Ask the Experts: Vendor/Client Relationships, Part II

As we see the world, we believe donations from our company and staff should be voluntary, not a condition of doing business. If a charity started “asking” us for donations, with veiled threats of terminating our business relationship if we didn’t come [through], we would probably be glad to part ways and wish them well. Once you mix “everyday low prices” with “blackmail,” slim margins become negative, and the idea of a partnership loses all meaning.