{"id":7976,"date":"2014-09-26T09:14:36","date_gmt":"2014-09-26T13:14:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.theweekinimaging.com\/?p=7344"},"modified":"2014-09-30T01:31:24","modified_gmt":"2014-09-30T05:31:24","slug":"espsurgex-hits-home-run-with-new-remote-portal-for-real-time-power-events","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/the-week-in-imaging-twii\/sales-and-service\/2014\/09\/espsurgex-hits-home-run-with-new-remote-portal-for-real-time-power-events\/","title":{"rendered":"ESP\/SurgeX Hits Home Run with New Remote Portal for Real Time Power Events"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"HARMON<\/a>One of the more interesting products I saw at the BTA Grand Slam event in Baltimore was the ESP\/SurgeX Remote Portal.\u00a0 I’m going to use this paragraph from the recent press release:<\/p>\n

“The remote portal is designed to provide remote access to ESP\/SurgeX diagnostic devices from anywhere at any time, via a Web browser.<\/p>\n

\u201cCompatible with new ESP\/SurgeX power protection and diagnostic intelligence installations, the Remote Portal enables service teams to access power diagnostics remotely and brings added IP accessibility to the ESP\/SurgeX power protection portfolio. As the first IP power diagnostics communications tool in the imaging industry, this innovative device enables technicians to remotely view the history of power quality events, monitor live data, reboot\/recycle power, and diagnose power disturbances via a Web browser”.<\/p>\n

Okay, I get it.\u00a0 Over the years I’ve seen many issues that the customer thought was our copiers but turned out to be power.\u00a0In the customer\u2019s eyes, they’ll always blame the machine and not the power. Plain and simple you had to prove it to them.\u00a0 Which mean multiple tech trips, the installation of the power monitor, and the de-installation.\u00a0 All of this costs money. Oh, yes and what about the downtime for the customer?<\/p>\n

\"Remote<\/a>

Remote Portal<\/p><\/div>\n

The ability to monitor the history of power events through a Web browser is a tool that we need to add to our proposals.\u00a0This is another one of those differentiators or lock out benefits\u00a0that make you and your dealership stand above the rest.\u00a0 How about with a major account RFP, what’s going to make you different besides price and who wants to travel down that road?\u00a0 Add value to make separate yourself from the others.<\/p>\n

I even thought the ESP\/SurgeX Remote Portal would be a great after sale for the customer.\u00a0 Don’t sell it to them, but rent it to them as a monthly or quarterly billing for the maintenance agreement.\u00a0 Is $19.95 or $14.95 per month to much to ask?\u00a0 I don’t think so. Of course you’ll need to sell the value and the benefits to the customer.\u00a0Thinking a little more about this and it could be an addition profit center\u00a0for your Managed Service plan for PC’s and servers.<\/p>\n

Thus what would be the benefits to the end user?<\/p>\n