[asterisk-biz] Why so many international customers ask for free samples

[Andy Spring]

Thanks my friends everyone, but sometimes, it is very diffcult to evaluate
the cusotmers' status especially new customers.

Anyway, we will have to try, I am really depressed by this problem.

Thank you every one my friends again.

2008/10/25 SIP <sip at arcdiv.com>

> A lot of people ask for free samples just to get free products. That's
> an unfortunate, but common occurrence. However, some people ask for free
> samples because they're in the market to buy, but with you overseas,
> there's no where locally for them to look at the product or try it out
> before they purchase. It could end up being wasted money for THEM.
>
> The compromise is difficult. First, you have to be good at judging your
> customers' intentions. Is the person asking for a sample likely to
> actually buy? What's the time table of a purchase if they're going to
> make one? Do they have a budget already for whatever project they're
> working on? Etc, etc. These are basic, and essential sales questions
> that you should be asking any prospective customers. This will help you
> a lot to determine whether or not a customer is serious.
>
> Next, I don't think offering a free sample on a permanent basis is a
> good thing. Cisco will routinely loan us hardware (sometimes long term)
> when we need to evaluate a product in a testing environment. But at the
> end of the day, it's just a loan. We either have to return it to them as
> per a pre-specified agreement, or we'll be billed for it. With you being
> overseas, collections might be difficult, but if you're careful, you can
> minimise the potential losses.
>
> However, there WILL be losses. As a hardware seller, you need to be
> aware of that. You just have to do what you can to make them manageable.
> Don't start off offering a loan of equipment until you get to know the
> customer's needs better, so you can decide if they're worth the risk and
> you can offer the RIGHT equipment.
>
> You're going to have to get to know the customer a bit and actually
> listen to what they have to say, though. You can't just try and sell
> your products to anyone and everyone asking for anything VoIP-related.
>
> Things you should know before even suggesting a loan:
>
> 1) What type of equipment is the customer interested in?
> 2) What's the project that the customer needs this equipment for?
> 3) Is there any other equipment that the customer has been looking at
> (i.e. who's your competition in the deal)?
> 4) What's the time-table for this project? Is it within the next few
> months? Next six months? Within a year?
> 5) Does the project already have a budget, or is this evaluation for a
> proposal to GET a budget. If it's for a proposal, is there any
> information you can help provide to distinguish yourself from the
> competition?
> 6) Is the customer you're talking to the decision-maker for this
> project, or will you have to also convince someone higher up?
>
> Get in the habit of getting to know the customers by name. Keep a good
> contact database with information about your customers and their
> businesses and projects.  Follow up via phone when the time-table is
> nearing completion, but do NOT call every week asking if anything has
> changed.
>
> A loan can go a long way toward helping someone better understand your
> products and their strengths. It will also help the customer feel as
> though you're serious about getting their business. But as a loan,
> there's an understanding that if things don't work out, it will be
> returned (this isn't always the case, of course, but you hope for honesty).
>
>
> N.
>
>
>
>
> Andy Spring wrote:
> > Hello everyone friends,
> >
> > As a chinese supplier, we often meet this kind of status, so many
> > foreign cusotmers ask for free samples from us,
> > but the sample is also high value not only several dollars, even if it
> > worth several dollars, if so many customers ask
> > for free samples, we also can not afford them.
> >
> > By this status, should we send the free samples to our customers? if
> > you, how will you do? if not send them free samples
> > maybe we will lose customers. In fact, the cost of sample is hihger
> > then unit goods for bulk order.
> > We have also some policy about the sample, like charger higher price
> > for sample(s) and when our customers (especially new customers)
> > place bulk order, we will return the sample cost to them, but even by
> > this way, they still do not want to pay for the sample price,
> > what could we do, do you have any better advice.
> >
> > Thank you very much, my friends here everyone!
> >
> > Best regards
> >
> > --
> > andy
> > andyspr at gmail.com <mailto:andyspr at gmail.com>
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
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-- 
andy
andyspr at gmail.com
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