Preface
APS, ADF, FCOT, DADF, LCC, Trayless duplexing, I-fax, super G3, PDF encryption, PCL5, Postscript level 3, network printing, LDAP compatibility… welcome to the world of digital copiers. Gone are the days of the old analog copier that just made copies. Today’s digital copier can copy, print, scan, fax, email, access the internet, sort without bins, act as a file server on your network, even coordinate the flow of information throughout your organization. Oh, and if you need to walk up and just make a copy, they can do that too! There’s still a large green start button for the technologically impaired. (“Now, did the originals go face up or face down in the document feeder?”)
Today’s copier marketplace is changing rapidly and the buyer has many choices available to meet their document production needs. Vendors are adding new technology and new capabilities so quickly that some models are replaced in less than two years. HINT: Remember that when your sales rep suggests you sign that 60-month contract to “lower your payments.”
As an “industry insider”, I have sold copiers, printers and fax machines from Brother, Canon, Copystar, Hewlett-Packard, Konica Minolta, Kyocera Mita, Lexmark, NEC, Oki and Samsung. In all my years of selling office technology, I met one buyer that knew the majority of information in this book…just ONE! They were a print shop in Denton, Texas and had been making money selling copies for more than 20 years. They learned their information through years of trial and error, paying too much for equipment and getting sub-par service.
Most of the buyers I dealt with had little knowledge of how to choose the right copier to meet their needs. The majority of my clients relied on me to choose the correct brand, model, features, software, service and financing. Now I’m an honest guy and want to get the best equipment for my clients, but in a competitive deal the salesperson that comes in second makes no money. I can tell you that this fact makes many salespeople over-promise and under-deliver. I know this because some of these people were my co-workers and they were always scrambling to cover their butts.
Does this sound familiar?
“I guarantee you’ll get two-hour service when you copier goes down or we’ll bring you a loaner.”
(Well, nobody in the service department was notified of this verbal agreement and we cannot bring you a loaner when your copier is down only two hours)
“You’ll have no problem running 100# cover stock through the copier.”
(Yeah, but only if you hand-fed them one sheet at a time through the bypass tray)
“A cost-per-copy contract with one click charge for your equipment and service will save you money.”
(Unless you run more than your allotted monthly volume, when you’ll be overpaying for the equipment or if you run less than your monthly allotment where you’ll be paying a higher click charge per copy)
“We have the best service in the industry!”
(Who’s doing that judging? Nobody tracks customer satisfaction from every dealer nationwide.)
You’ve probably dealt with a few of these salespeople already or you wouldn’t realize the need for the information in this book. Having represented a direct manufacturer, a large national distributor and several local dealerships, I have seen the good, bad and ugly of the copier industry. Now I’m not naming any names, but I will share some of my personal experiences with you to make your purchasing process more informed, your bid process easier and your final selection for thousands of dollars less than you would have spent without this knowledge. Welcome to an insiders guide to buying copiers. In these pages you will learn how to buy the right copiers to meet your specific needs, at a fair price, with competitive service and leasing prices. |
My name is Artie Moskowitz and I have sold copiers for a large international manufacturer, a national dealership, several smaller local dealerships and my own company. In all my years of selling office technology, only one person knew the information I bring to you in this book… and they learned it the hard way, by making costly mistakes.
