Is this where it's all going?

[sofadoc]

I've been doing the booth seat upholstery for a local restaurant for several years now.
Several years ago, I did the entire restaurant. But since then, it's only been 1 or 2 seats at a time. Maybe 3 or 4 a year at the most.
I got an e-mail from the corporate office yesterday, saying that if I wanted to continue doing their work, I would have to attend a "Vendor's Forum" at a hotel 300 miles away (right in the middle of the work week). I replied by telling them that while I DO appreciate their business, I wouldn't be able to attend.
I just don't do enough work for them to justify killing a couple of days.
Seems like many of the commercial jobs now require jumping through a lot of hoops.

[gene]

Hey,

There's only one hoop they want their vendors to jump through: lower your prices.

Those types of forums are to discuss (pressure) vendors into lowing their prices. The company usually wants them to come up with creative ways to do this. Actually, sometimes they actually come up with some awesome ideas.

Small vendors, like yourself, usually aren't affected by this. You are usually not even expected to attend. What is your annual billing? How much is 10% of that? Enough to get them excited?

You may want to follow up with your contact at the company after the forum just to make sure that they haven't found that the vegetable supplier also does booth upholstery.

Good luck. Every dollar helps.

Gene

[bobbin]

Tell them you'll be delighted to attend in return for accommodations and meals for you and your wife and a small stipend to help defray the cost of the work you will be unable to perform while you're attending their "required" forum. 

Seriously, I would be surprised if they didn't have a way to accommodate small, self-employed service providers such as yourself.  Perhaps your polite note to that effect will be enough to kick the bureaucracy into some action on your behalf. 

[Gregg @ Keystone Sewing]

Seriously, I would be surprised if they didn't have a way to accommodate small, self-employed service providers such as yourself.  Perhaps your polite note to that effect will be enough to kick the bureaucracy into some action on your behalf. 

Right, maybe you are not talking to the correct people, or thier 'Vendor's Forum' is directed at people who have larger accounts.

[Saddleman]

Send them an invoice for the time and expenses.  It's called consulting...I'm sure they will understand....LOL   ;D