Case Study

Sector: Automotive – When to Say ‘No’

Vestian executives like to say ‘yes’ to clients: to assure them that obstacles can be overcome, schedules can be met, and costs can be minimized. But when saying ‘yes’ means being dishonest with a potential client— that’s when Vestian says ‘no’.

A leading tire maker faced multiple challenges in delivering a 135,000-square-foot interior build-out in Shanghai, the largest such project in the market that year. One issue was the short timeline for completion, with stiff penalties for late reinstatement of its existing space if the project deadline was exceeded. As a complicating factor, many different business unit leaders had input to the process— each with a different set of expectations and project specifications.

The team communicated effectively and efficiently with all the stakeholders to reach a consensus quickly so that the project could move forward. With meticulous schedule planning and a constant onsite presence, Vestian completed the project ahead of schedule. That gave the client time for reinstatement of the existing facility without incurring any penalty, translating into substantial project savings.

The client executives were so pleased with Vestian’s performance that they awarded the firm an upcoming project. But the first assignment almost didn’t happen. After a competitive bid process, Vestian was awarded the work in principle but declined the offer due to some non-standard contract terms that, Vestian executives felt, no provider could or should agree to. A competitor did agree to the terms to get the assignment, but a month later admitted that they could not commit to such an agreement. The client returned to Vestian, concluding that its first choice in provider was right about the contractual clauses, and honest enough not to make promises it couldn’t keep.