Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Results 11 to 18 of 18
  1. #11
    Senior Tech 250+ Posts
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Posts
    437
    Rep Power
    38

    Re: How to fire a customer?

    Hahaha, unfortunately, both my patience and the dealership owner's patience has been exhausted. We are not interested in putting up with this customer any longer. Even if I wanted to increase their rates, my hands are bound: they are a customer of KMBS and I am just some tiny dealer. I have to battle KM every so often about them dumping a machine in my extremely-high C.O.L. area and offering major-city click rates. It is next to impossible to get KM to increase rates, with the minimal amount of "pull" our dealership has.

  2. #12
    Service Manager 5,000+ Posts
    How to fire a customer?

    SalesServiceGuy's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Nova Scotia
    Posts
    7,698
    Rep Power
    223

    Re: How to fire a customer?

    If you are a KM dealer, you signed a KM dealer agreement that probably says you must honor all national account installs delivered into your territory at the designated rates.

    Talk to your KM dealer Manager and make sure he understands the situation.

    His boss is likely to say tough, service the account or lose your dealership.

    If this account is really important to KM they will offer you a bunch of freebies to offset your aggravation.

    According to the legal document that you may have signed, you do not get to pick and choose what accounts you get to service.

    If you are not a KM dealer, you can make your own decisions.

  3. #13
    Service Manager 10,000+ Posts
    How to fire a customer?

    BillyCarpenter's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2020
    Location
    Long Beach, Mississippi
    Posts
    13,375
    Rep Power
    448

    Re: How to fire a customer?

    Quote Originally Posted by SalesServiceGuy View Post
    If you are a KM dealer, you signed a KM dealer agreement that probably says you must honor all national account installs delivered into your territory at the designated rates.

    Talk to your KM dealer Manager and make sure he understands the situation.

    His boss is likely to say tough, service the account or lose your dealership.

    If this account is really important to KM they will offer you a bunch of freebies to offset your aggravation.

    According to the legal document that you may have signed, you do not get to pick and choose what accounts you get to service.

    If you are not a KM dealer, you can make your own decisions.

    Fact Check: True

    However, there's usually language in your dealer agreement that allows a dealer flexibility. That's why it may be best to charge this customer for calls that are unnecessary.

  4. #14
    Senior Tech 250+ Posts
    How to fire a customer?


    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Posts
    258
    Rep Power
    33

    Re: How to fire a customer?

    That's a tough one. We've all had difficult customers. I've got customers that can be hard to deal with plus they owe us money. Is the customer close to your office or hours away? If they are not close I would charge a travel fee. I would also set up the email counter reads so you wont have to call them for that. I'm always respectful when I'm at their place of business even if they are difficult. I look at it as a challenge to win them over. You could always bring by some donuts and coffee next time you'll are out there. If they have network issues I would definitely charge them for that. Reaching out to Konica Minolta was a good suggestion. These are tough financial times and unfortunately every account good or bad is needed.

  5. #15
    Geek Extraordinaire 2,500+ Posts KenB's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Cleveland, Ohio
    Posts
    3,949
    Rep Power
    126

    Re: How to fire a customer?

    Tell the customer that you must charge them a 300% PITA tax.

    Let them figure out what that means.
    “I think you should treat good friends like a fine wine. That’s why I keep mine locked up in the basement.” - Tim Hawkins

  6. #16
    Retired 10,000+ Posts
    How to fire a customer?

    slimslob's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    Bakersfield, CA
    Posts
    34,126
    Rep Power
    989

    Re: How to fire a customer?

    Quote Originally Posted by 907tec View Post
    My problem is specifically related to their office manager and how much bs we have to endure. Every interaction is contentious and unnecessarily drawn out due to this. I spent 45 minutes on the phone this week trying to get a meter count from this person. Still haven't gotten it.
    That office manager has a boss whether it be someone local or a corporate office somewhere else. That is the person you need to be talking to, either directly or through KMBS account manager who made the original sale. Most likely you are not the only person who is having problems with the office manager. Uours just might be the complaint that bring swift action, like released for cause.

  7. #17
    Senior Tech 250+ Posts progoffice's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Posts
    319
    Rep Power
    49

    Re: How to fire a customer?

    This is why we never include maintenance in a lease and are very picky when it comes to interterritorial service contracts. The power should be on both sides to cancel if one party is not satisfying the terms of the contract. As far as meters go, can you not set the machine up to send those to you? The C368 is a good machine, so there shouldn't be too many service calls on it, but if the customer is just one of those that's never happy you've got to let them go. When you threaten to take service away, they'll either back off with the unnecessary bitching or be glad to send their bitching to some other unfortunate dealer. If they owe you money in addition to all the headaches, the answer should be pretty clear. Don't let Konica tell you how to run your business either. Their probably making money on your service for this machine and not having to deal with any of the problems, plus you're having to buy parts and toner to service the machine. Sometimes you win by losing, in this case a bad customer.

  8. #18
    Senior Tech 100+ Posts
    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Location
    Fort Wayne Indiana
    Posts
    137
    Rep Power
    26

    Re: How to fire a customer?

    Quote Originally Posted by 907tec View Post
    Oh boy, where to begin...

    To start with...we are but lowly dealers. Konica doesn't have any other representation for a thousand miles. We are remote enough that we can pretty much operate undisturbed: KMBS rarely contacts us for anything. This is a KMBS-direct customer, not a sale/maintenance contract that our dealership made. It is a pretty new machine (C368), and I have no issues with the machine condition or it's treatment. My problem is specifically related to their office manager and how much bs we have to endure. Every interaction is contentious and unnecessarily drawn out due to this. I spent 45 minutes on the phone this week trying to get a meter count from this person. Still haven't gotten it.

    We are an extremely small outfit (down to 2 techs right now), and neither one of us has the patience to deal with the person. We are just flat out done. I can't even imagine a click-rate that would make me entertain the idea of keeping this customer....but it would be like a buck a page, minimum. mono. Five bucks color. Double-click on anything over 5.5x8.5.
    Send them a bill for 1000.00. Explain all your grievances. Then wait and see.

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Get the Android App
click or scan for the Copytechnet Mobile App

-= -= -= -= -=


IDrive Remote Backup

Lunarpages Internet Solutions

Advertise on Copytechnet

Your Link Here