Thanks my friends everyone, but sometimes, it is very diffcult to evaluate the cusotmers' status especially new customers.
Anyway, we will have to try, I am really depressed by this problem. Thank you every one my friends again. 2008/10/25 SIP <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > A lot of people ask for free samples just to get free products. That's > an unfortunate, but common occurrence. However, some people ask for free > samples because they're in the market to buy, but with you overseas, > there's no where locally for them to look at the product or try it out > before they purchase. It could end up being wasted money for THEM. > > The compromise is difficult. First, you have to be good at judging your > customers' intentions. Is the person asking for a sample likely to > actually buy? What's the time table of a purchase if they're going to > make one? Do they have a budget already for whatever project they're > working on? Etc, etc. These are basic, and essential sales questions > that you should be asking any prospective customers. This will help you > a lot to determine whether or not a customer is serious. > > Next, I don't think offering a free sample on a permanent basis is a > good thing. Cisco will routinely loan us hardware (sometimes long term) > when we need to evaluate a product in a testing environment. But at the > end of the day, it's just a loan. We either have to return it to them as > per a pre-specified agreement, or we'll be billed for it. With you being > overseas, collections might be difficult, but if you're careful, you can > minimise the potential losses. > > However, there WILL be losses. As a hardware seller, you need to be > aware of that. You just have to do what you can to make them manageable. > Don't start off offering a loan of equipment until you get to know the > customer's needs better, so you can decide if they're worth the risk and > you can offer the RIGHT equipment. > > You're going to have to get to know the customer a bit and actually > listen to what they have to say, though. You can't just try and sell > your products to anyone and everyone asking for anything VoIP-related. > > Things you should know before even suggesting a loan: > > 1) What type of equipment is the customer interested in? > 2) What's the project that the customer needs this equipment for? > 3) Is there any other equipment that the customer has been looking at > (i.e. who's your competition in the deal)? > 4) What's the time-table for this project? Is it within the next few > months? Next six months? Within a year? > 5) Does the project already have a budget, or is this evaluation for a > proposal to GET a budget. If it's for a proposal, is there any > information you can help provide to distinguish yourself from the > competition? > 6) Is the customer you're talking to the decision-maker for this > project, or will you have to also convince someone higher up? > > Get in the habit of getting to know the customers by name. Keep a good > contact database with information about your customers and their > businesses and projects. Follow up via phone when the time-table is > nearing completion, but do NOT call every week asking if anything has > changed. > > A loan can go a long way toward helping someone better understand your > products and their strengths. It will also help the customer feel as > though you're serious about getting their business. But as a loan, > there's an understanding that if things don't work out, it will be > returned (this isn't always the case, of course, but you hope for honesty). > > > N. > > > > > Andy Spring wrote: > > Hello everyone friends, > > > > As a chinese supplier, we often meet this kind of status, so many > > foreign cusotmers ask for free samples from us, > > but the sample is also high value not only several dollars, even if it > > worth several dollars, if so many customers ask > > for free samples, we also can not afford them. > > > > By this status, should we send the free samples to our customers? if > > you, how will you do? if not send them free samples > > maybe we will lose customers. In fact, the cost of sample is hihger > > then unit goods for bulk order. > > We have also some policy about the sample, like charger higher price > > for sample(s) and when our customers (especially new customers) > > place bulk order, we will return the sample cost to them, but even by > > this way, they still do not want to pay for the sample price, > > what could we do, do you have any better advice. > > > > Thank you very much, my friends here everyone! > > > > Best regards > > > > -- > > andy > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > > > _______________________________________________ > > --Bandwidth and Colocation Provided by http://www.api-digital.com-- > > > > asterisk-biz mailing list > > To UNSUBSCRIBE or update options visit: > > http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-biz > > > _______________________________________________ > --Bandwidth and Colocation Provided by http://www.api-digital.com-- > > asterisk-biz mailing list > To UNSUBSCRIBE or update options visit: > http://lists.digium.com/mailman/listinfo/asterisk-biz > -- andy [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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