Xmas packages for contracts manager (sweeteners)

[grenadier]

.....

Edited November 23, 2010 by Steve Bullman
language

[bjam1964]

Some staff in various government Quangos (no names no pack drill) that we sub for actually ask when and what we will be buying them for a sweetener

 

I find it disconcerting and puts us between a rock and a hard place. If I don't sweeten someone else will and pocket the contracts. Do I choose to loose out on principal - sometimes yes, other times no

 

I service a lot of contract gardeners - they are worth keeping on side as a lot of work comes my way from them. I generally pay them a finders fee (£50 or so). This is usually added to the bill so not any worse off.

[Mark Bolam]

They are scum, and the sooner this practice is stamped out the better.

 

Workshy, thieving, bent, moneygrabbing scum.

 

That is MY tax money being spent on firms who might not be best for the job, but who are prepared to give the greatest 'gift'.

 

Grenadier, sorry for earlier, but this kind of thing makes me puke, government or big outfit.

[Highland Forestry]

ho hum... interesting topic for sure.

 

I usually take a bottle of (nice) single malt to all the contact managers that give us work throughout the year, as a thank you - not as a bribe.

Usually we get given a bottle or two back from them also!

[Ian Leach]

The only backhander i'll give them is one across the back of the swede

[PeteB]

I used to do the bottle run before Chrimbo, not that it would've made a difference because someone higher up made the decision on who had the work. These were gifts to friends not buying business.

 

Perhaps I should have gone higher up - I might not have gone bust!

 

I once had someone who suggested that he could "assist" in my progress if I "assisted" him. He got told that we would put an extra bit on the bill labelled as "Bung to Contracts Manager"! Didn't get that job!

[likeitorlumpit]

Don't even think of it

The contracts manager will be happy to have a contractor that does a great job and with no complaints to waste his time with. That's more valuable to him than a bottle of whiskey.

[Taupotreeman]

I know an outfit here that use to shout their contracts managers an expenses paid trip to Oz to watch the Wallabies v All Blacks. That's flights, hotels, match tickets, food, taxis etc. How the hell are the small time businesses supposed to compete with this? And while the contracts managers are receiving this kind of treatment it's highly unlikely that they are going to look at using someone else for the contracts. I call them the pipe and slipper brigade ( no offense to those who smoke a pipe...or wear slippers for that matter) because they are the type that have their feet firmly ensconsed in their slippers and under the table, pipe in mouth doing as little as possible. Many don't actually manage the contracts they just let the contracting company do that. All they have to do is keep the work supplied and reap the benefits. It sucks big time but I saw it happen on a more than regular occasion. As a manager I was shown how to keep happy those that dished out the contracts and it's all about who can give out the biggest and most gifts either at Christmas or throughout the year. The contracts managers just expected it and the gifts got bigger and better depending on how much the contract was worth. It won't stop until the whole practice is banned but when a trip to Oz is on the table who is likely to say something?

[nailer]

I would hate to be in a position where any gift was needed to keep a customer. It's risky to rely on work from a small number of customers. Relying on one or two customers or contracts must be stressful I would have thought.

[geoff]

I wont give them anything,these people get wages to reward contracts so they are already sorted.