Had a situation that made me wonder what y’all would do in your business. Another designer and I had occasion to talk about a project. I’m doing the conceptual design, and he’s doing the construction docs. I do a lot of 3D stuff. He had not yet done much 3D work. We used the same software, so he started asking lotsa questions about how to do this and that (not related to producing the documents for this project). I answered them. Then he had another project that was causing him trouble, so I looked at the drawing, corrected a few of the CAD things in it, and also corrected a mistake he had made in it. He was appropriately appreciative of all the help–saying “Thank You” and such.
In the future, we’re likely to be competing for some of the same jobs. Not often, but it’s possible. And I was helping him with stuff that will improve his offerings, plus correcting what would have been a pretty serious mistake (a several foot diff in headroom somewhere based on the curve of the wall–bonk!).
So, how much would you help a competitor? What would your limits be?
Replies
you can never have too many friends...i usually try to help until it actually costs money out of pocket.. time i can give... help i can give... it usually comes back in spades.. if it doesn't .. so what... just pass on the good deeds...
if it is obvious that this is a one-way street you will know soon enough and you can have a parting of the ways
i have at least 3 contractor friends that i compete with.. do joint ventures with, and hire as subs.. and share tools, materials, equipment, and knowledge with
Mike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
I have 4 direct competors in my area and each one of them does some things that I don't do. And I do things that they don't do. I help them as much as I can, and as it has turned out I have have had referals from them. Also now it sometimes seems that they are some of my best customers. We are all working in the same field of operation, yet each of us has our strong points and our week points. I am a firm believer that what goes around comes around. So far it has worked that way, at least for the last 20 or so years. Just this morning I called a good friend of mine who is in fact a competor and told him of a upcoming contract bid that he should bid on. I look at it this way, I know how all of my competion does there biding and i'm sure they know how I do mine. so who ever gets the bid on this job, the fall=out will impact each of us. so if your competor is the enemy then the only fall-out that you will ever get will be negitive and the oppsite holds true also. No matter what field your in, you just can't have too many friends.
I'm kinda with the other guys - I wouldn't lose any sleep over it, unless he's really milking it for all its worth. But that doesn't sound like the situation.
I kinda look at it this way: You can't always repay a kindness, but you can always pass it on. Since people have done nice things for me all my life, I figure I owe something to someone out there.
Actually, I've gotten less crap and headaches from competitors than I have from customers. So maybe working with competitors could be a good thing? They're in more or less the same boat we are, but our customers aren't.
Maybe I'm drifting off the subject a bit here, but: I've been to several training seminars and other meeting for the truss industry. I've sat through tons of speeches and power point presentations. But I've probably learned more from talking to competitors at these functions than I have from the organized classes.
Guess that's enough rambling for now...........
I was born by Caesarean section... But not so you'd notice. It's just that when I leave a house, I go out through the window.
I agree with the others. In my case, developing a cooperative association with a couple of other contractors has been a benefit to us all; we're all three small operators by choice, but have teamed up on some larger projects and picked up the slack for each other on others.
A few years ago, I got tangled up with a guy briefly that talked a good talk, but then started approaching a couple of my longer term customers via the back door. They tipped me off, but his behavior caught up with him eventually. ( And now he makes about $130 K a year selling road queens (RVs)).
If your situation works out, you've widened your network. If he continues to make mistakes, he's not a threat.
Cloud,
I'm with the other guys, with an additional thought: your instincts and values are terrific (as we've seen in the range of your posts) so you'll instinctively do the right thing and reach the right conclusion when you do pause for some introspective cross examination.
Cloud,
You instinctively did what your heart told you to do. That says it all.
Acts of kindness and goodwill are never wrong.
James DuHamel
J & M Home Maintenance Service
Dang -
When was the last time there was unanimous ageement about ANYTHING on this board???
Don't look now, but there's one too many in this room and I think it's you.
There is unanimous agreement that donuts bought to site must be variety and never all glazed.Half of good living is staying out of bad situations.
Hey cloud, here in NC the bapitists feel like you just put another star in your crown...the goes around comes around is something I, also, feel comfortable with, if it happens or not...dang, I just saw that this thread was about helpng coompetitors, I hate them and their ilk, disregard all any/all positive feedback;-)
Edited 8/21/2002 7:32:57 PM ET by bucksnort billy
I hate mis-spellers, and won't lift a finger for them. Actually, I bug them till they correct it or smack me.
Nice comments from y'all aside, I've had a pretty good idea of my boundaries with this guy. I really have been interested in where y'all set boundaries with your competitors.
fwiw, the first few times this guy and I talked, he was really tight-lipped. I'll talk about anything to anyone. After a few conversations, he opened up a bit and told me that absolutely NO ONE where he lives either talks to or helps anyone else in that field, and he was fearful that I'd try to take advantage of him. I hope he's gained some trust of people, because paranoia is awfully hard to live with. His distrust still creeps back in when he's stressed about something, even as he's asking me to take a look at one of his project files and figure out what's going wrong in it. "You aren't gonna keep it, right? I'm trusting you not to use the info, OK? It's my copyright, right?" Yeah, yeah, just send the darn file and I'll eat it when I'm done. <G>
My competitors are good friends of mine . I could say more , but thats the short of it .Maybe you are making another friend .
Tim Mooney
Agreed......you can't have too much business karma....
Somehow, it all comes back.
Same here -- this fraternity is tough enough to last a career in, no reason to make it any tougher.
I see it the same as Mike. I'd help a competitor anytime as long as it doesn't end up costing me money. You never know when or how that favor might be returned.
DRC
Long ago (30 years) ALL the competition was my enemy (sorta). Now they're all my friends, or could be. They all know something I don't, they're all potential help someday.
If it doesn't cost you cash, it's a favor and it'll come back to you someday. If it doesn't, you still haven't lost anything.
Although those pr***s that borrow stuff and never return it are a different story...........Joe H