By: Patrick Alexander

When I was growing up, my mother always told me, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, then don’t say anything at all.” Several hours later she would inevitably ask, “You’re awfully quiet today, what’s wrong?” Now, I love my mom, but she provides a textbook example of contradiction. And while I would love to say this phenomenon is limited to her, I know it rests in all of us. Although it might exist in her just a tad bit more than most.

That fact aside, let me get to my point, and yes I actually have one for those of you wondering. In this day you often hear vendors provide lip service in stating your opinion matters and they take all of your suggestions seriously. Then they turn around and implement only what they have to, and none of your additional requests ever see the light of day. Well if they don’t care about your input, then why did they bother even asking for it?

"All of your requests, whether via email, suggested in person or over the phone, are written down and evaluated."

“All of your requests, whether via email, suggested in person or over the phone, are written down and evaluated.”

We take a different approach at Vanguard. All of your requests, whether via email, suggested in person or over the phone, are written down and evaluated. We love making our product more usable and closer to your ideal of an indispensable office tool. Now, that doesn’t mean all the submitted requests will make it into the program. There are many factors that need to be considered before it gets a green light. How do your suggestions affect other clients and/or states? Is there a process already in place for accomplishing the same task? Do we have the manpower available to implement and maintain this new or changed functionality? Also, is it even possible given the current framework of the program?

Even if your request ultimately doesn’t make it into the program, we are still excited you cared enough to make the suggestion and are likely to look for alternatives to reach your desired result. In the end, you will never be heard if you never speak, so shout at us to your heart’s content.

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