EMAIL SECURITY

[SalesServiceGuy]

Re: EMAIL SECURITY

Do what you feel is right. I wouldn't do it. I would simply recommend the software and point them to the website so they can buy it from the source. That's just me.

Copier salespeople sell software all of the time. Papercut, Equitrac, Docuware, you name it. Why is security software any different?

Copier sales people can easily blend in the cost of a product like XM SendSecure into a copier lease and add it as a free bonus. $2k adds about $40.00 month to a 60 month lease.

To me, this product is not much different than adding a $2K Staple finisher to a copier lease.

[n25an]

Re: EMAIL SECURITY

I've been in sales for many years and this is not something anyone wants to do unless you want to risk losing a customer. Think about. I pitch you on this software and then mark up the price so that I can make a profit. Lets say they love the software. You with me so far?

But months later they venture over to the website of the software company and find out they could have gone straight to the source and bought it cheaper.

That would leave a bad taste in my mouth. Very bad taste.

I'd be better off just recommending it to them and telling them to go to the website and buy it themselves. That would help ensure that they would remember me when it was time to buy a new copier.

its nice to meet a salesperson with a heart...
but you aren't trying to sell them the software...
you are trying to help them manage their IT infrastructure...
copiers is a dying business...
he who will survive must diversify...
and you aren't selling the software per say... you are selling the support and installation of the software...
me personally... I just do the installs... I leave the thinking to people that can afford it...
my job is rain or shine to support...
I let sales do what sales do...
afterall they are considered an asset to the company
and my department is considered a liability
their department brings in the cash
my department spends it...
but thats just my opinion...

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: EMAIL SECURITY

Copier salespeople sell software all of the time. Papercut, Equitrac, Docuware, you name it. Why is security software any different?

Copier sales people can easily blend in the cost a product like XM SendSecure into a copier lease and add it as a free bonus. $2k adds about $40.00 month to a 60 month lease.

To me, this product is not much different than adding a $2K Staple finisher to a copier lease.

Here's my philosophy when it comes to selling anything.

First and foremost: Honesty.

I would have to be upfront with the customer and tell them that they could purchase any software from the manufacturer for cheaper than they could get if from me. If that is indeed the case.

Now, if it's proprietary software from the copier manufacturer that required a tech to install and train, that's a different story. Or if I'm gonna provide some kind of long term support for the software that I can't get from the source. I don't think that's the case with your email security software. Could be wrong.

As long as a sales person is completely upfront and honest and they let the customer know that they can get it from the source, I've got no problem with. As long as they know their options from the jump.

[SalesServiceGuy]

Re: EMAIL SECURITY

Attacks are always based on return on investment. If you have data worth paying for, someone will try to get to it...there are way worse threats than ransomattacks. Like I always say no system is 100% guaranteed to work. They are just deterrents.

JC

Mike Smit, an associate professor in Dalhousie University's school of information management, said it's not unusual for hackers to spend some time getting to know the system before making their move.

Sometimes, they decide to go after personal banking information and make several smaller attempts. Or they go after a lump-sum amount, shut down the system and demand a ransom.

Then, there's a third variation, said Smit. If the hackers manage to collect a lot of personal, or sensitive information, they will threaten to publish it online if a ransom isn't paid.

Officials confirm cyberattack on Saint John was ransomware | CBC News

[n25an]

Re: EMAIL SECURITY

Here's my philosophy when it comes to selling anything.

First and foremost: Honesty.

I would have to be upfront with the customer and tell them that they could purchase any software from the manufacturer for cheaper than they could get if from me. If that is indeed the case.

Now, if it's proprietary software from the copier manufacturer that required a tech to install and train, that's a different story. Or if I'm gonna provide some kind of long term support for the software that I can't get from the source. I don't think that's the case with your email security software. Could be wrong.

As long as a sales person is completely upfront and honest and they let the customer know that they can get it from the source, I've got no problem with. As long as they know their options from the jump.

