Rumours!
Singapore, 14th November 2014
Back in Singapore I am confronted with a manufacturer’s complaint who feels that our office has defamed their product by spreading false rumours in the market. On first sight that seems like a serious complaint and one that I had to investigate as we are not in the business of badmouthing people or products. We do comment professionally on products presented to us and do that based on the information presented to us. But one thing is for sure; we can never criticise someone else’s project or product usage as we generally do not know the background and situation in which this has been applied and hence any comments can only be of an observatory general nature.
So it came as quite a surprise that a (reputable) manufacturer found it necessary to entertain and approach me on apparent “rumours” circulating the market. After checking with my team it became clear that the whole thing has been blown out of proportions and taken totally out of context! As it happened we had a sales representative come to our office on our request to demonstrate a product that we had specified ourselves in one of our projects, but unfortunately for the sales rep, the product was faulty and not working well and further assessment made us decide that the product was not suitable for our own project needs. The product was then referenced as being used in another big project which prompted our reaction that we would probably not specify that product for such application either; it was just a professional assessment and observation based on the information presented to us. It does not mean that the product is not suitable as this would totally depend on that projects site and design conditions, which of course we are not aware of let alone involved with. So how that comment could then be construed and find its way in the market as if we are criticising someone else’s project puzzles me.
It just goes to show how careful you have to be when you say things even well meant in the privacy of your office, people easily take offence and without knowledge of the facts can take that totally out of context! It’s a shame that negative rumours like this then find their way into the market! It’s a waste of everybody’s energy!
Light Watch 5-194: I leave you with some more images of this year’s award winning green building design’s. Below subsequently Europe winner De Rotterdam, in the Netherlands, Middle East winner Cayan Towers in Dubai and US winner the Edith Green Wendell Federal Building in Portland.
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