We all know clients are ever more anxious to depress tender prices.
But word reaches me that one of our food retailers has really cranked up the stakes with post-bid interrogation tactics found more commonly among the pages of a John Le Carre spy novel than tender talks. One of my contacts, their name remains anonymous to protect his cover, recently was invited along to see the client for a little chat about prices.
Our subcontractor was led to a dimly lit basement corridor, then left to wait alone for a nerve-wrackingly long time, before being ushered into the interrogation room. Under a bare light bulb he was ordered to come up with a more attractive price.
When our courageous contractor held out, he was slipped a piece of paper and told to write down a number. After sticking to his tender story, he was warned more interviewees were waiting behind him and it would be wise not to waste time.
Fortunately, our subcontractor successfully escaped the ordeal to tell the tale, but as he says: "clients are definitely getting a lot more demanding".
Er, yes, it sounds like it. What's next? Water-boarding?
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