Just over the last two days I have run across two Ricoh Business Solutions quotes, one was on the paper and the other was verbal. On both occasion's I have seen and heard Ricoh Business Solutions quote a deal for less than what I can buy the same system for.
What type of precedent is being set for the finest MFP's on the market place? Is it that you can buy them at wholesale price from the manufacturer? Hey, the guys at RBS say it all the time, WE ARE THE MANUFACTURER and YOU ARE BUYING FROM RICOH DIRECT! So, are all RBS the same as this one, who consistently goes in at cost pricing? I think not, most are highly trained, skillful and can sell a solution and make profit for the corporation! Most corporations need to make a profit in order to stay in business.
As you can tell I am upset over a veteran sales person who works for Ricoh to drop their drawers in order to get a deal. A deal in which I am in the incumbent and also where I spent hours on a cost analysis for the customer. Do, I expect to get the deal, hell yes! All the documentation has been signed and the order was placed, however due to the fact that this rep quoted a price of $111 less per month, I am now perceived as being to high, when actually I was 20% below list.
How do you explain this to the customer when they call? What can you say? I told him everything he needed to know, however when it comes down to it, the customer still wants to know why they can sell it for $6,660 less!!
Reps like this one give us all a bad name, he's bad because he looks like a snake and I'm bad because I looked like I charged him to much. The RBS rep has become "order taker" at best and has the sales skills of a rock!
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