Like our clients sometimes do, I had to decide: Do I go with a short term “patch” (or “workaround”), or do I make a costly decision under pressure?
Some background: Since I bought my car, I had all maintenance done at the same dealership. Even though other facilities offered marginally lower pricing, I felt that, in the long-term, it would benefit me to continue with the dealership. In fact, this was my second Toyota with the same dealership. So when I called Toyota Corporate and they reviewed my records, thanks to my long term relationship and history, they offered me a significant discount on the repair. Another positive – a new hybrid battery improved the resale value and gave me some time to breathe.
So, how does this relate to software support and consulting?
– My long history with the dealership helped me to negotiate a better deal, just as our relationship with software vendors helps us in negotiating on our clients’ behalf.
– Long term planning versus “wait until it breaks” – an expensive lesson to learn. I hadn’t even started looking for a new car when I had this crisis, but you can bet I’ll be looking now! Our clients also need to be aware of the options available to them, whether it’s an upgrade to existing software, or researching to see what else is available to satisfy their needs.
– A backup plan – I didn’t have one at the time, so had to scramble and take a lot of unplanned time to deal with this issue, between the negotiation and repair time. While I could borrow a car to get around, I can’t get back the down time and stress. Our clients need to make sure that they have rock solid backups (you knew I was going to go there) and backup plans for when the unexpected happens.
Moving forward, I plan to purchase a new car by the end of the first quarter of 2017. Feel free to check in with me and make car recommendations!