I see where you are coming from...
but you aren't selling them a part...
you are selling them at best expertise...
and at worse a feeling of peace of mind...

if they look hard enough they can get most anything out there cheaper than what we offer it for...
but can they put it together...
can they maintain it...
can they survive that day that always comes when everything goes wrong...

they are paying you for that feeling that someone gave them a good deal and someone is going to be coming on a white horse when the crapper hits the fan...

make no bones about it... even if they got a good deal... they still hate you... and if they could they would do without you...
but we are a necessary evil as are all techs in the tech and information space...

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: EMAIL SECURITY

I see where you are coming from...
but you aren't selling them a part...
you are selling them at best expertise...
and at worse a feeling of peace of mind...

if they look hard enough they can get most anything out there cheaper than what we offer it for...
but can they put it together...
can they maintain it...
can they survive that day that always comes when everything goes wrong...

they are paying you for that feeling that someone gave them a good deal and someone is going to be coming on a white horse when the crapper hits the fan...

make no bones about it... even if they got a good deal... they still hate you... and if they could they would do without you...
but we are a necessary evil as are all techs in the tech and information space...

Look, like I said, I've been in sales for a long time. I said that if my company can offer the customer something that they can't get from the source that there's value in that. And I can charge for that.

As a salesperson, I must by very careful because I can put myself in trick bag that's almost impossible to get out of without losing trust and credibility. There's a fine line.

I still want to know what value a local company can bring in the way of support to XM Send Secure? The customer can purchase it straight from the source and if they have an IT person, they should be cable of any updates and/or support. I mean, that is their job.

[n25an]

Re: EMAIL SECURITY

Look, like I said, I've been in sales for a long time. I said that if my company can offer the customer something that they can't get from the source that there's value in that. And I can charge for that.

As a salesperson, I must by very careful because I can put myself in trick bag that's almost impossible to get out of without losing trust and credibility. There's a fine line.

I still want to know what value a local company can bring in the way of support to XM Send Secure? The customer can purchase it straight from the source and if they have an IT person, they should be cable of any updates and/or support. I mean, that is their job.

information technology people capable...

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: EMAIL SECURITY

information technology people capable...

Uh huh. And who do you feel is more capable of supporting XM send secure if not an IT guy that works for the customer? An IT guy that works for a copier company? Or a sales person? C'mon now.

[n25an]

Re: EMAIL SECURITY

Uh huh. And who do you feel is more capable of supporting XM send secure if not an IT guy that works for the customer? An IT guy that works for a copier company? Or a sales person? C'mon now.

Tech guys know tech guys...
in a copier company we will find the solution... we would never have supported software we can't handle...
its just common sense

An office admin is going to be able to judge the capabilities of a tech guy... not likely...
in an office a tech guy is trying to get a pay check... he will try his best but in the end he will probably quit and get a better job if it gets too tough... or when he can no longer hide his incompetence... and then leave the office admin to hold the bag...

tech people aren't what they used to be... its not a career for them... they come and go like nothing... half the time... when I go to work on the copier... they leave me alone... when I go to work on network issues... they give me all the passwords to the server and walk away... they know I know what I am doing and they really don't want to know what I do...

they just want to take the credit for the solution...

IT people are generalists...
copier tech support people are specialists...
what can I say...
I wish it were different

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: EMAIL SECURITY

Tech guys know tech guys...
in a copier company we will find the solution... we would never have supported software we can't handle...
its just common sense

An office admin is going to be able to judge the capabilities of a tech guy... not likely...
in an office a tech guy is trying to get a pay check... he will try his best but in the end he will probably quit and get a better job if it gets too tough... or when he can no longer hide his incompetence... and then leave the office admin to hold the bag...

tech people aren't what they used to be... its not a career for them... they come and go like nothing... half the time... when I go to work on the copier... they leave me alone... when I go to work on network issues... they give me all the passwords to the server and walk away... they know I know what I am doing and they really don't want to know what I do...

they just want to take the credit for the solution...

