Independent Service

[mloudy]

Re: Independent Service

Cash is king more than ever in this business. Both in the bank and in invnetory. When things go on backorder and you have nothing in stock you are in a world of hurt. When the forecast is that things are going to go on backorder and you have no cash to stock up you are soon to be in a world of hurt.

We are still dealing with this today even after most OEM's said things would be back to normal by now. Just last week I read how we needed to preapre for toner, parts and kits not being available until maybe October. We needed to have loaners ready to roll out and so on. I was suprised by how many dealers much larger than us are in panic mode because they would quickly run out of toner. They can't get it and they have very little in stock. This reminded me of the Konica toner shortage all over again. These are issues that you can refer to the ownership when you are a tech. When you are the owner this is the stuff that keeps you up at night.

[slimslob]

Re: Independent Service

Car repair is much different than copier repair. For starters, in car repair, the customer is coming to you. And there's a lot more cars than there are copiers. I would starve to death if my only income was when a new customer calls in to repair their copier. How many calls do you get in a week from a new customer wanting you to repair their copier?


I have one question for you. Do you think its wise not to have someone that knows copier sales and for them not to make sales calls each and every day?

- I don't agree with you on the website. Every company needs one but it's no solution for generating money, IMHO.

I have seen people that do car repair curb side in front of their house, cash only. They build their business by word of mouth.

With office equipment, the only way you get local businesses to come to you is to be the best damned tech in town on the make that they have. As for those businesses who have their equipment on maintenance contract you may have a chance of getting the contract when it comes due for renewal. Machines under lease are another animal entirely. Quite often the leasing company has the maintenance rolled into the leases. Then you had better have equipment ready to put out on lease or you are never going to get that customer.

[adecanmin]

Re: Independent Service

I have seen people that do car repair curb side in front of their house, cash only. They build their business by word of mouth.

With office equipment, the only way you get local businesses to come to you is to be the best damned tech in town on the make that they have. As for those businesses who have their equipment on maintenance contract you may have a chance of getting the contract when it comes due for renewal. Machines under lease are another animal entirely. Quite often the leasing company has the maintenance rolled into the leases. Then you had better have equipment ready to put out on lease or you are never going to get that customer.

Good points. When I started I did the leasing thing when I sold new stuff. Now I sell refurbished with 3 equal payments if they can't write a check for the whole amount. I'm sure I've lost sales because of it but for me it makes things much easier not having to bring in a leasing company. I've had some bad paying customers through the years when I was trying to build a business. I'm more selective with whom I want to work with. Less business but less hassle as well.

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: Independent Service

I have seen people that do car repair curb side in front of their house, cash only. They build their business by word of mouth.

With office equipment, the only way you get local businesses to come to you is to be the best damned tech in town on the make that they have. As for those businesses who have their equipment on maintenance contract you may have a chance of getting the contract when it comes due for renewal. Machines under lease are another animal entirely. Quite often the leasing company has the maintenance rolled into the leases. Then you had better have equipment ready to put out on lease or you are never going to get that customer.

Oh, don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that it's impossible to build a copier business with service. But I am saying that it's wrong way. There's a reason a most successful copier companies have a sales staff. That's where the money is at. When they sell a copier it generates thousands in profits on the machine and they sell the service contract with the machine.

When I work my sales territory I'm gathering information. I find out the make/model of their machines. How many pages per month they use and most importantly, when is the lease up. I enter all this info in my CRM and I have a huge database that tells me when the buying window is open. I keep in contact with a perspective buyer so that I'm fresh in their mind. I build a relationship with them. No one likes buying from a stranger that they've never done business with.

A person is literally leaving thousands and thousands of dollars on the table if they're not doing outbound sales calls. JMHO.

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: Independent Service

I want to pose this question to everyone who's business plan is to build thru service. What's the reason that you're not doing sales calls? Be honest.

[adecanmin]

Re: Independent Service

I hated doing it. My shortcoming. I didn't mind so much going door to door and handing out information about my company but I approached it as a service tech and not a salesman. What is the old adage. Salesmen be it women or men are born not made.

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: Independent Service

I hated doing it. My shortcoming. I didn't mind so much going door to door and handing out information about my company but I approached it as a service tech and not a salesman. What is the old adage. Salesmen be it women or men are born not made.

Herein lies the problem. Sales people aren't born. It's a teachable skill. I wasn't born knowing how to sell. I worked at it just like we all worked to become a service tech. Once you do enough sales calls it becomes much easier and eventually you'll become a professional and know how to handle all the different situations. Just like learning how to become a tech, you'll make mistakes and learn from them. If you want to make real money in the copier business, you need to learn sales or hire someone that knows how to sell. Don't sell yourself short. You can do it but first you must overcome your fear of selling to perfect strangers.

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: Independent Service

I want to share this story. I can't say for sure that's it's 100% true. I read it in a sales book many years ago.

There was this guy that got into outside sales because he didn't have any other skills. It was a job of last resort. He was scared to death of selling to perfect strangers. You know how he overcame his fear?

He would go knock on doors of perfect strangers and ask them if he could plant something in their back yard. He would have potted plant in hand. Most people were taken aback that he would ask them to do this. Some people would freak out on him. He kept doing it until his fear was gone and this made normal sales calls easy peasy.

[MAE]

Re: Independent Service

Based on your current financial situation, I don't think its wise to open up a new business. You said that you have $500 to operate your new company? If so, that's a recipe for disaster. I feel bad for telling you this. I'm just being honest with you.

My plan is to grow into it slowly while still doing what I do now. Is that foolish? Is this a business that you need to go all in right away?

[MAE]

Re: Independent Service

How much does everyone charge for service(s)? How many customers does one need to make a good living?

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: Independent Service

My plan is to grow into it slowly while still doing what I do now. Is that foolish? Is this a business that you need to go all in right away?

I think that's doable. Best of luck to you. I'm pulling for you.


You need to get the sales book that I told you about.

[adecanmin]

Re: Independent Service

I've always had a curiosity on how things worked. I took watches apart when I was little. You can teach anything to anybody but the ones with the aptitude for what is being taught rise to the top. This applies to music, sports etc. I consider myself a very good tech. I have good people skills but when it comes to sales. I fall short. No regrets that's just the way it is.

I think we scared off the op from starting his business.

[adecanmin]

Re: Independent Service

My plan is to grow into it slowly while still doing what I do now. Is that foolish? Is this a business that you need to go all in right away?

Doesn't hurt to try. I tried that for a little bit. It's tough when a customer calls and you have to do a service call on your lunch break it they'll wait that long.

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: Independent Service

I've always had a curiosity on how things worked. I took watches apart when I was little. You can teach anything to anybody but the ones with the aptitude for what is being taught rise to the top. This applies to music, sports etc. I consider myself a very good tech. I have good people skills but when it comes to sales. I fall short. No regrets that's just the way it is.

I think we scared off the op from starting his business.

I hear you man. Enjoyed the discussion.

[MAE]

Re: Independent Service

I think that's doable. Best of luck to you. I'm pulling for you.


You need to get the sales book that I told you about.