Funny copier stories

A little background before we get started.

I met Paul Story Sr about eight years ago when he hired me to do sales training for his staff in Roanoke, VA.  Paul recently sold his dealership in the last year ago.  Now, I thought I was a tenured rep, good old Paul has got me beat hands down.

Paul sent me this funny story this AM, I emailed him back and received permission to put this on our site.

It's like OMG, a copier demo from the 50s!

THE COPYING MACHINE DEMO FROM HELL

Its March 1957.. I am 22 I had a friend that was selling the 3M Thermofax copier. He was really passionate about copiers becoming a new way of communicating. 3M was selling their product based on what they referred to as the “short note reply”. You would write a note of action needed on the original, then make a copy and send the copy to the person to handle the situation.

I was impressed and wanted to sell copiers. 3M did not have a sales job open, so I did some research and found there was a photo copier being sold in the northeast called the COPYCAT. I bought one and started my own copying machine business.

This was in March 1957. The COPYCAT made a photocopy of the original using negative and positive papers and developing fluid. It was the fastest Photocopy machine on the market. You could make a copy in 3 minutes.

The machine had a set of rollers that fed the papers though the developing fluid. The machine had been produced using parts used in other products. The motor that was powering the rollers was out of washing machines and had far more power than was needed.

NOW TO THE DEMO:

I had talked to the head of the Alabama Sales Tax department in to letting me demonstrate the COPYCAT. He arranged to have about a dozen clerks attend the demo. I got the machine all set up with the developing fluid in the tank and the crowd gathered. I was telling the group about this incredible copier as I got the positive and negative prepared to go through the developing fluid. All of a sudden, I felt I was being pulled toward the copier. My tie had entered the rollers with the copy papers. The motor was so strong I could not stop it. I was desperately trying to get them to unplug the copier but the tie got so tight it was chocking me and I could not speak clearly. In desperation I pulled the copier up to my chest and pulled back to try to pull the plug out of the wall. As I did this, I spilled the full tank of toxic developer fluid down my entire chest. My chest was on fire, One of the clerks cut my tie off and I immediately started to rip off my jacket and shirt. Several of the clerks got towels and water to wash off as much of the developer fluid as possible.

I was embarrassed and humiliated and half naked. But I apologized to the group and left.

Several days later I got up the nerve to call the department head and asked him if I could do the demo again. I told him I did not remember anyone at the demo who was wearing a tie. Amazingly he let me come back and give my demo. Even more amazing he ordered 6 of my COPYCATS. He was a very good supply customer until Xerox replaced my 6 copiers with one Xerox 914 in 1960. In the future of the COPYCAT,  I only wore bow ties.

Paul H Story Sr

I've been wanting to put this anthology together for a some months.  Since I have a sales month where I can breath again I've found the time to put these together.

If you know any of these awesome sales people that sold copiers in the 70's shoot them a note or post a response on this blog for them. 

Funniest Copier Moments

Ed Doyle: There were tons of funny stories. One that made its way to the very top at Lanier (the top was CEO Gene Milnor, a legend) was this: I was on a sales blitz and in the field with a rookie in El Dorado Arkansas, which was part of the Monroe, La. Office. We called on a one-man attorney who had an office upstairs. It was a gorgeous Spring day, and he had his window open behind his desk and his old 3M dual spectrum copier on a table next to the window. After a great demo his objection was, “that unit can really help me out and once this old copier dies, I’ll call you” You can imagine how many times I came back at him, but he wouldn’t budge. Finally, I said something like “so if I understand you, once your copier dies, you’re going to get the VQCIII, is that correct?” He answered an emphatic yes and I proceeded to unplug his copier and I tossed it out the window (during the demo I could see out and it was just an empty alley). He looked out the window, turned around and broke out laughing and said “you’re F***ing” crazy” I immediately told him we had plenty of these old units in stock to replace what I had just ruined and he thought a second and said “no thanks, I’ll get the new one”. read the full blog here

Jack Carrol (Jack passed last year): Not funny but……….Duplifax started when Jerry Banfi traded his wife for a copier dealership. Steak & Beans contest. NY vs. NJ. Every phase of the meal was different kind of beans. The customers in the restaurant loved it. This was when I came up with the demo’s in customer’s offices in multi floor large buildings to get 10 demos in a day. 

Second Story from Jack: The SCM/Kip PPC always jammed under the drum and started to smoke. It smelled like toast. One of their divisions was Proctor Silex who made toasters. Some guys gave away toasters with the copiers. Lucky, they got the employee price. In the early 70’s I knew a guy who substituted plain paper copies and removed the liquid paper copies on the demo. (RIP Jack) read the full blog here

Rod Nafziger: The best one was a guy that wanted to argue for his Xerox. We almost came blows. So I sat quietly while he yapped. I’m filling out an order at list price. I turn it around and hold out the pen. After 5 minutes of silence he groans, grabbed the pen and signed. Later I learned he owned Xerox stock. But, didn’t like his rep. read the full blog here

Carl Little: My first day in the field by myself while working for Xerox, I was told by my manager to go out and make 30 calls & bring back 30 business cards with the dates of service contract renewals written on the back.  I got to Lawrence, KS around 7:30 that morning with plans to make my first call at 8:00, and I made my first call that morning to a Veterinary Clinic & I was chatting with the receptionist for a few minutes when the doctor came around the corner and threw me out of his office and told me not to return, so I left.

I went back to the park where I was sitting & made a decision that I wasn’t going to do this for a living, the rejection was to hard so I was going to quit.  So I called my girlfriend & invited her to lunch and she said “Lunch starts at 11:30, it’s only 8:30 so I will see you at the restaurant then.”  As we were having lunch, the same doctor who had thrown me out of his office that morning walked in for his lunch.  He saw me, approached our table & said “I owe you an apology.  Last night my wife of 30 years told me she wanted a divorce & you were the first person I saw and so I lashed out at you & you didn’t deserve that.  Come & see me this afternoon, I need a new copier.” read the full blog here

Hope you enjoyed these awesome stories and please share these with others.  Part 2 will air on the 17th of May.

-=Good Selling=-