Referrals
Once every while I get asked where is the best place to buy a PC. If you are a geek and know what you want or need, I recommend a local PC only retailer. From experience I know to warn people that their service sucks, or is better defined as non-existent. You will get the best deal for you dollar, but you’re on your own from there.
The second recommendation is Staples. Yup, the big box store that is known for office supplies. I tell people to avoid Office Depot, Best Buy, and especially Future Shop. If you are going local and from someone big, make it Staples.
There is nothing amazing about Staples, in fact they are quite average. Their products are very similar to those of the other stores which I tell people to stay away from, and the price is about the same. So why Staples? Because they deliver the service and product without too many surprises. They are stable and predictable.
Other big guys tend to be full of smoke and mirrors. They up sell like crazy. What is on the shelf is often missing in the supply room. Their sales people tend to act as if they know everything, and try to make stupid recommendations that are absolutely flawed.
A while back a friend purchasing a laptop was told to get a machine a step higher so she can run Vista when it comes out. So just when the hell is Vista coming out? What are the system requirements that are met by the other more expensive machine, but not the model she wanted in the first place? Truth is that realistically, neither of the two systems will run Vista properly. The recommendation is a gimmick aimed at adding fictional value.
I don’t expect the world from Staples, and they don’t act like they can deliver it. They are realistic, and I know what to expect. With the other guys you’d think that they sell geese that lay golden eggs, or products that will solve all your problems with the kids and marriage. They promise the world and you land up walking away with something you didn’t want or need after exceeding your budget by a couple of hundred of dollars. These people are in the business of making money, not providing solutions.
I’m sure Staples makes a pretty penny without offering fictional value. They make money while providing you with a real solution. That’s what good business is all about: providing good value while making money to be able to repeat the process again tomorrow. That ideology seems to be lost on the others whom seem to be in business only to make money, forgetting about delivering a solution and true value.
Manage your client’s expectations, and tell them exactly what you can deliver. Don’t promise the world, because at the end they’ll be left disappointed regardless how great your product is. On the flip side, even if your competition delivers a product or service that is inferior to yours, the client is likely to feel better about its purchase if their expectations were met. There will be no buyer’s remorse.
Be honest, upfront, and manage expectations. It’s the key to beating guys with pockets much deeper than your’s, which will not only be good for your bank account but also for the well being of your company in the long run. When you deliver at that level, people are not going to be afraid to recommend you to others and your business will grow.
When I recommend Staples, I know people will not walk out of there feeling like they got ripped off. Someone other than Staples may have a better deal or product, but that won’t mean much if the initial expectation exceeds value delivered in the end.