I agree I had a lucky escape. If this is how their sales people carry on, I shudder to think how they treat their actual customers. I considered calling the company to let them know how I was treated, but then figured - what's the point?
Old dog - I assume that most businesses would factor the cost of lost tenders into their business plans, and price their actual business accordingly. So I don't think that by shopping around, I am wasting anyone's time or money. To answer your question, the 15k profit would greatly benefit the company that won the tender, I'm sure, for a 1k outlay.
I have called five companies in total - and the two that came out last night were extremely professional and informative. This is not necessarily a price sensitive decision - I want to ensure that I get a quality product and after sales service. So I was pretty appaled by the guy who hung up!