Do you sometimes wonder if you are getting the best prices from the dealer or integrator with whom you have an ongoing relationship? There is nothing worse than feeling like a company is taking advantage of you and your church. The good news is that you, the customer, have access to many other sources for gear if in fact a change is justified.
But before you become too over-focused on the bottom line numbers of each deal, come to grips with the fact that you can almost always find it cheaper somewhere else. So lets re-frame this issue in light of the over-all value you receive from your dealer or integrator.
The foundational consideration here is understanding value as supporting the mission of your tech ministry (which should be designed around supporting the mission of the church). Getting a good price on a piece of gear does not represent a good value if you cannot integrate it properly, train your volunteers to use it, or receive support should there be a problem.?The right dealer/integrator will provide assistance with decision-making, full product support, integration if needed, and training for your volunteers for larger purchases.
However, there are a few things you should know before making a comparison between numbers you find on the internet and those your dealer/integrator quotes to you. First, gear manufacturers place limits on how low advertised pricing can be and on most items you can figure out what that price is by checking the advertised price at several websites to get a rough average. Most dealers and integrators will usually be close to these prices, but you should have a frank conversation if basic internet research leads you to believe that their pricing is significantly higher.
Second, most internet sites do not give you the best service after the sale - although there are a few exceptions to this - so be aware.
Third, most internet sales sites have a business model based on giving the customer the absolute lowest prices rather than the other elements of value mentioned above. Whereas the type of dealer/integrator you should try to work with will offer all of these things.
That said, the bottom line number does matter, and each project or purchase should be evaluated based on the amount of support, training, and thinking involved. For example, buying a mixing console likely will involve big-picture planning, some integration with your current audio system, and training for your operators. By comparison, purchasing a minor replacement component for one of your systems, while requiring quality support after the purchase, likely will not involve training or extensive integration. Also, there is rarely the need for big-picture thinking specific to the purchase as it is to replace an existing component with the same functionality.
In the case of the mixing console, value is required of the purchase much beyond the bottom line price, whereas for a replacement component, the price (how inexpensively can we replace this item) holds the majority of the value.??Because of the vast shopping and information resources available on the internet, it is relatively easy to get an idea of how much a given item costs - and you should take the time to research this.
One way to know that a company truly has your best interests in mind is whether or not they try to sell you everything. Most dealers/integrators cannot give you the best pricing on small accessory type items such as board or gaffer's tape, a decibel meter, or small quantities of cables. Its a good sign when they send you to an online source for such things because it might show they are more concerned with serving your needs than making a buck.
Many dealers and integrators are quite trustworthy, but it is our responsibility to be excellent stewards of the church's money by getting the best value possible in every scenario. So do your research, ask questions, and build a value-driven relationship with a quality dealer or integrator.
