Reference questions for marketing and IT providers

In brief

A useful reference explains how a provider performs after the initial pitch. Ask about delivery, transparency, and handover rather than relying only on claimed business results.

What to do

Confirm what the supplier delivered and what the client’s own team contributed.
Discuss delays, scope changes, and the handling of defects or weak performance.
Ask whether the client could access accounts, data, and working files at exit.

Ask about a concrete past event

With the reference’s agreement, keep a short record of the assignment discussed and the context of the answers. Ask what happened, how the provider responded, and what the buyer had to do. Separate first-hand experience from opinion about work the reference did not observe. Avoid asking for confidential commercial information that is unnecessary to your decision.

Compare the account with the current proposal and note any differences in team, location, volume, or scope. A positive reference is useful evidence for a comparable situation, not a guarantee of future performance. Resolve the most important mismatch directly with the candidate.

Illustrative buying situation

Consider this hypothetical example.

A reference attributes strong sales to an agency, but several other business changes occurred at the same time. Ask what the agency actually delivered and what evidence supports the claimed contribution. Discuss communication, reporting, and handover as well as results. The reference may be positive without establishing that the agency caused every improvement. Keep that distinction visible when comparing a new proposal and setting expectations for the next campaign.

Your next decision

Use the reference to test the operating promises in the current proposal.

Use Vendoreye to discover businesses listed under Media, Marketing & IT. Confirm the specific offering, availability, and relevant evidence directly with each candidate; a category listing is a starting point for investigation.

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