Subscriber Discussion

Sales Call. You Know You Are In Trouble When The Customer Says...

JH
Jay Hobdy
Aug 05, 2017
IPVMU Certified

"Yeah I finally decided to step up and stop buying cheap cameras, we are now using Ubiquiti cameras even though they are $150 a camera."

 

 

Not sure how much education this is going to take...

(4)
JH
John Honovich
Aug 05, 2017
IPVM

Jay, do you want to educate him to use even more expensive cameras like Axis or Avigilon? Or do you want to educate him to use less expensive cameras like Dahua or Hikvision?

I do get the irony that $150 per camera is now considered expensive but not sure which way you are going with this.

JH
Jay Hobdy
Aug 05, 2017
IPVMU Certified

We sell Dahua but do not sell them for $150.

My point was this client thinks he is getting the best thing out there.

(2)
UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #1
Aug 06, 2017

Did you ask your client how he came to decide that Dahua was what he needed for his application?  I'd also ask him why he called you to take a look if he already knows what he's going to buy and what he's going to pay for it.  Just because someone is asking you for a price, it doesn't mean you have to give them one. 

Why not just tell the guy that since he already knows what he needs and what he's going to pay for it, to buy it and put it in himself.  Tell him you charge a 15% (or whatever) 'handling' fee for installing equipment purchased elsewhere and offer him an hourly labor rate for on-site configuration, post installation service, etc. and move on to the next prospect.  Surely it makes more sense for you to spend your time talking to someone that is interested in taking your professional recommendation to solve a problem for them.

You started this thread with "You know you're in trouble when..."  That statement alone says you've already admitted that you're not going to sell this guy anything unless you're selling on price.  Why go through the motions and waste your time, energy and effort when you could be chasing bigger fish that want to talk about more than your 'best and final' price on a $150 camera?  You know damn well that no matter what you do, this guy is going to go quiet on you and you'll find out 6 weeks from now he bought it all online.  Let him tie up your competitors sales person going back and forth for weeks over $142.50 vs. $139.99.

(2)
JH
Jay Hobdy
Aug 06, 2017
IPVMU Certified

The customer has multiple locations, so they have used various cameras in the past, and I guess the last ones were Ubiquiti.

 

I do not think he is decided on Ubiquiti here, nor did he specify Dahua. We use Dahua a lot in this vertical because apartments are typically not buying Axis, Avigilon etc. 

 

He has had some issues in the past, and I do not believe he is completely happy with his current solution/provider. So we were called.

 

 

But you are right, we will not spend a lot of time on this. Knock out a quick proposal and follow up a couple times. We already did the site survey, and it is a very small project. But he owns much bigger properties so....

U
Undisclosed #2
Aug 07, 2017
IPVMU Certified

"Yeah I finally decided to step up and stop buying cheap cameras..."

A customer's inclination may be more important than his stated target price point.  Yours is already leaning the right way, see how far you can take it:

"It's refreshing to hear that you understand the difference between cheap vs. inexpensive.  And certainly Ubiquiti makes a few models that are a step up from the standard Costco offering.  And for not too much more you are in the ballpark of some really top-notch cameras, ones that just a few years ago cost twice as much.  Like this model, for instance..."

(1)
(1)
Avatar
Paul Grefenstette
Aug 07, 2017

When you sell cheap cameras expect to compete with other cheap cameras right?

U
Undisclosed #3
Aug 07, 2017

.....but do you use Ubiquiti wireless??

Avatar
Paul Grefenstette
Aug 07, 2017

I love ubnt wireless products and even their switches but their cameras are not for the clients I sell to

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