Differences in company culture, processes, resources, etc often present challenges in how business is conducted. While not always the case, the larger company is usually the one in the
position of "power." Understandably, that's just the nature of the beast. However, just because a company is in a favorable position does not mean that this power should be abused.
Unfortunately, in this day and age, it is common to see one or two powerhouses dominate a particular industry while other companies either play catch-up or find themselves dependent
on those behemoths.
As a result, you may be seeing a decrease in ethical business behavior, customer "face-time," even simple acts of common courtesy. I have experienced many instances where I have had to
follow-up countless times - a few spanning more than 5 months - just to get a simple response with companies I was already deeply engaged with and invested a lot of resources into.
Common courtesy that would only require giving a bit of extra effort to respond would have saved me and my company a lot of money, but instead it was held up due to the lack of response.
From the outside, it is easy to say, "Just move on from that and look for the next opportunity." Easier said than done when my business, just as many others in similar positions, find ourselves
somewhat at will to these companies that "monopolize" the industry.
"Common courtesy." "Professionalism." Whatever you want to call it. It is a dying practice in the business-to-business (B2B) world.
This is a problem in need of a solution. People have a platform like Yelp where they can search and find restaurants, hairstylists, dentists, and other retail. Job seekers have a platform
like Glassdoor where they can learn about a company and what the interview process is like, what it is like to work there, and how much they might pay. Consumers have the Better Business Bureau
where users can learn if a business or charity is trustworthy and legit.
Which brings me to today. Givvabit is a platform that will be the voice of the B2B professional. It is place where you can find companies you do or intend on doing business with. Learn from others' experiences and share your own. Every company should be held accountable to uphold good business practices. According to the US Census and IRS, the actual number of the B2B enterprises in 2016 is 5.72 million where 96% are small-to-mid-sized companies with less than 50 employees. However, the larger enterprises - the 4% of businesses - generate almost 80% of the revenue. This imbalance is certainly bound to lead to imbalances in how B2B practices are conducted.
Givvabit's mission, simply stated, is to deliver ultimate transparency that will help protect and preserve professionalism resulting in better business for all.
- Earl, Givvabit Founder