The red flags
- 'Trust us' on data handling with no docs
- Refusing to run a real POC
- Demo built on their sample data, not yours
- No named reference at your scale
- Product roadmap conversation dodged
- Sales team can't answer basic technical questions
- Post-sale support handoff before contract signature
What to do
One red flag is a yellow light. Two is a walk. Three is a run.
What to trust
Vendors who tell you what their product doesn't do. Confidence in limits is a proxy for confidence in capabilities.