Very Cost Defective

(Our entry-level scanner is better than another company’s best-rated scanner; the other brand is by no means useless but we consider it to be only suitable for hobbyists and amateurs. Despite that, we do get compared to them by people that should know better:)

Caller: “Hi. How much is the new scanner?”

Me: “Well, it is [several thousand], before options.”

Caller: “What?! That is at least three times as much as the [Other Brand] one!”

Me: “These systems are designed and built to a certain standard, not to the cheapest price.”

Caller: “…”

Me: “Was there anything else I can help you with?”

Caller: “Can you drop the price?”

Me: “Can I drop the price by two thirds? No, I think your only option is to buy the cheaper brand.”

Caller: “No, I can’t. We bought one and it broke within two months, and when it worked the data was useless. Now there are loads of bad reviews online. Could you do a part exchange?”

Me: “For the broken budget scanner, I’m afraid not. Prices start around [several thousand]; should you need any assistance in the future please get in contact.”

(I hang up.)

Boss: “What was that about?”

(I explain.)

Boss: “Good call. We can’t help people like that. If price is more important than quality they are in the wrong job.”

(It turns out that the customer called back a few weeks later and paid up. We haven’t had any complaints.)