KeepItPrinting.com

[Guest]

JUST WANTED TO INFORM EVERYONE THE BOYS AT KMART HAVE DONE IT AGAIN!!!! IF YOU HAVE A KONICA MINOLTA DEALER IN YOUR AREA THEY NOW HAVE ACCESS TO THE COMPLETE KIP LINE AND YOU CAN DO NOTHING ABOUT IT! WE HAVE WORKED A FEW DEALS FOR QUITE SOME TIME AND LOST THEM DUE TO KONICA MINOLTA TRYING TO MOVE THERE PRODUCTS AND DROPING THEIR PANTS AND SELLING THE KIP BOX WITH THEIR PRODUCTS AT COST WITCH IS ONLY $500.00 MORE THAN DEALER PRICING. WE DID KNOW THEY HAD ACCESS TO THE PRODUCT LINE AND COULD SELL AS A ENGINEERING SOLUTION WITH THE PS7000 SCANNER BUT WE DIDNT THINK WE HAD TO FEAR COMPETION WITH THEM WHEN SELLING WALK UP COPIERS!!!! ANYWAY IF YOU HAVE A KONICA MINOLTA DEALER IN YOUR AREA IT SEEMS THEY TOO WILL BE SELLING THE KIP PRODUCTS WITH NO RESPECT FROM THEM OR KIP TO REIMBURSE THE LONG TIME DEALER / SERVICE PROVIDER TO THAT AREA. WHAT DICKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Concerned Vet]

I have noticed this as well. As for KIP being "dicks", that is a well established fact and is unlikely to change.

Couple of options:

1) Pick up Xerox, that's what we did. KIP's pollution of the dealer pool will only make for unhappy KIP Customers down the road, they will hate KIP, and I will be there with by BIG X hat on.

(just a note, have recived more support from X in 1 month than in 5 years of K)

2) Fight total war. Do FM's, which they will not. Rentals and CPC programs will put them back on their heels.

3) Stop buying toner from KIP America. That is how you hurt them.

4) KIP needs Konica-Minolta more than you, because they are going to be the ones to sell the "color machine". This Color machine is going to cost $150k. I know maybe 10 dealers in the country that can play at that level financially.

5) Be better at it than them. My pitch is "K-M is a fine company, but if you want to be someone's learning curve, I can respect that. Go where they can't, do what they won't. Sell specialization. WF is much more important than a copier to the customer's operation.

If you are waiting for KIP to grow Integrity, Backbone, Balls, or any sort of Sales and Marketing ability, keep waiting.

The people who run KIP America don't know the first thing about sales and how to run a dealer network. They have chosen to take their cues from Oce.

Sonny, if you are reading this, get yourself some real sales people and a V.P. of marketing with some experioence and balls.

Your "business model" is not sustainable over the medium term. Your replacement will understand this.

[REPRODOGGIE]

Welcome Concerned Vet,

You make many salient points, but try not to get personal with the people at KIP America. Many of these calls are made several time zones away.

I agree, we must strive to differentiate ourselves from the copier whores. (I used to be one for many years so I get to say that!)

FM's are a must, if you are not in the repro business, better start.

Also, (from vast experience) copier salesmen are not long-lived. The average copier rep does not have the background, education, credibility, or desire to learn a complicated new product. The caliber of copier rep today is not what it once was (ask any copier veteran).

People will buy a cheap price once, get burned, and then look for quality representation. I also agree, people are going to hate their poorly serviced 3000's and want anything but a KIP next time around. Also the high pressure tactics of the average copier rep will sour most wide-format customers.

Those customers who buy only price are the same ones buying recycled paper and toner off of e-bay. You were not going to get rich on them anyway.

I am already hearing Oce say, "you bought cheap last time and got cheap, come home to the quality of an Oce. Yeah, it's more money, but that's because it's worth it."

Two to three years from now, these chickens will come home to roost, and those with access to products other than KIP will clean up.

