Ricoh: N. Greenbush debates copy machines and Xippa says "enough is enough." Go Independents!

NORTH GREENBUSH — The arrival of several new copy machines, priced in the thousands of dollars each, just days after the town began to address a potential year-end budget shortfall of $165,000 has some up in arms over perceived extravagant spending.

The rules on the ground for selling copiers are changing. If you give the right deal and it will be fine. But if you don't do the due diligence it sometimes gets in the papers. Then a blogger like me picks it up. Then who knows where it goes?

Anyway, consider selling "saving jobs" instead of saving money. The good news about the public sector is that people are spending other people's money. The bad news about the public sector is that when the money runs out, everybody gets to say something. It can get nasty if you get caught in the crossfire.

This is one is from Troy, New York:

from the comments:

xippa wrote on Jun 25, 2009 5:36 PM:

" What a shame. Technology in the Copier space is going down by 6% a year - service and supplies by more. How can you be paying more per month for new machines then you were previously? If you are getting "larger capacity" machines, I understand but then you not need as many machines as before. Compounding this, the industry standard is 1 device per 8 employees - IKON knows or should know this.

Customers can not rely on their vendors to act in there best interest. After being a vendor for 20 years and negotiating thousands of contracts, enough is enough and I formed Xippa. If I can help, please contact me. "

The story from Troyrecord.com

N. Greenbush debates copy machines -
The Record News: (Troyrecord.com):
"The five Ikon copy machines originally ordered retail for a combined $23,000, but one machine was sent back after arrival due to questions about its necessity. The remaining four are financed by the town for a price of about $500 a month for them and their maintenance, Comptroller Michael Strenka said.

Some councilmen are hoping to have more than just one sent back to keep the unbudgeted expense as low as possible.

“Town hall can run properly without seven printers (in total),” said Councilman Lou Desso, who estimated there are about 22 or 23 employees in the building.