Why Risk Losing a Customer?
Kevin F. Clune, CLP
Why risk losing a customer due to the practices of your leasing partner?
You could be selling the most reliable and cost effective equipment on the market along with the best service imaginable but still lose customers due to the practices of the leasing company you recommend. You may already have experienced this.
This subject has been discussed in previous newsletters but given a recently reported experience from a Clune leasing customer, we thought it was worth another mention.
There are many ways that a leasing company can antagonize your customer with hidden fees and end of lease surprises as outlined in The Clune Difference. These horror stories are becoming more commonplace nowadays, as leasing companies are desperate to make up revenues lost to price per month competition.
A Clune customer who has a phone system lease with us used a different leasing company to finance their copier equipment. Even though they were happy with our service, they were unaware that Clune could also finance their copier acquisition. When the copier dealer recommended a different leasing company to them, they proceeded to acquire their financing from them.
Our customer confided to us recently that they reached the end of their lease with the other leasing company over 3 months ago, and they are now being assessed unexpected additional payments as well as exorbitant return fees. To make matters worse, they are paying these additional month-to-month charges while they wait for the leasing company to pick up the equipment.
They had trusted this copier dealer’s referral and now they won’t return to them for upgraded equipment or any other equipment. Over the years, our biggest vendors have come to us after losing valued customers through no fault of their own, but the customer blamed the vendor for their choice of leasing company.
In this age of social media, it is more important than ever to establish a relationship with a reliable lease partner. Quality products will make for satisfied customers who will return to you and refer others to your business. Make sure you recommend quality lease financing products also.
Kevin F. Clune, CLP
Clune& Company LC
