sundance-communications.com/forum Forums Other TDM Phone Systems ESI Telephones & Systems VIP Pricing

When ever I install VIP (normally for me its installed as an add on item after the system sale/install) I find us burning way more man hours than originally estimated, as you all know even the smallest networks can be complicated.

I sell the VIP by taking ESI's price for VIP & then adding a percentage mark up, the same as with the pbx.

With this method I find most VIP installs break even at best,

A better way would be to charge an hourly rate for each hour needed to install the VIP a bit like the CG vendors do, but I fear if we were to do this the cost v benefits of VIP would deter most customers from doing it? :bang:

We usually took advantage of the ESI 30 day evaluation period if the customer was interested. Usually 95% of them went in quite easily and one or two PC's would be an issue.

It was easier to not be on the hook for something they've purchase already when it doesn't intall correctly.

Other than that we used the same methodology in marking it up a % like the equipment. We pushed VIP as a "deal closer" not as another profit maker!

I personally hate VIP for this very reason. I have a lot of repeat reinstalls. Customers buy new computers, they get spyware, they, well just about anything they do. That's why I'm so excited about the mobile messaging, just plug in an email and let their email servers handle the rest. Just my two cents.

I too have found VIP to burn some time when installing. I bill for time and mark the product up a very small percentage. I will be getting away from it now that the messenger is available.