If we take one step back from the previous article and focus more on the preparation of consulting with the specialist in each supplier you are contacting.  There are too many topics and areas to cover in these articles so I recommend you grab yourself a copy of the Printer, MFD & Fax Purchase Checklist from my site when you can.  I will try my best to highlight some points that will start you on your way during this process.

Start by explaining your situation as best as possible to the consultant, the more you can share with them the better, but I would avoid sharing exact budget information or any other confidential information with consultants as these could be used against you (a very unfortunate happening in the industry.)  Once you have established what your current situation is, work out with the consultant what you would like to achieve and how they can go about helping you do this, what their service is like, what their product is like, their experience in this type of business and so on.

If the consultant then needs time to go away and determine what solution will fit your situation best, allow them.  The complexity of office workplaces and the immense difference between offices, even in the same of similar industries is amazing and sometimes the solution that worked for the person next door won’t necessarily work for you so allow for some researching and preparation time.  I would not allow for more than a week for a simple one machine solution, but once again please remember this can vary.

Once the solution is prepared the consultant should meet with you and leave with you the information required for you to make an informed decision, rather than try to close a sale on you.

Back to Top