How to Stop Vendor Finger Pointing

One of the most common frustrations I hear from dealership employees is vendor finger pointing. Have you ever experienced anything like this?

Your inventory management software is not delivering updated information to the DMS. You call the inventory management vendor and they say the problem is with the DMS. You call the DMS vendor and they say the problem is with the inventory management software. Both vendors' tech support people insist they are right. Not only that, but when you get upset, they have the nerve to give you attitude!

You don't care who's right or who's wrong. All you want is for the software to work.

Other than tearing your hair out, what can you do in this situation?

The quickest way to ensure a resolution is to:

1) Call your sales representatives with both companies. Explain the problem and tell them you want to set up a three-way call with yourself and both of them.

2) Ask the sales reps to escalate the situation internally so there will also be a higher tier customer or technical support person on the line during the call.

3) Don't take no for an answer. Your time is valuable and you shouldn't be wasting it on the phone without getting answers.

4) Before the conference call, document the exact problem you are having and take screen shots of any error messages that occur. Email documentation to each sales rep and ask them to forward it to the tech support.

Getting both vendors on the same phone call at the same time should help to expedite a resolution.

Have you ever experienced vendor finger pointing? How did you resolve the problem?

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Comment by steven chessin on June 20, 2016 at 2:50pm: "The Data-Handshake" is vulnerable to all sorts of mistakes because various FIELDS and FILTERS might not align with another, How people work-out these problems ranges from cold professionalism to hot emotional frustration and anger.

Comment by Erik Nachbahr, CISSP on June 20, 2016 at 12:38pm: Joe, that video is hilarious, thanks for the share! Steven you're right, funny until it happens to you or you get the blame.

Comment by steven chessin on June 15, 2016 at 3:05pm: Ha ha - Joe's video is --- not too far from the truth -- except the finger of blame usually gets pointed at ME not the vendors. My favorite data disaster story was when our AutoTrader pages went dark just before New Year's Eve and their tech emergency support worked with me and the vendors' emergency after-hours support trying to find the problem.The AutoTrader rep was M.I.A.for the holiday.

Tuesday morning - after 3 days of "OR ELSE" threats the problem was found in the rep's pocket ! He had not turned-in the late-payment check ! I could have - or should have - thrown him under the bus - or - the owner for late-payment - but I just started looking for a new job. The BLAME GAME is no game.

Comment by Richard Keeney on June 15, 2016 at 9:41am: Nice article......

Comment by DealerELITE on June 14, 2016 at 8:22pm: Joe thanks for sharing your comments

Comment by Joe Webb on June 14, 2016 at 6:57pm: Couldn't agree more.
A while back I made a comedic video of this common issue.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kNwdK79M8Rg&autoplay=1