Cautionary Tale: Married to Old Ways and How It Costs Thousands

We exist in a struggling business world where you want to get ahead when possible. However, some people seem to care little about their finances, which seems crazy. For example, we wanted to attach a total cost of ownership comparison to show a real estate client. We put together a proposal that would have cost $75,000, compared to $150,000. Most people would feel flabbergasted by such a quote and propelled in a more cost-efficient direction, but this real estate company told us the recommended copiers were too small.

We have demonstrated our expertise to hundreds of customers who used the device for the same function. Now we have to give another quote for a larger copier, which we plan to do reluctantly. It frustrates us when you wholeheartedly attempt to help a customer find a copier appropriate for their volumes, and they have grown so used to dealing with sales reps that pad their pockets that they will not even listen to your proposal. The real estate company wants to let tens of thousands of dollars go up in smoke, so who are we to argue? We wish we could help every customer see the light, but unfortunately, you cannot help them all.