John Linton .....my best friend is 'cheating on me' with my main competitors.
The definition of a 'secret' is a fact known to one person. Therefore it is unsurprising that there are no secrets in the Australian communications industry.....or any other industry or circumstances where more than two human beings exchange information/casually chat. I have never paid any attention to 'gossip' or any other aspect of relationships between our suppliers and their wholesale customers on the basis it that it was none of my business and I had enough things to worry about without considering such things. However, over the past two years or so (as things have become progressively tougher in various aspects of this and related businesses) it has become impossible to ignore thinking about just how some of our competitors manage to make the offers that they do when they buy base service from the same or similar wholesale suppliers.
As part of some possible future 'deal' I exchanged some highly confidential pricing information with a company that we have been talking to in a not very serious fashion for some time, on and off, about a possible collaboration. As time has passed and business has become no easier these desultory 'talks' have started up again over the last week or so to the point that we may seriously consider doing something in the foreseeable future. To determine whether there would, in fact, be any real advantage in doing something(s) jointly we exchanged some buy pricing information from a range of our suppliers. My 'heart break' was caused by seeing that we buy so badly compared to at least one of our competitors and, in at least one instance, they are buying one major service at a price almost 25% less than we are paying. Doubtless they buy in larger volumes than we do but such a difference makes it impossible for us to compete in that particular market.
As I thought about it yesterday evening and again this morning it became evident to me what a lousy job I have been doing for the past few years in trying to build sensible commercial relationships with our various providers and just how unsuitable I am to have attempted to undertake such a responsibility. I have caused unnecessary stress to our employees and our customers accepting wholesale pricing that is far more expensive than that provided to our direct competitors with all the negative consequences that imposes on everyone associated with Exetel - except for the suppliers who make disproportionate profits from what we buy from them. What a total dummy I have been and how stupid can one person be without noticing?
So, when I get over the self flagellation, it will be necessary to find a way(s) to deal with the results of my stupidity on a permanent basis. How that can be accomplished in the mess I have created is not going to be quick or easy and, right now, I haven't got a clue as to how to go about it. I am assuming that once you realise what a total idiot you have been, and once the disappointment, anger at yourself and the sheer despair of being such a complete tosser passes then rational thought will allow a recovery process to be put in place....but then, that was what I thought I was doing while creating this situation.
There definitely is no fool like an old fool.
Copyright © Exetel Pty Ltd 2011
ABN 350 979 865 46