Potential Customer? 1

[Mountainbear]

I have an existing data customer who is asking if I can service their NEC phone system. Most likely adding a few ip phones maybe some changes once and a while. It is a fairly new system DT300 Series. The problem is I am an old Nortel guy who does a little BCM work. I hate to loose them as a customer. They are a small office and I am not really interested in paying for training since I won't get more than $500 worth of work a year. Is it even worth thinking about this or will I just embareass myself? There is already a local NEC dealer who installed the system. The customer has specifically said they are looking for someone OTHER than them to service it.

 

[whykap]

Don't you think you already lost their business since they bought a system from someone else? Did they give you a chance to bid on a system then?
My guess is that they don't like the service charges of the other company and looking at alternate avenues.
On the other hand work is work so if you are willing to put in the time to learn the system why not try to gain the business back?

 

[Mountainbear]

Thanks, just to clarify I was introduced to this customer after they had the system in place. I have been doing the data networking only.

 

[Westi]

talk to the customer and see if they were happy with the tech that serviced them and if so contact him/her and ask if they would mind giving you an hour or two of onsite training after hours on a personal basis and if so then you should be having enough to get by with what he/she can teach you then as you have already the phone basics and know IP requirements from the BCM.
If they on the other hand tell you that the tech that serviced them was not a good experience then you need to find other resources and manuals are for a complete startup on a new product a very painful way to learn.

Joe W.

FHandw, ACSS

 

[robertjo24]

In my mind, training is never wasted. Even if you only get $500 worth of work per year from this one customer, is it possible that this will open up doors for other customers? If this customer does not like the NEC certified vendor, then it is likely there are others in your area wishing they had someone they can trust.

Believe me, as an end user, there were several times I would have loved for someone to come around and rescue me from “the one” vendor certified to service on of my systems.