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Quote Cheaters

Posted on August 10th, 2007 in Entrepreneurship |

I’ve been talking to a few friends who ventures in the web development industry.

One of the common problems that they face is with big companies who likes to use them as “free consultants”.

Basically, the drill is this- this big corporations will begin by asking various web development houses to drop by to their office and present their proposals for their websites.

These big corporations will have management team (marketing head, IT department) sitting in the conference room, and one by one, the web developers will go in and present their idea, not unlike an interview.

Once the entire ritual is accomplished, the management would have gathered enough ideas from the “free consultation” and pass it to their very own IT department to execute them.

And how do these friends of mine handle such tricky situations?

Through experience and gut feeling.





You might want to read these too... Comments
  • So what steps did they take once their experience and gut feelings started tingling? Walk out?
  • Haha... That you'll need to ask them.
  • " kalamari Says:

    August 15th, 2007 at 10:35 am
    So what steps did they take once their experience and gut feelings started tingling? Walk out?
    "

    Well, to walk out may be stupid in my opinion. with experience, you should know how to dangle the carrot without letting them see the whole damn carrot. Talk about the results you can achieve for them and what it'll cost but refrain from going into detail on the "how".

    Also, you could take a cue from the advertising industry and charge a pitching fee? I believe they charge RM5k?
  • No2
    I guess this happens not only in the web application but just any other application... Sales & Marketing team plays a vital role here like what Rajiv mentioned 'how to dangle the carrot without letting them see ....'. And you should never let a developer presents the idea! They would normally talk in technical terms and senses...which is exactly what those IT heads like to hear!
  • Haha...I guess you have a point there. That explains why models scantily clad are sexier than those that are completely nude.

    Hmm... what a revelation (referring to the models, he he)!
  • Heard about this too. Had a friend that supplied idea to a company I'm related to. The company took my friends idea but implemented it in-house & paying college students to do the design. Talk about being cheap.

    It wonder is it just us M'sian who are stingy with $$, like things free & don't value intellectual property or it happens elsewhere around the globe?

    btw, Experience & gut feeling means having ideas stolen a few times from potential customers before wising up to their intentions.
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