I love best practices, especially ones that have been used and work versus simply something talked about on a conference call and today, I heard one of the best ones I have heard in a while from Jon Evans of Choice Vending Supply in Salt Lake City, UT. I am certain this small investment will go a long way to growing sales, as it is already doing for Choice.
Jon has looked at our market start up costs versus our competition. When he considered that to win this particular large account he is working on, he had to be the orange in an apples to apples comparison. Thus, rather than just submitting a bid with a client that made the customer try to separate which fruit was better, Jon through an orange in the bucket by having the 32M operator add $1500 to his bid on a 2000 person site that contributed to new breakroom furniture – as Jon put – let’s contribute to the rehab of the breakroom. He helped them “spend the $1500” by suggesting things they could do with the money: new tables/chairs, new TV’s….he got them thinking beyond just a market sale, he got them thinking about an entire environment change. And how long will it take to recoup the investment on a large location like that? Probably less than a week.
Think outside the box. Know that often the offer and presentation that shows you put some thought to offer, something that is typically, can be BIG in the grand scheme. In this instance, it was the deal sealer. Nice work Jon and Choice Vending Supply.
Patrick (with 100% credit to Jon Evans)
Three Square Market 