We have a client that provides consulting services to manufacturers. One of his larger clients – one he’s had for years – recently changed his principal contact person.

This week, he received notice from his new contact that his services were up for bid and that he needed to respond to an RFP. He was given 3 days to respond!

He called the contact. No answer. Sent an email and received an out of office reply saying she’d be back the day after the RFP was due.

Our client also learned that several other firms had already responded and been reviewed, with one already chosen for a separate project. And our client, the incumbent, hadn’t even been notified that an RFP was issued to replace him.

Sounds like he’d done a bad job and wasn’t being renewed doesn’t it?

Well here’s the rub. The contact’s boss didn’t know our client hadn’t been properly included in the process. It seems as if she’s decided to railroad the project through with her own chosen vendor.

My client needed some way to fight for the business.  So not really knowing anything about this new contact, he went on LinkedIn to see if he could find out something about her mindset. Turns out one of his close friends was a 2nd level contact of hers, who also had a connection with a 1st degree contact of hers.

Turns out the 1st degree contact was her ex-boss. He did not give her a glowing reference.

With this information in hand and a printed record of how he’d been treated, our client now feels comfortable going over his contact’s head to her boss – someone he’s always had a good relationship with – to find out if he’d done something wrong to warrant such treatment.

The answer should be interesting. Especially for the new contact if her boss isn’t happy with how she’s handled this long-standing relationship.

I’ve protected the names for privacy here. But if you can connect the dots in this story – you’ll see even further proof of how powerful – and personal – social media sites can really be.