LinkedIn is awesome right? Connections, information, ideas, collaboration, are just a few of the benefits for those of us that use LinkedIn on a regular basis.
Which leads me to Martin. Martin connected with me on LinkedIn and is curious if there is a need for his products here in the US. We posted a survey a few days ago on our survey page.
Martin makes a great case for some features that we don't even think about here in the US. Below is what Martin wrote from us, please keep in mind that he is from the Netherlands and I give great props to anyone that can write or speak more than one language.
‘Make a Difference’ or ‘Make a Profit’
Locking in Europe
5 years ago the total volume of ‘Paper-drawer Locks’ sold in Europe was nearly zero.
Nowadays it is an indispensable ‘sales-tool’ that adds value (and profit)!
These specific accessories (PaperClamps & PaperLocks) turned from a pull- to a push market with incredible potential.
Locking is Selling
It started with specific requirements of schools, libraries & other public environments.
In many cases they ‘demanded’ that paper drawers must be locked because of the large amount of paper that was stolen. In some cases up to 10% of the total paper volume!
The European Copier & Printer market only acted when these requirements were demanded, and then still without any ‘conviction’.
These requirements where seen as annoying, problematic, difficult to fulfil & opposing the progress of the sales-path. Only the persistent sales rep fought his way to the end by searching for a solution.
‘Make a Difference’ or ‘Make a Profit’
Today the market in Europe changed completely and all kind of accessories are used to ‘add value’ to a quotation, or distinguish from a competitor.
It is no longer the prospect asking for certain requirements, it is the sales rep offering solutions that customers haven’t thought about.
I have seen actual invoices were PaperClamps are sold to end-users for more than $ 250!
With a wholesale price far beneath $ 100 everybody can calculate how interesting this can be.
With a PaperClamp/PaperLock you can either ‘Make a Difference’ or ‘Make a Profit’ (or both).
Implement Locking in your Security Program
I have no idea how many of you actively use the ‘security programs’ of the brands you sell, like ‘Ricoh Data Protection’; ‘Konica Minolta bizhub Secure’; ‘Kyocera’s Data Security Kit’; ‘Sharp Security’; etc. etc., but I do know that Physical Security Devices like PaperClamps & PaperLocks are very easy to implement in the existing security programs.
As soon as your customer is aware of the security risks of having his Lawyer-, Notary, Hospital, MD-, Pharmacist-, Insurance- or Bank letterhead paper ‘free to grab’, he is in for protection!
If you can offer, and your competitor can’t……………….
Locking in US
It is my expectation that the US market will adopt these security items the coming years, and it will become a similar sales-tool as it is in Europe.
Please check the survey on P4Photel and share your opinion about this.
Martin Hofman
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