IT people are generalists...
copier tech support people are specialists...
what can I say...
I wish it were different

I definitely have no experience with servers or network security. Or email security. But I would think if someone hired an IT guy that they're well versed in network security and email security. Seems like something that's important to know for an IT guy. I guess they could always source network security out and then blame that person if something goes wrong.

[n25an]

Re: EMAIL SECURITY

I definitely have no experience with servers or network security. Or email security. But I would think if someone hired an IT guy that they're well versed in network security and email security. Seems like something that's important to know for an IT guy. I guess they could always source network security out and then blame that person if something goes wrong.

you get what you pay for...
degree and certificates do not necessarily translate to skills...
and the internet is filled with lots of information... if you know what you are doing much of it is turn key...
in many cases they come into an environment where the infrastructure is already built..
or something breaks and they have to replace it...
or they need an upgrade and they get the best quote and the office mgr decides...
but when they have to think...
there is where you see the difference...
there is where you see what you pay for...
and in many cases you see a lot of them can't hack it...
its rare that I have met an IT person that really knew what they were doing...
they just keep track of vendors...
and are specialists in one area...

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: EMAIL SECURITY

you get what you pay for...
degree and certificates do not necessarily translate to skills...
and the internet is filled with lots of information... if you know what you are doing much of it is turn key...
in many cases they come into an environment where the infrastructure is already built..
or something breaks and they have to replace it...
or they need an upgrade and they get the best quote and the office mgr decides...
but when they have to think...
there is where you see the difference...
there is where you see what you pay for...
and in many cases you see a lot of them can't hack it...
its rare that I have met an IT person that really knew what they were doing...
they just keep track of vendors...
and are specialists in one area...

So, if I try to sell the IT person on some software, there's a good chance they're incompetent?

[n25an]

Re: EMAIL SECURITY

So, if I try to sell the IT person on some software, there's a good chance they're incompetent?

As a salesman, you try to see what you can get away with while not braking the bank... it also helps if they really need your wares...
so you craft a proposal after hearing the needs and you go from there... Information technology is a vast field... it takes far more to be competent today than it took years ago... even so... if you try and sell an IT guy on a product and he jumps at it... without saying he will get back to you... I would be wary of his competence...unless you really know he has been looking for that solution and you have the perfect option... but thats not for you to worry about... what is for you to worry about is to make the sale and not break the bank while building a relationship where you can milk... sorry let me rephrase... best meet your customers needs... so they will be repeat buyers...

[BillyCarpenter]

Re: EMAIL SECURITY

As a salesman, you try to see what you can get away with while not braking the bank... it also helps if they really need your wares...
so you craft a proposal after hearing the needs and you go from there... Information technology is a vast field... it takes far more to be competent today than it took years ago... even so... if you try and sell an IT guy on a product and he jumps at it... without saying he will get back to you... I would be wary of his competence...unless you really know he has been looking for that solution and you have the perfect option... but thats not for you to worry about... what is for you to worry about is to make the sale and not break the bank while building a relationship where you can milk... sorry let me rephrase... best meet your customers needs... so they will be repeat buyers...

That's the way most potential customers view a salesman....someone that is phony and is only trying to build a relationship to "milk" the customer.

Do you know why most people don't trust a salesman? Because most have earned that reputation. I don't play that game and despise those that do.

[n25an]

Re: EMAIL SECURITY

That's the way most potential customers view a salesman....someone that is phony and is only trying to build a relationship to "milk" the customer.

Do you know why most people don't trust a salesman? Because most have earned that reputation. I don't play that game and despise those that do.

If you were not a salesperson would you have run across all your customers in regular life?
If you were not a salesperson would you have interacted with any of them?
Would they have been your friend or a close acquintance?
If you can answer yes to all those questions then you are a cut above the rest...
if not then you are a normal sales guy... to that I say... its the nature of the game... don't sweat it...
you provide a useful service... don't despise others that are mechanical about it...
so you put some soul into it and shoe shine on it...
thats nice too...