As an information hub in today's organization, the mail center is just as mission-critical as the call center, PBX voice system and IT infrastructure. Yet, many mailing systems sales discussions taper off after the major points of price, feature and functionality of the major equipment, making it difficult for the mail center manager to get an accurate picture of the best mailing system for the long term. Following is a list of the top 10 questions that should be covered in the sales cycle and some context for understanding their importance to your business.
Mailing Systems
1. What mailing system options and products do you offer to help me customize the best mailing systems solution for my business?
For more organizations, it's the standard mail center equipment like postage meters and folder/inserters that drive the purchase decision, but eventually, most businesses will seek out complementary components to create a total mailing system. Eventually, you may want to tie billing codes to employee ID badges or find software packages to manage internal mail routing or mail center accounting.
Purchasing these systems from a single vendor will help ensure system compatibility, give you a single point of contact and eliminate the fingerpointing among vendors, which can occur when disparate systems fail to work together. Getting to know your vendors' product lines and visions for the industry will help you assess their experiences with your type of business.
2. What is the average cost of supplies?
When comparison shopping for equipment based on price, it's important to factor in the ongoing costs of ink, sponges, brushes, ribbon cartridges, software upgrades and other supplies to calculate the total cost of ownership. Be sure to ask how often the supplies will need replacing, and try to follow the manufacturer's usage guidelines to obtain maximum yield.
3. How do I gauge what type of meter to purchase to make sure the systems can handle new demands as my business continues to grow?
First, stay abreast of the changes projected for the U.S. Postal Service, which routinely decertify older equipment in favor of newer technologies that support its own goals for mail processing. Look for a digital meter that supports, or can be converted to support, information-based indicia printing the next big wave in the USPS requirements. ·
Second, so the best system can be recommended, make sure your vendor understands your current and projected needs. Consider whether you need accounting functions, the ability to charge back postage to various departments or customers, the need to process mailpieces in a variety of sizes and shapes or the need to run mail through the system automatically.
Contracts
4. Do I have a choice of whether to lease equipment or purchase equipment?
According to USPS regulations, only the meter is required to be rented this part typically plugs into the larger mailing system, which can usually be purchased or leased. Consult with your accounting group to discuss the depreciation benefits of purchasing the equipment versus the ability to expense a monthly lease payment.
5. Is there a service contract?
You can expect to pay roughly 10 to 20% of the equipment purchase price for the service contract, but its value to your business depends on several variables. What parts and supplies are covered? What is the response time? Be sure to check the vendor's track record by requesting a list of customer references that can speak about their quality of service.
6. What response time can I expect for service and supplies?
When you're trying to get the mail out, if you're in a rural area, your proximity to the vendor's location adds travel time to the equation. Ask whether the vendor offers phone-based support, which is useful for problems users can fix quickly by themselves, or sends a technician out for every call to ensure personal attention.
Ongoing Maintenance
7. How will I perform routine tasks like adding postage to the meter or changing rates on the scale?
Traditionally, scales require installation of a new chip every time rates change, which can cost more than $200 to $300. Adding postage to the meter can take several days as funds are transferred and cleared. Newer equipment features an internal modem that enables users to dial into a data line to download new rates or add postage immediately.
8. How do I train the mail center staff to use the equipment?
Most vendors will provide on-site training at the time of installation or setup. You might want to review the equipment manuals for readability and ease of comprehension. If your mail center undergoes a fair amount of staff turnover, you should ask whether your vendor charges a fee for additional training sessions. Making sure your staff understands proper operating and maintenance guidelines can pay in terms of productivity, supply yield and the life of the equipment.
9. Will you continue to be my personal service representative, or will I have to call a help line when I need assistance?
A customer service help line is the fastest way to provide machine setup, operating instructions or any trouble-shooting that can be performed with a little informed coaching. Having access to personal on-site service can be mission critical when the problem involves equipment malfunctions, broken belts or other problems that require parts or deeper knowledge to diagnose and correct.
10. Ask if he is a local or a national sales representative?
As a national representative for a large organization, your vendor may have more direct access to the parts and service you need more quickly especially for businesses located in urban settings. You can also expect a greater degree of turnover as your representative progresses the ranks of the larger organization. Locally owned, independent dealers are distinct from the manufacturer, but a dealer often has a stronger commitment to personal service if its business is tied to its reputation in your community.
Using these questions will help make sure you bring up the important facts that may impact the solutions your vendor recommends and alert your vendor to the needs of its customers, which may help spur innovation by the manufacturer. Most importantly, an informed approach to the evaluation process will help you make the best long-term decisions for a mission-critical information hub in your organization.
A 20-year veteran of high-tech business development, Larry Turner is president of Francotyp-Postalia (FP) Inc. FP offers innovative traditional and online mailing solutions. For more information, visit www.fp-usa.com.
