We've heard too many stories from customers about being misled by data providers during the buying process. Here are some practices we've seen work to help you avoid bad actors.
Talk to current and former customers
There's a good chance you find yourself reading this because a peer of yours told you about Harmonic - almost all of our customers come from word of mouth. That's exactly why talking to current and former customers is the best way to understand any provider.
Some vendors spend more energy on prospects than on existing customers, which tells you a lot about their priorities.
Ask for references from companies similar to yours, and actually reach out to them. Don't just rely on case studies or testimonials on their website. If you can backchannel to someone in your network who's familiar with their service, even better.
Good providers are proud of their customer relationships and will readily connect you with people who can speak to their experience. If they're hesitant to provide references or only offer scripted testimonials, that's worth noting
Don't buy before you try the platform
It's much easier to create an impressive demo than to build a product that works well for your specific use cases. If a provider won't let you test their platform before purchasing, there's usually a reason for that.
Trustworthy long-term partners only want customers who will be happy, stick around, and refer others - that's why all of our customers try our product before making a purchase.
Ask for trial access that mirrors how you'd actually use the product. Can you run the searches you need? Does the data export in formats you can use? How's the user experience for your day-to-day workflows?
Get a representative data sample
This is where buyers often get tricked. Some providers will ask for a specific list of companies and then manually curate data just for those examples. Others will send you a pre-selected sample where you don't get to define the criteria. Neither approach gives you an accurate picture of what you'll actually get as a customer.
You should define the sample. If you're testing for data depth and accuracy, pick companies you know well so you can verify the results. For broader coverage tests, use universal filters like geographic regions, company characteristics, or even something as simple as whether the company name starts with a specific letter to narrow down your sample without introducing bias.
Expect real-time results when possible. A trustworthy provider should be able to pull your sample live during a call or demo. They should be comfortable logging into their platform, running your criteria, and showing you the results in real time. If they insist on taking your criteria away and coming back with results later without explaining why, that's worth questioning. Some data requires processing time for enrichment or verification, which is legitimate - but providers should be transparent about their process and timelines.
Red flags to watch for
Reluctance to provide customer references or only offering scripted testimonials
No trial access or only offering "guided demos" instead of hands-on testing
Insistence on curating samples rather than letting you define test criteria
Vague explanations about data sources or methodology
High-pressure sales tactics or pushback when you want to evaluate thoroughly
The bottom line
The right data provider will be confident enough in their product to let you evaluate it properly. They'll connect you with happy customers, give you hands-on access to test the platform, and pull representative samples transparently.
If a provider is trying to control your evaluation process or limit your access to information, ask yourself why. The best partnerships start with transparency and trust from day one.