Is Self-Service Leasing the Wave of the Future?
Kevin F. Clune, CLFP
When I read about the introduction of self-service bag checking at airports , I was reminded of a recent sales meeting with a prospective equipment vendor. “The Next Frontier in Airline Baggage: Digital Bag Tags” was the title of the WSJ article that described the wave of the future in airline travel with this new technology.
It is an intriguing development but one of the opening sentences expressed the controversy that may result from this new process. “Now big changes…are coming as airlines look to streamline the airport experience - and pass more work to customers and machines.”
One traveler was quoted as saying, “I don’t work for the airline. Why should I do their job?” He also commented, “If something goes wrong or I have a question, the self-tagging machine isn’t going to have an answer.”
So how does this story relate to my conversation with my prospective vendor? After many attempts, I had finally been granted an opportunity to meet with this equipment vendor. A majority of their leasing business was going to a household name leasing company that mandated that the sales staff create and process all the lease documents.
To paraphrase the airline traveler, “Your salesperson doesn’t work for the leasing company you are using, why should they spend their precious time doing their job?” was essentially the question I posed to the General Sales Manager. I told him that I'd love to have his sales reps do all my work.
He was surprised to learn that while we do provide vendors an online option, the vast majority don't want their sales reps wasting time that they could spend pursuing another customer. A Clune leasing professional representative is happy to assist both the equipment vendors and our leasing customers with some or all of the document process.
The old adage that time is money is much more applicable to a salesperson who is trying to use their time to generate more sales than to a traveler who is going on a vacation or even a business trip. The point is the same, however. Services normally associated with many daily functions have become the responsibility of the consumer.
Occasionally, there are cost savings associated with some self-service tasks such as booking your airline ticket online, executing your own legal documents, buying show tickets at the box office, or even shopping at stores that require you to sack your own groceries. The decision as to whether or not to access these self-service options depends on your personal circumstances of time constraints, physical limitations, and knowledge of the process.
The second comment from the above-cited traveler reflects this dilemma. In some cases, it is just better to rely on a professional who is familiar with the task. I echoed this feeling in my meeting with the prospective customer, “The added value of a Clune Lease is the assurance that you are working with a knowledgeable and experienced staff that is responsive and accountable.”
Your sales staff and your leasing customers may thank you,
Kevin F. Clune, CLP
Clune & Company
