Date: Wed, 20 Sep 2000 13:01:41 +1100
Subject: Re: Sharing jobs
From: THE DIXONS <balloons@magna.com.au>
To: Balloon Headquarters <balloondeco@balloonhq.com>

G'Day from Downunder,

> She then told me there might even be a sharing of the job.  If she
> likes some ideas of mine and some of the other girl, she'll just have us do
> each our own thing.

I suggest you do not allow the client to commission the decor project in
this fashion. This is potential Judge Judy stuff! The problem is that YOU
LOSE CONTROL of the project. If something goes wrong or there is a complaint
.... all three of you will point the finger at another and the end result is
sour relationships in the community.

Another thing; from a commercial viewpoint, this client and the community
will COMPARE the left side of the room to the right side of the room knowing
there were two separate decor contracts let. It is not good form to
humiliate your competition in front of the whole community. (not when you
are the new kid on the block) Nor do you want to risk being humiliated by
decor work superior to yours , on the other side of the same room.
As I see it, there are 2 options open to you;

1. You tactfully withdraw as you only CONTRACT the whole project or nothing.
 Result: No risk .... no project, but there's always tomorrow.

2. You go to the friendly competitor and suggest to her that the two of you
take on the WHOLE project on a 50/50 basis and submit a single WRITTEN
"joint bid". You agree to work side by side on all aspects of the decor. The
client pays each of you with separate cheques.

This option does come with both pros and cons. Risks? Yes! But I think it's
your best option in this situation. Why?
Without this tack, you probably miss altogether. They'll stick with the one
they know.
You get to start a friendly competition relationship. Invaluable!
You could learn a lot of "local insights" from your established competitor.
The client will be happy to go with this option as she is sharing the work.
You will get your "foot in the door" in your new township. The community
will not tag you as the outsider threat to a local's business.
You will be offering to SHARE your skills with the local community.

If the local competitor declines to take up your offer, don't be offended,
you are no worse off AND she will respect you for having offered the idea
rather than going in to undercut or wrestle the job from her to get a
foothold in the community with an aggressive sales approach. If she
declines, get more aggressive in future and don't offer again. You then have
a clear perspective of the local competition and how to address it.

Maybe others on the list will have better ideas? Good Luck.

Don & Dolly Dixon  CBAs
Sydney - AUSTRALIA
Don's Web Site  www.bizballoons.com.au
Dolly's Web Site  www.celebrating.com.au
Members of the www.eballoons.com.au world wide online delivery network
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