Persuade

April 11, 2007

Tim J. McCallion
President – West Area
Verizon California, Inc.

Dear Mr. McCallion:

You shared a genuine and outstanding gesture when we met last month.  I appreciate how you took the time to ensure a sound business referral for affording my company the opportunity to offer relevant insurance products to Verizon.  Consequently, I feel it is important to alert you to my experience with going through this initial process of vendor access.

I am appreciative of this exceptional prospect to perform as an insurance provider to such a prominent company.  Notwithstanding, your sound referral resulted in unsound management practices.  I have been unable to generate an audience of any size to introduce and explain my product and service capabilities for Verizon.  My experience reveals that new business opportunity is not working at a level that you may believe it to be.

Per your referral, on March 24, 2008, I telephoned Mr. Clifford Feldman, [title].  Mr. Feldman provided an amiable response that there is nothing available in the area of employees’ supplemental insurance.  Secondly, I contacted Monica Heredia, Supplier Diversity Manager, who to date has been unreachable with the phone number published on her business card distributed at the March 18, 2008 press conference.  Lastly, I asked the African American Supplier Engagement Collaboration to see if Mr. Jesse Crawford in Texas could open any dialogue for insurance products.  But they too have been unsuccessful with generating a Verizon procurement management response on my vendor inquiry.

New business potential is mutually important to our respective organizations, where Verizon can ill-afford the luxury from low to moderate supplier inclusion practices relative to potential vendor inquiries.  My budget and time for soliciting new business is national in scope, however, as a seasoned professional the comparison of similar business interest is indicating that this may be a dead end, even before it begins.

You have eloquently addressed business groups and repeatedly stated Verizon’s commitment toward growing business opportunities for competitive African American-owned firms.  I can appreciate the overwhelming business density challenges of the western region to include all firms attempting to do business with your corporation.  Humbly, I did expect the ability to meet in person with a Verizon sourcing team representative versed on insurance requirements.

There are various challenges that exist with providing open access to annual operating requirements for a major corporation, chiefly requiring an informed staff ready, willing and able to address new vendor inquiries.  During the initial outreach activity, your Verizon representatives are quite impressionable; however, their follow-up and supplier engagement practices fall short of Verizon’s projected objectives.

Regardless of what other competitive insurance firms offer, my firm can enhance a portion of Verizon’s employee and asset exposure.  Our aim is to help add protection and coverage that will yield immediate importance, demonstrate results, and serve to aid in your investment decisions to optimize your resources of time, labor, and money.

I remain steadfast in my efforts to pursue opportunities with Verizon.  Please feel free to call me at (xxx) xxx-xxxx, should you have any questions or be able to guide me in another area of potential interest.

Sincerely,