They say that "loose lips sink ships" which is completely true (cite: Human History). Did you know all the textbooks at Harvard business school have chapters having to do with how to gain corporate intelligence? It's true, this is what they teach the MBAs who will go on to run America's greatest companies. Indeed if you go look in the chapters of those textbooks it recommends getting information from the vendors who service your company but also go out and service your competitor's company. Some might say it's unethical to ask the vendors all sorts of information about your competitors.
In some regards that might be true, but don't think that those vendors aren't spilling the beans about your company to your competitors already. In fact, often your vendors will tell you that your competitors were asking about you and brought up the subject. If the vendors don't like your company, they may give you misdirection, and your competitors may be giving misdirection to the vendors realizing that you are asking them questions, and they are giving you information. In many regards this seems a lot like the CIA doesn't it?
It's as if the vendors are double agents, assets, and insiders. They are the proverbial fly on the wall, and they know a lot more than you think. In fact, consider if you will how many times a vendor has ask you if you want them to provide their services or products a certain way to help you do your business better. Often the reason they ask you this is because they are doing those types of services or your competition, and it is working for your competition, and therefore they thought you might also be willing to either pay them more, or sign up for additional services. Remember they also have their own best interests in mind.
Further, if you ask them a direct question they are more likely to tell you because they don't wish to lose the account. Sometimes you have to talk with them a little bit more because they believe it is unethical to give you information, but as you ask them these questions, you can read and watch their body language, understand what disturbs them, and to figure out what your competitors have told them not to say, which gives you even more clues. Sure, there are a lot of business ethics issues here, and the vendor games are ongoing. You may be losing information that you don't even realize through your vendors.
Of course, they can be incredible assets to competitive intelligence in the marketplace as well. Therefore, I hope you will please consider all this and think on it and remain ethical in how you go about intelligence gathering.
In some regards that might be true, but don't think that those vendors aren't spilling the beans about your company to your competitors already. In fact, often your vendors will tell you that your competitors were asking about you and brought up the subject. If the vendors don't like your company, they may give you misdirection, and your competitors may be giving misdirection to the vendors realizing that you are asking them questions, and they are giving you information. In many regards this seems a lot like the CIA doesn't it?
It's as if the vendors are double agents, assets, and insiders. They are the proverbial fly on the wall, and they know a lot more than you think. In fact, consider if you will how many times a vendor has ask you if you want them to provide their services or products a certain way to help you do your business better. Often the reason they ask you this is because they are doing those types of services or your competition, and it is working for your competition, and therefore they thought you might also be willing to either pay them more, or sign up for additional services. Remember they also have their own best interests in mind.
Further, if you ask them a direct question they are more likely to tell you because they don't wish to lose the account. Sometimes you have to talk with them a little bit more because they believe it is unethical to give you information, but as you ask them these questions, you can read and watch their body language, understand what disturbs them, and to figure out what your competitors have told them not to say, which gives you even more clues. Sure, there are a lot of business ethics issues here, and the vendor games are ongoing. You may be losing information that you don't even realize through your vendors.
Of course, they can be incredible assets to competitive intelligence in the marketplace as well. Therefore, I hope you will please consider all this and think on it and remain ethical in how you go about intelligence gathering.
Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative eBook on Business Ethic Concepts. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net
0 Comments