CHALLENGER INSIGHTS Vol. 19:
Better Serving Those Who Serve
I recently spoke to a Chief of Police at a conference, and he brought up a negative experience he’d had with a competitor’s personal storage lockers. Fixing the issue with the cheaper lockers created a good deal of effort and extra time for the department, and our conversation got me thinking about the work we do and why we do it.
Remember who we serve. We serve those who serve and protect. It’s important that we provide an unmatched level of service, and let us not forget that our solutions make a difference in the lives of those we serve. Many of those officers will begin and end their day at the personal storage solution we provide.
We sell the very best and we’re proud of that fact—but the unfortunate reality is that many departments are operating under tight budget constraints. They think they have no choice but to go with the cheapest option on the market, which often gets them a sub-par solution and limited service. Luckily, there is another option that’s equally helpful for you and your potential customer—a contract.
Using Purchasing Contracts
Early in the facility planning process, challenge the architect and the department to buy from you on a contract rather than buying through a general contractor. Using a contract offers police departments major benefits such as saving the time and trouble of putting projects out to bid and ensuring that they’re getting the best products at the most competitive pricing.
Perhaps most importantly, though, a contract purchase creates a relationship with you, their local expert, supplier, and installation/service provider. If the police department is working with a general contractor, then they’ll be paying a markup on the products chosen. What additional benefit does the general contractor provide that you cannot? The general contractor will remain at the site for a year, and when that year is complete, so is the relationship with the general contractor. The police department won’t see another facility for twenty-five years. Who takes care of them in years 2-25? You can be there to advocate for what the officers and employees really want and need throughout the entire process.
Sell yourself. Sell the advantages of working with you. Don’t wait for the project to come down to a specification that will not be held, and don’t wait for our competitors to offer direct pricing to the general contractor.
We have a better way.
Want a simple explanation of how purchasing contracts like NJPA work?
If you’ve had particular successes using contracts, please share your experiences with McKenna Dustman at mdustman@spacesaver.com.