[access-uk] Re: How we could pay less for the stuff

["Colin @ New Vision" <cph.newvision@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Ray
You wrote:
"I note too you mentioning the high costs of demoing equipment.  In the past
I have had a taste of this.  imackulately dressed people, often, driving
very exspensive cars."

It certainly is the case if you ask Visualeyes, the UK Distributor for
Reinecker, to demo a product.
They will turn up in a nice shining BMW with matching number plates. I guess
they have sold a few too many battery packs at £325 each.

All's not lost though Telesensory has an alternative product called the
Olympia which includes the battery pack so I guess the Maxlupe days are
numbered.

I will be happy to help you with any venture you might decide to undertake.
Training is still an issue and again these prices can be reduced. I will
discuss this further in answer to Barry's comments.

Regards
Colin

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ray's Home" <rays-home@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, August 01, 2004 1:16 PM
Subject: [access-uk] How we could pay less for the stuff


> Hi Colin, and thanks for your reply.    Note the change of subject line;
> yes, its 'Why do we pay so much...? with a new twist.  I thought the tone
of
> the message effectively declairing this thread closed was a bit
peremptory.
> Its quite easy to skip over stuff that doesn't interest us, so if this
topic
> has worn thin for some, I hope a few might stay with it.  As is my wont, I
> am going to range pretty widely in my comments, so I crave your patience.
>
> I cannot recall precisely from memory what I was refering to regarding
> battery replacement.  It was in fact a Braillelite, the old Blazie Braille
> and speech notetaker.  I know a fair bit of what's involved in replacing
> batteries in a unit such as that, and I still feel the total cost of
battery
> replacement in this instance, £120, was too high.  Makes me think that if
I
> came on one of these units second-hand, I'd certainly feel up to doing it
> myself.
>
> I had not forgotten folk like Roger Wilson-Hines, and there are indeed a
few
> people, maybe yourself included, who seem to be trying to aim their
products
> more at the individual personal user, rather than those in an educational
or
> employment situation.  I might also mention Steve Nutt who has done his
bit
> to bring some price competition to this field;  he is also knowledgable.
>
> I singled out PDI for comment as I do feel the UK markup is accessive, to
> say the least.  Yes, they are a professional outfit, certainly to judge by
> their presence at exhibitions.  In a real sense, that maybe partly where
the
> problem lies.  The amount of space they tend to hire, and the lavish
> appearance must add considerably to their overheads.  No doubt impressive
to
> the professional client group I assume they want to attract most of all;
> nonetheless, I think their presentation could be scaled down without
> diminishing their visual appeal.  It might be recalled I did applaud them
in
> introducing themselves at the entrance to the SV show, something others
> could learn from.
>
> I note too you mentioning the high costs of demoing equipment.  In the
past
> I have had a taste of this.  imackulately dressed people, often, driving
> very exspensive cars.  I cannot deny the value, in all senses of the word,
> in this service.  I have, on occasion visited showrooms myself, and
> especially if I fancy a day out, I am quite prepared to travel to view,
> rather than them coming to me.  I've never heard any hint that, were I to
> purchase, the lesser cost to them would be taken into account.
>
> I would certainly like to consider offering reasonably priced demo space
to
> smaller firms, aiming their products much more at the personal user, and
> helping do some of the leg-work involved in publicising it.  In the
process,
> I might learn a thing or two as well.  It is too early as yet to say
exactly
> what I have in mind, but I would like to offer preferential treatment to
> those who seem to be offering a reasonable priced alternative to some of
the
> more well-known names.
>
> One final impression.  I've thought for some time that whatever the margin
> dealers are making on sales, the sale itself is probably the gateway to
> training and support services whose price is outside the means of most
home
> users.  Without this, I daresay many access businesses would not exist at
> all.  I am not here mounting a criticism of this, especially in the
> education/employment fields.  I wonder though if, after a realistic amount
> of 'free' support, a moderate charge could be made for ongoing support.
> Controversial, no doubt, but if training/coaching in access and IT were
more
> available to VI people, they might find themselves calling on such help
not
> too often.  A reduction in support costs could mean, should mean? a lower
> selling price for equipment.
>
>  To judge by much of the conversations happening on this list, there is
very
> much to be done in bringing access and IT literacy to a higher level among
> VI users, especially those very many who are not working.  I hope that
with
> the service provisions of the DDA coming into force, inclussiveness of IT
> training opportunities at a local level will be more available to us than
> they have been.
>
> In closing I would emphasise that my comments amount to more than, 'it
costs
> too much'.  I hope this could be a fruitful debate.  I do not think we
> should just lye back and think of England in this.  We should use the
media
> and any means available to us to make more public what is a legitimate
issue
> for us.
>
> Ray.
>


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• References:
  • [access-uk] Re: In Touch: Why do we pay so much
    • From: Colin @ New Vision
  • [access-uk] How we could pay less for the stuff
    • From: Ray's Home

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