So the creditors clerk files the invoice and waits for the balance of documentation to come through........say what....theres outstanding stuff.
'Sure' she says - wheres the order and the delivery note and the service departments sign off and the building inspectors report. So the job happened in the middle of the month. She may have pulled it at the end of the month for payment processing but put it back because theres 'no paperwork'. A while later the electrician phones in and asks when he is getting paid. 'When its authorised and ready, probably by the end of the month'. At the end of the month he phones in - 'did you send a statement through cause we only pay on statement'. Say what.....statement? I dont do statements I do invoices and I get paid after I do the job. Yeah well if we get a statement I can process your payment at the end of the next month. This months over. And so it degenerates.......Does the small guy need this? Can you see this electrician, waiting for an order, running around to get sign off on reports. Then at the end of the month send out statements and then following up on outstanding debtors. He suddenly needs a whole accounts department because the corporate did him a favour.
Maybe so....but thats why there are many citizens to blame and they can go round a few times before even 'the supervisor' puts in an appearance. Thats one of the problems when dealing with 'corporates' - the small guy in the small business don't get to speak to the big guy in the big business. Its called Protecting the Corporate hierarchy. Sort of like piercing the veil. Its designed to keep you away and your money at bay.corporate citizens are also fearful of being noticed by the system for the wrong reasons
This of course assumes you have enough money to run the case. A game they play all too often at your expense. The legal system is designed for the corporate not for the sme. You are stuffed before you start. Also the corporate may turn out to have no money and leave a big trail of destruction in its wake. Big name does not necessarily mean big money.you don't have to worry about finding they don't have the money to pay once you have won the case.
Agreed....but then I must tell you that I have been around in business and businesses for 30 years specialising in systems and business processes. My ducks are usually so straight they don't have time to look around. I dont recall being scared of anyone especially these big cheese types who melt when they have to attempt stuff called work.... So why do I still get screwed with no KY stuff to soften the blows? Cause thats the animal in the corporate way....sort of like that story of the scorpion on the frogs back crossing the river. Its in their nature.The two big reasons small businesses get screwed is they don't have their own ducks in a row and they are too easily intimidated.
Good lesson point.The system has no conscience.
Maybe.......but one needs to spend time doing the corporate weasels work for them and requires patience. This time could be spent hunting better clients. Sure there are bigger clients and the time spent with them can be beneficial, but thats the trade off - probably a Pareto thing. Watch the eggs in a basket principle.master red tape, and it can be mastered
terms are payment upon presentation of invoice and the system will record you as such
mmmmmm........True - one can try.You must also build a separate relationship with the paying side.
One thing guaranteed with change of guard. New systems and methods will be introduced at some stage to make life 'better' and employee noticeable. Better for them that is. Consequences are irrelevant as is your sme invoice in this process.corporates have such a terrible memory and rely so heavily on systems.
So still a bunch of negatives on this side - Dave & Ian can write the - Yes you can Book - and the rest of us can do the - No you cannot Book. Haha
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Originally Posted by Marq
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