Make Those Proposals Cheaper Without Lowering Your Price

In Michigan, with economic times the way they are it forces us to find more and more ways to provide competitively priced technology solutions. If I am a company to stay in business, and dare I say, grow - then it requires us to seek ways of keeping the quality in the solution, keeping profits in our coffers, and keeping prices competitive. Unfortunately, we do not live in the most conducive environment.

It is quite common for me to consult for a small business and provide 10-30k worth of equipment and labor. That said, even if the client is in desperate need of this proposed solution a lot of the time they have no idea or expectation of cost and I don't think I need to state how difficult it can be sometimes for a small business to write such a large check.

Offering financing options are a must. We have offered financing options for years and many clients of mine have decided to take advantage and exercises these options. There is, however, a new flavor of financing that I am now offering to my small business clients.

We have partnered with a nation-wide telephony and Internet provider to partially or fully subsidize the cost of a client's technology solution - assuming they also sign up with the provider's services. A lot of the time when a business signs up for Internet and phone service, they are also looking in to things like computers, servers, network additions, etc. Doing this work concurrently with the new phone/Internet service and taking advantage of this subsidy program will allow a business owner to purchase all products and services for less than if they bought these items directly from me. In some cases, we have quoted work and our client purchased enough service from the vendor where they paid for the entire project. The client received a server and 10 new computers at no charge because the subsidy amount received from the phone service vendor was equal to the payment for the equipment. At the end of the day, my client ended up paying for the normal Internet and Phone service, and receiving all products and services free of charge.

This type of financing has allowed technology providers like us to remain competitive and also benefits our clients. We all have to live in this harsh economic environment so this type of program helps us all.

Be Fly

What is it about airports that rub me the wrong way?

The smell, perhaps. Maybe when the dude next to me decided to take his shoes off in the plane on the way to LGA (I don't care how long the flight is I don't want to see your feet). Maybe it's the fact that I have been sitting in the WorldPerks room for 4 hours now waiting for a standby flight.

How about the fact that I never seem to have a problem leaving Detroit, it always seems to amount to a delay or issue, though, in trying to return. This could be a sign to stay away from Detroit. I suppose I wouldn't be surprised if it was.

Anyhow, this sucks and it's time to go walk to the gate so I can get denied once again.