Providing an on-point, creative solution that increases a client’s return on technology investment and produces the Raving Results we constantly seek to deliver.

The Client: VIRA Insight

The Account Representative: Graham Blackburn

As a chef and general manager for restaurants for 18 years before coming to Datamax, Graham Blackburn has played both sides of the sales game. When working with food vendors, he remained loyal with those who listened to his actual needs, who went above, who weren’t trying to sell product that didn’t make sense to him.

In other words, no smoke and mirrors, please.

Graham decided he wanted to emulate those same principles as the vendors (partners) he chose to buy from. He wanted to know the needs of businesses, and then apply the technology that makes good sense to them. He wanted to really listen, and then deliver.

He did just that with VIRA insight, a retail display manufacturer in Dallas.

The Business Challenge

Graham was on a cold call with Area Sales Manager Tom Otto, visiting with his contact at the front of the office. He took them back when some unexpected, on-the-spot discovery ensued.

“The Office Manager (who reported directly to C level executives) mentioned she was in the process of looking for new vendors. The current vendor had provided an updated proposal, but she needed a second option.”

She sent Graham that proposal and he began working on his own.

The Thought Process

Graham met with Tom to go over their proposed fleet. What they noticed was a distinct lack of “right-sizing,” and rather removing copiers and simply replacing their copiers with printers.

“It seemed clear that they were not listening to the client, and just throwing darts all over the board,” Graham says.

He also noticed that in the Office Manager’s office, the copier next to her desk was being replaced with a printer, with no scanning ability. After going over this with the client, he agreed to create two proposals: One to match the current vendor, and one that would become a holistic, “right-sized” recommendation based on Graham’s thorough discovery.

“We were not the cheapest option for her. But she said, ‘I don’t care if they (current vendor) come in at half your cost, you respected me and my time, you listened to me, and you were upfront and honest,’” Graham said.

The Prevailing Results

“We catered to their needs. We built out the solution AFTER listening to them,” Graham says. “It was a consultative approach instead of ‘I’ve got some models I want to move.’”

Graham met — exceeded! — expectations and was completely transparent with the client every step of the sales cycle.

No smoke and mirrors.