Ajax or Internet?

How do you choose where to buy your commercial ice machines?

We are faced with buying decisions all day long.  Some simple, some not so.  I would suggest that purchasing commercial ice equipment would fall into the “not so” category for most folks.  That said, many folks are skilled at researching and buying many things online and for those folks, purchasing equipment online may not be a big deal.  For most people, it’s not that simple for many reasons.  The first would be time.  Many decision makers just don’t have the time or desire to spend the time to do the research etc. The second would be knowledge; do I really know what I want or need?  The third would be comfort; as in I’m not feeling really good or at ease about buying equipment online (a whole other set of  reasons!).

That said, for many it comes down to finances.  For many organizations they are driven by getting the best price on a piece of equipment and are not at liberty to purchase equipment at higher rates from local companies.  For those that fall in that category I wish you the best and understand your position.  Aloha!

For those that are looking for more value in their experience I would invite you to consider Ajax as an option.  Knowing full well in advance that the equipment you’re buying is out there for less money (at least in the initial transaction and as long as all goes as planned).  At Ajax, we’re not in the convincing game, we’ve learned the hard way that that doesn’t serve anyone in the long run.  We are looking to align ourselves with other organizations and individuals that value our services.

What do you value most, price or piece of mind through service?

Ajax simply cannot compete on price-point alone with most internet retailers nor do we want to.  The flip side to that is internet companies cannot compete with Ajax in the value driven marketplace that involves service.

Let’s get this out of the way now…

Full disclosure, Ajax sells equipment at a 10 – 20% margin over our cost.  That usually means that our pricing is pretty close to the internet retailers (but not always).  The thing is that many internet sellers are not charging sales tax (think about that for while, is that who you want to work with, what are the true costs here?) and the second is they do not charge for shipping and handling or have very low freight costs.  That’s because they dump the unit at your back door and then they’re done!  Remember, Ajax does not just take your credit card number and say “good luck from here!”  Ajax takes care of our clients from the start all the way until the unit is installed (and beyond).

Local buying:  Full-Service Equipment Packages

For those that value service over price there is a plan for you.  It’s called Ajax’s “Full Service Equipment Package.”

What you get…

Ajax is going to take care of you and your business.  We’re going to make sure that the process is going to go as smoothly as possible for you.

Full service package includes…

Ajax…

1. Orders equipment, receives shipment at our shop, inspects for damage, assumes responsibility of shipment.
2. Preps unit for delivery.
3. Loads unit into truck and delivers to your site.
4. Unloads, moves and installs new unit into place.  Ice machine installation is not a simple process and should be completed by a professional technician.
5. Removes and disposes of old unit, when applicable.  Environmentally responsible dismantling at Ajax shop and prep for disposal.
6. Restart and confirm proper operation of unit at customer site.
7. Supports client via phone and/or preferred warranty repair status.

FAQ’s…

• What if the unit arrives damaged?  Shipping damage is quite common and if you don’t catch it at the right time it can be a real nightmare.  One of the best aspects of the full service option is that Ajax takes care of the ordering, receiving, inspecting and un-crating process.  Ajax assumes all shipping and receiving responsibilities for you so you know that your ice machine will arrive at your place in great shape.
• What specific unit do I need and will it work at my site?  We’ll work together to be sure the unit that you end up with is exactly what you needed!
• How will it get in here?  The Ajax team will ensure that the unit fits into place and the route at your location for entry.
• What do I do with the old one?  If you happen to have an existing piece of equipment at your site, Ajax will remove it, bring it back to our shop and dispose of toxic refrigerants and oils with environmentally minded best practices in place.  That means compressors will be drained of the oil and refrigerants recovered and prepared for processing.
• What if I have questions or challenges with the new unit once it’s in place.  Even with all the safeguards in place of the locals buying program challenges some times arise with the new unit.  We’re ready for that and we’ll support you every step of the way, from performing preferred warranty repair work to dialing in the unit to best perform at your site.
• What’s preferred mean here?  It means that Ajax will dispatch a repair technician to your site as a priority before other calls, especially from those that buy their equipment elsewhere, (no hard feelings internet shoppers!).

Let’s not waste each others time.  Your time is valuable and I hope you are gracious enough to know that the Ajax team’s time is as well.  Remember, we’re a small business!  We ask you to get clear on what is more important to you, price or value.  Once you know where you stand, get online and do your thing or call Ajax and let’s work together.  It’s that simple, no hard feelings either way.

It’s Not Apples to Apples

Just remember that once it’s all said and done, with sales tax, shipping and handling costs and the Full Service package you can look at it in these two ways…

1.  Holy smokes, that’s 20 % “more” than on the internet!

or

2. I just saved valuable time and made a great long term investment possible by choosing a professional local service company.  Probably even saved money in the long run and it was so easy and I felt supported along the whole journey.

Remember, it’s not a straight comparison, you’re getting a whole lot more with the local full service package.  A last clarifying question would be, “Do I value that service and is it worth the extra expense to me and my organization?”

Last Question, for example:  What’s $500 or whatever the added cost when you are buying a unit that will most likely last five to ten years or more?*

Make your choice and fully commit.  It’s all good either way.

That said, choose what you want and go for it.

Option A.  I want the price above all else baby!    Once you know price is more important than service to you, just do us a favor and don’t call us for a quote, it’s just a waste of time for all parties concerned.  And that’s OK!  Check out our Preventive Maintenance plans instead!

Option Ajax:  I want the service baby!  Call us for a quote today!!  We specialize in commercial ice machines and True refrigeration equipment!!

Santa Barbara County Office:  805.963.1322

Ventura County:  805.323.5085

or

Sales@ajaxrefrig.com

or

Sales Cell:  805.570.2360

*$500.00 over five years is $8.33 per month or around 27 cents per day and over 10 years it’s $4.16 per month or 14 cents per day.