Recently, I came across a potential customer who was being sold RFID by a competitor.
Usually, this is a good sign. This means that the customer is serious about RFID and is already in a “ready” state of mind.
However, when talking with the client, he started using phrases such as IP68 protection, etc, etc. Now, usually, IP (Ingress Protection) shows how much environmental damage a piece of equipment should survive through (dust and water damage).
Context: This client required RFID readers put by the road-side in a relatively dry part of the country.
An IP level of 64 should do. Maybe IP 65 if you are really paranoid.
The customer was being pitched IP68 by the other guys with stories of how to protect the investment for the long term, etc, etc, blah, blah.
What does this mean? Higher protection means more money on the project without any real parallel benefit to the client.
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This shows a different way of selling = The FUD (Fear – Uncertainty – Doubt).
It works very well too. Everyone wants to Cover-their-ass and let the boss know that they got the “best there was”.
I don’t have experience with this and don’t believe this is how customers should be sold. But I see this happening all the time.
Too early to tell, but we’ll see how this specific project closes and who gets to win. For now, all I can do is educate the customer and give them the information to make the right decision.