The Green Education of Your Customers
Although the concept of thinking “green” when it comes to recycling, carpooling, and water conservation has been gaining momentum for years, its application to the data center is relatively new. Educating your customers on how they can curb their overhead expenses by utilizing tape storage is one of the keys to closing the sale.
When you meet with a current or prospective customer, if you ask them what their green data storage challenges and issues are or if they’re going to spend any money on going green you could get a flat “no”, receive a blank look or witness them scrambling to come up with an answer, because they’re not quite sure what you’re asking. Instead, ask them if they are taking a hard look at their overhead expenses.
According to an article entitled, “What is your perception of green data storage?” by Greg Schulz on SearchStorageChannel.com, you need to “ask the customer if they are spending any money to address power, cooling, floor space, environmental health or safety, e-waste or any other related issues.” That will help you begin discussions about performance enhancements, energy efficiency, and methods of cost reduction. With the right questions, you can be a key part of your customers’ green initiatives and growth potential.
December 18, 2008 at 10:46 AM
