I’ve been doing a ton of freelance web and online learning work lately and this video struck a chord with me. It led me to think about how we work with and treat vendors/service providers. Thinking back to when I was working for an association and even before that when I was in corporate America, I was guilty of really pushing on my vendors and asking for the impossible. Now as a vendor I see it from a completely different perspective.

It begs the question: how do you work with your vendors? Do you treat them fairly or do you continuously try to drive a hard-bargain? Are your project budgets based on reality or just numbers that are either disconnected from reality or based on what you think is fair? Are you willing to give a little to get a little? Granted it’s a two-way street, but very often vendors lose out; especially if they are just starting out or are in tough markets.

I’m fortunate that most of my clients have a pretty good appreciation of the value of the work I do, but every now and again I run into one that I have to educate a bit. As a vendor I provide the highest quality service for the best price that I can, but I also add-in a lot of value and often go well above and beyond what is expected of me? Do I have to? Not at all, but I know my clients appreciate it. I view our relationship as a partnership and investing in the relationship tends to help it grow. Do all service providers act the same way? Sadly no, but I think when you are looking for someone to work with it’s one of the first things you try to determine.

Just think about it.