I believe, unless the price is low enough, the color machine is a pipe dream. If it is over $150k, nobody will qualify for the lease. KIP will have to sell these directly or through specially appointed dealers who have the service and financial strength to play in that game.


Concentrate on what you can do to make your company different and better. Creativity is what is called for, not whining. Copier people are creative with leasing, I reccomend Marlin Leasing.

Also, it would help to know what K-M charges dealers for the machines.

Creativity, tenacity, longevity, and expertise. These are the weapons we have against K-M.

[Mr. Peabody]

Why is KIP always at war with their dealers? Why not try to develop dealers instead of always stabbing them in the back?

To sell more cheaper machines doen't mean your making more $$$. The 3000 may have a few more features than the Xerox, but the Xerox is better made.

KIP doesn't have the cash to develop a decent marketing plan. Why else would they do what they do? They should go back to building machines and leeve selling to a company that knows how.

[KIPROD]

Concerned Vet wrote:

I have noticed this as well. As for KIP being "dicks", that is a well established fact and is unlikely to change. Couple of options: 1) Pick up Xerox, that's what we did. KIP's pollution of the dealer pool will only make for unhappy KIP Customers down the road, they will hate KIP, and I will be there with by BIG X hat on. (just a note, have recived more support from X in 1 month than in 5 years of K) 2) Fight total war. Do FM's, which they will not. Rentals and CPC programs will put them back on their heels. 3) Stop buying toner from KIP America. That is how you hurt them. 4) KIP needs Konica-Minolta more than you, because they are going to be the ones to sell the "color machine". This Color machine is going to cost $150k. I know maybe 10 dealers in the country that can play at that level financially. 5) Be better at it than them. My pitch is "K-M is a fine company, but if you want to be someone's learning curve, I can respect that. Go where they can't, do what they won't. Sell specialization. WF is much more important than a copier to the customer's operation. If you are waiting for KIP to grow Integrity, Backbone, Balls, or any sort of Sales and Marketing ability, keep waiting. The people who run KIP America don't know the first thing about sales and how to run a dealer network. They have chosen to take their cues from Oce. Sonny, if you are reading this, get yourself some real sales people and a V.P. of marketing with some experioence and balls. Your "business model" is not sustainable over the medium term. Your replacement will understand this.

...To be a dick you have to have some level of intelligence THEY ARE IDIOTS or better said IDIOT WHORES they are hurting their base and it is a matter of time 'till some other vendor catches up and all these dealers which by the way have always been loyal to them will turn their back on them and stick it back to them... this arrogance wont last long you'll see....

[GR81]

Not to fuel the fire, but here is some news for you.
Konica-Minolta, just caught Oce snoozing.
They got the Fed-Ex Kinko's account, and they are putting a KIP 3000 in everyone of them.
This is one reason why KIP is going with them!!
This could help you out, the 3000 is now going to get a great deal of exposure at Kinko's.

[lhendrix]

Are you seriously worried about competition from the KM boys? Look at it this way; If you're a KIP tech, chances are, like most of us, you started off as a copier tech so you know what the copier world is like. It's a cut throat business where some manufacturers will offer a dealership to anyone who can fog a mirror. Everybody has a box that will put toner on paper and has similar (if not exact) features. All for about the same price. So what do you do to set yourself apart? You provide better service. You take the inititive to learn computers and AutoCAD and networking and basket weaving and anything else you have to do to provide your customers with something that most of the others aren't able or willing to do. And you put a foot in your sales rep's ass to get him to do likewise so that when you're in a competitive situation against brand x or even another KIP dealer it will be a no-brainer for the prospect to go with you instead of the other guys. And besides, this is all new to KM so you'll always have more experience technically than they will.
So welcome the competition and use it as an opportunity to show everyone that your service kicks ass! And if it doesn't work out with KIP, those skills you've developed are what they're looking for over at Oce or Xerox!
_________________
I used to be indecisive...but now I'm not so sure

[phan6622]

I am worried about competition from KM when they offer government pricing to a local municipality and their sell price is real close to my cost.. Gov agencies buy almost exclusively on price around here..