Are You a Pop-Tart?
The Pop-Tart is a behavior that the vendor uses to shape you and the business relationship. If the vendor is successful in turning you into a “Pop-Tart,” it sets you up for almost every ploy the vendor has in his or her arsenal. Pop-Tarts in the context of a vendor / customer relationship are customers who figuratively “pop” out of their chairs in a rush to respond to a vendor’s e-mail, request for information, unexpected vendor visits, etc.
The Pop-Tart ploy is spaced out over time, but gains momentum as the vendor spots symptoms of your being a Pop-Tart. The more that you respond to a vendor in a Pop-Tartish fashion, the more Pop-Tart situations will come your way. Usually it starts with vendor e-mails which grow in frequency, then scheduled visits that turn into unexpected visits, then voice-mails left before or after hours that turn into phone calls during the day. If you start seeing frequent communications from your vendor that requires an almost immediate response, rushed meetings or telecons, unexpected visits, etc., you’re on your way to becoming a Pop-Tart.
There a variety of psychological reasons that this ploy works, and each person is different. Generally speaking, the ploy works because workers in the U.S. are so time-pressured that they tend to be very responsive to get something done or out of the way. Another primary reason is that people are eager to please and people want other people (including vendors) to like them, so we tend to be accommodating and sometimes overly so.
So, where’s the fire? Slow things down a little. Don’t instantly jump at the vendor’s command. Take a day or two before responding to a vendor’s e-mail or phone call. Just because the vendor really, really wants to meet with you tomorrow doesn’t mean they can’t meet with you next week. When you sense that you yourself are responding too quickly, or sense that the vendor is asking for, or implying the need for, quick responses and turn-around times, slow it down!
Pop-Tarts can also become viral if an infected fellow employee ushers the Vendor around for impromtu visits with other employees.
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