When your line of printers or copiers gets a new model on board, you’re excited to shop it around to existing clients or reach out to new prospects. But selling them on an upgrade can be an uphill climb.
After all, isn’t this the same piece of equipment they already own? Sure, it might have a few more options on it, but that means learning how to use it again. And in today’s volatile economy, many businesses are being overly cautious about capital expenditures like office equipment upgrades.
At this point, many dealers — and customers — just walk away from the potential sale. But if you have the right approach, you can show your customers how upgrading office equipment can be cost-effective while increasing inter- and intra-office productivity.
Let’s dive right into the details.
Upgrading Office Equipment: What You (And Your Customers) Need to Know
As any dealer knows, many customers are resistant to change. They may be hesitant to incur another capital expense, or they may just not want to deal with learning a new machine. Either way, you’ll need some hard facts at your disposal to show them the many ways an office equipment upgrade will benefit their business.
1. Look at the Realities of Equipment Lifespan
Office equipment lifespan isn’t infinite. In fact, on average, it’s about five years long.
Depending on the initial quality of the machine, lifespan can be even less, resulting in poor print quality, spotty network connectivity, paper jams, or obsolete printer or toner cartridges anywhere from three to five years after purchase.
This lifespan is non-negotiable, meaning no amount of critical care or maintenance is going to extend the life of the machines far beyond this point. And those little irritations can impact productivity, which in turn, impacts revenue.
Purchasing an upgraded machine helps companies avoid years of gradual equipment breakdown and keeps office workflow running smoothly.
2. Address the Cost/Benefit of Upgrading Office Equipment Before a Critical Breakdown
There are plenty of additional costs inherent in keeping an older machine usable — and a cost impact when the machine reaches the end of its useful life, often suddenly and without warning.
Point out that higher costs for hard-to-find printer and toner, additional maintenance costs, and high-priced service calls can add up to a considerable monetary outlay that can be better spent on a new, reliable, and more efficient machine.
There are also productivity costs incurred when a machine goes out of service and staff have to spend valuable time finding work-around options.
Depending on the nature of your customer’s business, these equipment “time-outs” can also result in breaks in service to their customers — and that impacts their integrity and reliability as a business.
3. Consider Managed Print Services (MPS) for Increased Cost Savings
Managed Print Services (MPS) are perfect for companies worried about keeping the latest — and best — office equipment available to their team.
An effective MPS program can cut their printing costs by up to 30% and allow your customers to free up staff to focus on more critical operational tasks. In addition, an MPS program will replace inefficient devices before equipment breakdown for uninterrupted workflow.
This system keeps clients upgraded to the latest office equipment while offering predictable costs along the way — perfect for the client who wants to avoid the sudden bottom-line impact of replacing an outdated machine that fails unexpectedly.
Making the Upgrade a Reality
As a dealer, it’s up to you to know your customers’ pain points and craft your upgrade pitch to solve them. The three suggestions offered above will give you the perfect way to start the conversation with existing customers — or open a dialogue with a new prospect.
Already have someone interested in upgrading office equipment? Contact Clover today to explore the latest and greatest in office equipment choices.
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