I’ll be one of the first to tell anyone interested that a business owner or manager will get the best return on their future investment of a telephone system if a Local Dealer is contacted and the Local Dealer is given the opportunity to evaluate your needs and associated budget. In most cases a Local Dealer will quote new equipment with a factory warranty and the associated costs with installation and end user training. If after the quote has been delivered and your business does not have the necessary budget most Local Dealers I know will trim the quote to fit the budget and hopefully your business and your Local Dealer can come to an arrangement satisfying the business concerns of each.

 

So when does the secondary market or Ebay come into the equation?

 

There are established businesses with quality equipment closing daily. When a business closes, usually the assets of value are marketed in various ways and Ebay has become a legitimate avenue to market quality equipment.

 

A popular ESI System frequently appearing on Ebay is the S-Class so I will use it as an example. The ballpark ending auction price on Ebay for an S-Class is between $350 and $500. In numerous Ebay auctions the extent of the sellers information about the item is  “It worked fine until we closed”.  If you contact your Local Dealer and express an interest in purchasing an ESI S-Class you will most likely be quoted a price close to $995.  It doesn’t take an Ivy League degree to mathematically see an immediate savings of approximately $500. I wiil be the first to admit that 3 digit numbers are excellent rational to think:

 

No way am I calling a Local Dealer when I can get it on Ebay $500 cheaper!

 

Yes, there is a substantial difference of money but only if a person thinks this comparison is Apples to Apples. This is definitely not an A to A comparison. An Ebay purchase will more than likely arrive in a cardboard box. After the box is opened the system is of zero value until it is installed. After the installation is completed there is a need for programming. Since the system came from a previous business operation it contains the programming of the previous owner. The Automated Attendant might answer on the first ring and declare to the caller that they have reached Ditch Witch Services of Omaha and of course your business is on the other side of the country and you are in an entirely different profession. The difference is your Local Dealer will accommodate your needs at a fair price and an secondary market purchase is basically cash and carry and the purchaser will eventually tap into the initial savings in the effort to get the system fully functional.

 

I have encountered numerous individual business owners that choose the secondary market not for the financial savings but because they wanted the “hands on” from beginning to end and they did not get this from their Local Dealer. To those I say:

 

YOU ARE WELCOME HERE! THIS IS HOW I CAN HELP YOU!

 

I CAN and WILL:

 

· Evaluate the advertised item before you purchase

· Reset all passwords from their current to passwords of your choice

· Upgrade Software to the latest available

· Remotely Program and/or back-up your programming

· Find a local technician for installation

 

These services are not free of course but they are not intended to be a punishment either. If you have chosen the secondary market that is your business. If you want the most from your investment in an ESI product:

 

THAT IS MY BUSINESS!

 

(and I am damn good at it too!)

 

John Grider

 

 

Local Area Option

Either call or email me and I’ll ask all the right questions to find out what will make you happy then I’ll come over install it, program it and your off to make your millions in your business. Yeah!

OR?