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        New Message Board Archives >> 2006 General Board Posts >> Accepting perks question
        
(Message started by: jimmers on Aug 11^th, 2006, 8:49am)

Title: Accepting perks question
Post by jimmers on Aug 11^th, 2006, 8:49am

Does anyone feel funny accepting perks from a supplier/vendor?

I'm going on an all expenses paid fishing trip tomorrow on Lake Michigan, my boss told me to go but I still feel funny about accepting it. I think its because I know its not my money that paid for the supplies, it was company money.

We do not have a policy against it, but are told not to take it to extremes. It is on a Saturday so I guess I don't feel that I'm doing it on their time. Just seems strange to me being on the other side of the fence for the last 8 months, not being the business owner. :-/

Jimmers

Title: Re: Accepting perks question
Post by lashultz on Aug 11^th, 2006, 9:00am

Take it and run. Where I work this goes on a lot. Although I don't get my fair share. Some even get Packer tickets, Brewer tickets, golf outings, dinners,ect.

Title: Re: Accepting perks question
Post by imnotbub on Aug 11^th, 2006, 9:30am

Don't be silly, enjoy the trip.

Steve

Title: Re: Accepting perks question
Post by maffumatt on Aug 11^th, 2006, 9:35am

No worries, if the boss said it was ok its ok.

Title: Re: Accepting perks question
Post by Mattrf on Aug 11^th, 2006, 10:47am

I have always struggled with the ethics of excepting perks from suppliers but as long as it is one you do business with and don’t let it sway your purchasing and hold true to what’s best for the company then I say, have a great time and don’t think about it to much, hell they want to do it, just consider it a thank you for past purchases.

Matt

Title: Re: Accepting perks question
Post by chewy on Aug 11^th, 2006, 11:06am

Quote:

Let me help you with some relief from any guilt.

Refer him over to me!

Title: Re: Accepting perks question
Post by Bethany1 on Aug 11^th, 2006, 11:43am

on 08/11/06 at 08:49:44, jimmers wrote:

Does anyone feel funny accepting perks from a supplier/vendor?

NO!!!!! ;;D ;;D ;;D Have a blast!

Title: Re: Accepting perks question
Post by JeffB on Aug 11^th, 2006, 11:46am

Run with it! I have a company Amex just to take care of my customers (I'm a vendor).
I have no problem with taking my customers to dinner, clubs, golf. It's called doing business!
Have fun and enjoy yourself!

Title: Re: Accepting perks question
Post by BarbaraD on Aug 11^th, 2006, 11:50am

Have fun and enjoy yourself. It's just a business expense to them... And if you really feel bad about it -- and Don's not available -- have them call me. I do perks very well ...

Hugs BD

Title: Re: Accepting perks question
Post by thebbz on Aug 11^th, 2006, 11:53am

::)
If it were anything but fishing.
jb ;)

Title: Re: Accepting perks question
Post by georgej on Aug 11^th, 2006, 12:00pm

I worked for the gummint for a long time. (...and we're here to help you...). Over on the dark side, it's a bright line--no way, no how. I wouldn't even accept a paperclip from anyone.

In private business, though, it's a different matter--if your company has no policy against it, and you're not out soliciting goodies as a kickback (I've seen it happen) I see nothing wrong with it at all. As was stated before, look on it as a thank you for past business. Don't let it become part of your decision-making process in the future.

I think it's fine.

Best,

George

Title: Re: Accepting perks question
Post by alienspacebabe on Aug 11^th, 2006, 11:34pm

Looks like it will be a beautiful day to be out on Lake Michigan. Have fun!

Title: Re: Accepting perks question
Post by Jonny on Aug 11^th, 2006, 11:39pm

Dont be a fag!!

Tell them you want Millers!! ;;D

Title: Re: Accepting perks question
Post by Charlie on Aug 12^th, 2006, 2:35am

Nice perk. Enjoy it.

Beats the binoculars dad got for an ignition parts company in the 60s

Charlie

Title: Re: Accepting perks question
Post by jimmers on Aug 12^th, 2006, 8:10am

on 08/11/06 at 23:39:58, Jonny wrote:

Dont be a fag!!

Tell them you want Millers!! ;;D

LMMFYBO!

Title: Re: Accepting perks question
Post by jimmers on Aug 13^th, 2006, 10:07am

Fishing was a little slow, but I did manage to catch a 36" 20 pound Salmon. I'll post pics as soon as I figure out how!

Jimmers

Title: Re: Accepting perks question
Post by chewy on Aug 13^th, 2006, 10:47am

ATTA BOY!

The only question you should have had about that offer was " What bait should I use?" 8)

Title: Re: Accepting perks question
Post by kevinpix on Aug 13^th, 2006, 11:28am

Just get a receipt!

Title: Re: Accepting perks question
Post by FramCire on Aug 13^th, 2006, 6:16pm

The only time I think accepting perks isn't right is if it compromises the way you treat your customer (ie you steer them to worse product/value because fo a perk) or the way you do your job for your employer. Many doctors wont accept anything from drug reps (except samples and cupons for their patients) because their is a belief that the samples can alter the decision making proccess for their patients.

In my past jobs I have been on the recieving and giving side of perks. I have hats, shirts, golf balls, rounds of golf, dinners, and many other "perks" from prior jobs. None of them changed how I treated my customer or how I did my job.

I went to a sales conference with a ton of vendors in which 1 vendor had a "cash cyclone" machine where people could get in and grab all the cash they could in 30 seconds. Honestly, I avoided that because it was a bit weird getting cash

Anyway, enjoy the perk. It is just like advertising for the vendor (so they get their money's worth).

Title: Re: Accepting perks question
Post by Dragnlance on Aug 13^th, 2006, 7:23pm

Hey Jimmers,

I, like you have a difficult time with things like this.

The only thing I can say is, that if your boss knows and is telling you to take it, then enjoy it without guilt.

Title: Re: Accepting perks question
Post by Kevin_M on Aug 13^th, 2006, 9:12pm

I've one experience from the '83 - '86 when I got hired to run what was then the entire IT dept of a 800 mil dollar company out of college, a lot back then. Thirteen offices all over Houston with 180 computers in all. We ran a lot of paper and supplies and were one of Moore Paper's biggest accounts. My first year the rep would wine and dine the lunches, some top of the Galleria nightclubbing, get to meet their president and Roy Huffington, other Houstonites and with top floor offices, invited to do pheasant hunting with some good old boys.
It bothered me, nobody's ever been this nice to me before, so I sat down and collected records from storage from the last five years, four before I got there, and found he overcharged us over $18,000 a year.
The next lunch I fired his ass from our business but beforehand looked far and wide for another supplier who could deliver the quantity we needed on order. Moore had a pretty good monopoly on the town with big business at the time I found.
After two months with another supplier he called, we went to lunch and I renewed our business with him for $17,500 less a year. Bonus and raise for me from my boss but I never had another offer for lunch with the Moore rep again, the handshake was fine.