miab87•1d ago

Almost lost a big client because I didn't vet a referral partner first

Last month I connected with this guy named Dave at a Detroit Chamber event over on Jefferson Ave. Seemed legit, talked a good game about cross-referrals. I sent him three solid leads in two weeks. Then one of my longtime clients calls me freaking out because Dave's company totally botched their IT setup and tried to bill them double. Turns out Dave had been running a one-man shop out of his basement with no insurance and two bad reviews on Google from 2022. I spent the next week doing damage control, even had to comp a month of my service to keep the account. Now I only swap referrals with people I've actually worked with for at least 6 months. Has anyone else gotten burned by a referral partner at one of those downtown networking mixers?

2 comments

2 Comments

claire_butler11d ago

Vetting less is a TERRIBLE idea, Karen. I learned my lesson the hard way just like this original poster did. A poor referral partner can wreck your reputation and you end up paying for it out of your own pocket. That 6 month rule sounds smart actually because you get to see how someone handles their business before sending them your best clients. Networking mixers are full of smooth talkers who promise the moon but can't deliver. Better to be a little slow and picky than to have to grovel to a big client later on.

karen_nelson401d ago

Missed opportunity to build real trust, I say vet less and gamble more like the rest of us.