Guest
 Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2026 10:43 am Post subject: Vendor Night-out - Ethical or Not? |
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| we all have been invited by vendors before to go with them to dinner or even a 'for the boys' night-out. some of us don't want to go because of the ethical question with this. but most of my friends think this is just ok if it will not affect their decision on business matters. so my question is if you think a night-out sponsored by a vendor you are dealing with is ethical. or not?
the pharaoh |
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Joined: 23 Jun 2026
Posts: 12
| Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2026 12:58 pm Post subject: |
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| Huwag lang sigurong piliting may equipment o consumables para sa isang section (i.e. FOL) and isang vendor na wala naman (i.e. EOL).
Biro lang Nene!!! batman  |
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Joined: 16 Jun 2026
Posts: 108
Location: Paranaque City, Phils.
| Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2026 4:01 pm Post subject: |
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| Batman,
Pa-'effect' lang ni Nene 'yun. Kunwari interesado sya sa mga binebenta nung vendor, kahit magkaiba sila ng mundo. Yan yung mga tanong na tulad ng "Do you have capillaries?" gayong ang binebenta nung vendor eh molding compound. Pero walang maisagot yung pobreng vendor kundi 'Oh sorry, we don't have that yet, but do you want to come to dinner with us?" Siyempre pakipot muna si Nene : "Is it really ok if I join you?" Vendor: "Of course!" Nene: "OK". Yan - learn from the master...heh...heh...heh... EE |
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Joined: 20 Jun 2026
Posts: 9
| Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2026 12:24 am Post subject: |
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| business is business. it's not unethical for the vendor to invite his customers to entertain them. dat's strategy - to make your customer feel comfortable w/ you.
bt maybe it's different for the customer. it cud be unethical for him to say yes bcos there's no need for him to go out to do business. biz wiz |
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Joined: 19 Jun 2026
Posts: 9
| Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2026 10:01 am Post subject: |
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| definitely unethical, esp. the night-outs. it isn't business, guys, just your hormones calling for help. aminin nyo na.
semicon girl |
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| Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2026 12:49 pm Post subject: |
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| Guys,
Unethical or not? That's in your mind. Etiquette in this case will be whatever that small voice at the back of your head is telling you. Some may view it unethical also not to accept an invitation for showing a gratitude. Sabi nga, some vendors use this strategy to win business and promote relations. I do not see any fault in this practice if I am the vendor. Business is business as long as decisions are made in this premise. What is your conscience telling you??? Ethical or Not. Bokyo [/img] |
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Joined: 23 Jun 2026
Posts: 12
| Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2026 3:42 pm Post subject: |
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| I happen to experience being in both shoes----as the customer and as the vendor.
There's nothing wrong if the vendor is trying to be friendly with his or her customers. We are all human beings. A good business relationship could very well be a friendly relationship. Turning down a dinner or lunch invitation could also be unethical. Because you are already putting malice to the vendor's intent. Although, I admit that some (maybe a lot) vendors have the corrupt intent. Ask yourself, if you are the vendor, would you want to invite your customer for dinner? What will be your intention? batman |
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Guest
| Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2026 5:03 pm Post subject: |
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| Bokyo,
You can’t judge the ethicality of something based on one’s conscience, because there are a lot of people with no conscience. Business ethics is conformance to universally accepted behavioral standards for conducting your business. So there are standards involved. If the modern business world finds the practice of going out with a vendor acceptable, then fine - it’s probably not unethical. However, if you do it in exchange for something, then that’s already unethical, because what you’re giving in exchange may no longer serve the company’s best interest. Thrillseeker |
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Joined: 20 Jun 2026
Posts: 9
| Posted: Sat Aug 16, 2026 12:59 pm Post subject: |
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| someday i will be a vendor myself. i will definitely invite my customers to lunch and dinner. nt bcos i want to corrupt them, bt bcos i want to be at home w/ them always. this is a proven business strategy. even very conservative customers don't get offended by this anymore. bt of course, they may still refuse to come.
biz wiz |
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| Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2026 11:39 am Post subject: |
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| Thrillseeker,
I find it hard to believe that there are people who do not have conscience. Conscience is there, even among the most evil elements of humanity. It just appear they do not have it because they are used to ignoring it. Definitely unethical if a decision is made (or changed) in exchange of something. What if this becomes the universally accepted behavior in doing business?? Practicing a universally accepted business behavior may sometimes go against what's in your conscience. Will you consider it ethical then? So we will go back, what is your conscience telling you?? Bokyo |
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Guest
| Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2026 1:38 pm Post subject: |
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| In some companies, they have issued policies on customer dealings. I find this necessary to guard against the "malicious" vendors and "corrupt" employees. However, one company I know has also issued a policy which requires employees to confine dealings with vendors in a "business meeting". The definition of a "business meeting" is intentionally left as a gray area. I learned from matured employees of this company that a vendor's night out becomes a business meeting if and only if a DM is invited.
So I guess I haven't answered pharoah's question. For me, my simple rule is if I feel uncomfortable with a vendor's invitation, I decline. |
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Guest
| Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2026 7:18 pm Post subject: |
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| The point raised by spoiled engr about a company defining a business meeting as one wherein a DM must be present is very disconcerting. If this was instituted on the presumption that DM’s can not be corrupted, while those below him or her could be, then I’d like to come face-to-face to whoever made that policy and pat him or her on the back. Rest assured that the pat I’m planning to give him or her would be so hard that it will knock him back to reality and his common sense, and probably knock his dentures off his mouth as well.
Thrillseeker |
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Joined: 06 Aug 2026
Posts: 10
| Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2026 11:13 am Post subject: |
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| it becomes unethical when the customer allows it to influence his/her decision. otherwise, this is not question on ethics. i'm coming from the premise that the night out has been given by a vendor on his own free will and not because his/her customers ask to be taken to a place where semicon girl referred to as "hormones calling" in exchange for approving or selecting the vendor's product - this is UNETHICAL.
therefore, night out should not in anyway affect the customer's business decision. the customers should know that nights out are normal for the vendors. of course, the hidden objective of the vendor is really to influence the customer's decision making, but in the end whatever decision the customer makes, the vendor will just take it with a grain of salt. the customer's responsibility here is to keep an open mind and ACT accordingly with or without a night out. if you go to a night out, you cannot just sit down there and pretend you're just in a regular restaurant. the moment you decide to go, it means you're willing to do something appropriate to the place you're going. THE CUSTOMER HAS TO PROTECT HIS/HER CHARACTER - WHATEVER HE DECIDES BECAUSE OF THE VENDOR'S NIGHT OUT, HE/SHE IS ALSO CAPABLE OF DOING SIMILAR DECISION IN HIS/HER COMPANY AND EVEN AT HOME. THAT WILL BE THE PERCEPTION HE/SHE WILL BE RELAYING TO THE WORLD HE/SHE IS IN. sa mga mahihilig sumamang magnight out with the vendors....dont forget.. SAMA NIYO NAMAN AKO!!! |
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