You've heard it, I've heard it, our clients tell us, "you're selling a commodity, all copier (MFP's) do the same thing and service is not a major concern". Just give me your best price!
Yup, you're thinking the same thing I'm thinking after hearing that statement. Is it time to walkaway, could it be time to drop back to your value points, should you place the price game, would you sell the system at your cost to get the revenue, or time to tell the client that "poor service is long forgotten after a cheap price?"
Ah, when you're at this stage in the sales cycle, all is lost for profit, value and your ass I grass. Might was well to take the revenue and move on to the next opportunity.
So, what went wrong that both the seller and the buyer go to that point? For one, there are many clients like this and no matter what your presentation is, they are a price buyer and not even the greatest sales person alive will convince them other wise.
For me, it all starts in the discovery process, that's the time that you have with the DM or the gatekeeper to mull over their needs and your recommendations. In the discovery process we all ask this one basic question, what size paper do you need to print, copy or scan? How many of us are asking, "understand that you need letter and legal, but can you tell what type of paper you'll be using in those paper trays?" in SMB (small to mid size business) accounts?
The reason I asked that particular question, is because I'm looking for a special application. I want to know if they are printing onto letterhead and or checks? For me, if I get a yes we are using letterhead and or checks, then my next series of questioning is to ask what is the security process for letterhead and checks. Different businesses will offer up different answers, some may not be concerned with missing letterhead paper, and but most everyone is concerned with missing checks!
Lockout Feature
This entire scenario leads me to present a lockout feature, a lockout feature is something another vendor does not offer or isn't aware that the client has a need for my lockout feature. In this case the lockout feature is tray paper locks, nothing fancy, nothing expensive, however, I was the only rep that dug deep enough to find a pain, want or need. Thus, the odds of me winning the order goes up dramatically!
Just the other day, Czech (P4P member), posted a comment that his Canon device allows him to edit a scan at the MFP, before that scan is sent off to the scan repository. I can't do this with my Ricoh's, thus Czech has a lockout feature, he just needs to find or convince the client that they need that feature. If he does, then he's won the deal!
You may be thinking, darn, the MFP's that I sell don't have options for paper tray locks. Hold on their, I used the paper lock lockout feature because the paper tray lock is an accessory that will work on most copiers.
Take the time to know as much about all of the features of the devices that you sell, and if you do, I will guarantee you that you'll sell more copiers because you'll have more of those "ah ha" moments from probing and listening to your clients needs.
BTW, take our copier accessories survey here to see what other third party "lock out" features there are.
-=Good Selling=-
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