13 Things Vendors Do That Annoy Midmarket IT Leaders

It’s a new year and may be time for some technology vendors to make some new resolutions.

The new year brings new resolutions. Some vendors may want to consider some new resolutions in 2025.

MES Computing spoke with several midmarket IT executives about their pet peeves when it comes to technology vendors. There were common gripes among those we spoke with and in online forums where IT leaders commiserate.

We gathered common complaints and compiled them into a general list for technology vendors to consider when dealing with IT leaders at midsize organizations.

Here are thirteen things tech vendors can stop doing to win over more midmarket IT executives:

Stop Cold Calls And Phone Spoofs

No one likes telemarketing, especially someone who is busy running an IT operation and putting out fires. And stop with the phone number spoofing, IT leaders implored.

IT leaders spoke of being inundated with phone calls spoofing a local number only to realize they are calls made using sales intelligence platforms. If a vendor starts a potential sale with a pretend number, it can create a trust issue with a customer it is trying to woo.

Tell IT Leaders How The Product Benefits Them

IT leaders want vendors to make less of a sales pitch. They want to know how the vendor’s offerings benefit their specific business needs and the challenges they are facing—they don’t want bells and whistles. These tech professionals want a deep understanding of how a product can help them achieve their organization’s business goals.

Curb The AI Hype

They get it—IT leaders know that AI is a potential pathway to digital transformation and automating many business processes. That said, they aren’t impressed by AI as a shiny new thing used to promote new features and products and wedged into every sales pitch. As one IT leader said, AI still remains an unknown for many businesses and vendors have to prove the value of this emerging technology.

Give A Generous ‘Try Before You Buy’ Period

There may be nothing worse than having a CEO or CFO sign off on buying a product and then find out it is not easy to integrate into an existing infrastructure or may not deliver as promised. Vendors need to give IT leaders plenty of time to test and evaluate offerings before they sign a contract.

Let Them Know How Help Desk And Tech Support Will Function

A major complaint among IT leaders: They implement a new product in their environment and then are left high and dry when they need support on that product. IT leaders need to ensure that a product delivers as advertised and want to see how the vendor responds to issues. Technical support people need to be part of the product’s on-boarding process.

Keep Pricing Consistent

Some IT leaders complained about signing a contract for a product quoted at one price and then being invoiced for that same product at a higher price. Pricing integrity is critical when generating quotes. This also includes factoring the total cost of ownership – including the cost of training, deployment and sustaining engineering, one IT leader said.

Speed Up Lead Times

If IT leaders say they need, for example, a database solution, security software or any other technology implemented by a specific date, vendors need to be respectful of that and ensure they have the staff to support the sale.

Rein In ‘Feature Creep’

Vendors are increasingly shoehorning many functions into one advertised product—a phenomenon one systems administrator called “feature creep.” If IT leaders are looking for a firewall, for instance, they don’t want to be overwhelmed with a firewall that can do identity management, serve as a VPN and cook lunch. Vendors need to stick with what the customer is looking for. IT leaders said that too many functions on one single offering often perform as half-baked and unfinished.

Set Expectations Based On Customers’ Buying Cycle, Not Your Selling Cycle

One IT leader pointed out that he has to adhere to a budget and that some products can be squeezed into an existing budget, but often, others may have to fit into the next budget cycle or beyond.

Make The Case Of Why Your Product Is Better Than Your Competitors

Please provide specifics like case studies as to why your product is better than those from a competitor.

Accept ‘No’ As An Answer

Even if an IT leader decides not to go with your product or service, they still want a vendor relationship that can foster and grow and perhaps you will get a “yes” in the future.

A Message For VARs: Don’t Always Interfere

IT leaders we spoke with value their partnerships with VARs and solution providers but may not always want them as part of their procurement processes. If their involvement is needed for a purchase, IT leaders we spoke with are happy to work with them. But some also said they want to establish relationships personally with vendors.

Prioritize Midsize Companies

Some vendors often overlook the vast midsize market in favor of the large enterprises with millions of dollars in budgets to spend. Midmarket IT is staff- and budget-constrained and cannot spend the dollars a Fortune 500 company can, but it’s not a market to ignore or be dismissed. Midsize organizations are the heartbeat of U.S. business. Products need to be affordable, accessible and tailored to that business segment.