RBS Sales Reps

Take a picture of the box before the machine is unboxed.  They all have Ricoh model numbers on them.  You could also show the customer the Ricoh TSC website.

People will do anything and say anything in this business to win a deal...

 

I like the idea of the news article. Couldn't you also have your reps carry a few pictures of the Savin model next to its corresponding Ricoh model to show they look exactly the same? Or use Buyer's Lab. Glad you still won the deal, even if there was low margins in it.

 

I've never understood why manufacturers have a direct and dealer presence in the same city. I guess they don't care because at the end of the day, they win either way.

Fisher/Czech

This what we've done now: pictures, buyers lab, and the ny times article.

They could care less. They asked us to drop our other lines and go back Ricoh only and we told them we would if they will close the RBS branch. Also told them there would be a monetary figure considering how expensive it gets taking on additional lines.

I had a RBS rep send an email to a 10 year customer of mine stating that he is now their Ricoh account representative.
This momentarily confused my customer and they thought I may have left my company. We are Ricoh dealers.
Fortunately my customer called me and I was able to quickly clear it up.
Makes me wonder how many others he sent the same email to. I will be sending out an email to my base.
I called our DSM directly and put his butt in a sling. If he calls on any of my accounts again he will lose his job.
If your DSM does nothing then go over their head.

We have just lost a major account who has been with us for almost 25 years, to Ricoh direct. I asked Ricoh for a bid (before I knew that I was up against my own supplier) just to find out that my net price was 20% above Ricoh directs end user price!

 

Not easy to beat them on those terms...

 

 

Our country manager told me that they did not do anything wrong, the customer had asked them for a quote, and according to EU legislation, they were not allowed to turn them down or tell them that they should stay with us. (I smell BS)

 

The quote was for around 20 A3 MFP's and 250+ A4 MFP's

 

 

We are unfortunately a monobrand dealer - maybe thats just stupid

 

 

What do you think?

Anders,

Because of the garbage Ricoh has done over the last 10 years is exactly why we have multiple lines now. If RBS is in on a deal I lead with something else. If canon is on the deal I lead with Ricoh or Samsung.

Canon Direct sold a machine to our customer 4,000.00 less than we can buy it from canon for. Regular commercial account down the street. Canon corporate didn't even bat an eye at it when I complained about it and showed them the quote.