Keep your job and your reputation
Don't be tempted.
We understand that it's tempting to try and cut costs. But experience has proven that buying second-hand (even if you are told that it's brand new) or third-party products leads to system failure.
The cost of this is much greater than any possible saving.
When the equipment you're buying is mission critical, quality and authenticity should be your most important considerations. However, in these tough economic times, the temptation to buy Cisco products
from a reseller offering deals that are too good to be true can be very attractive... but guess what?
You get what you pay for in life so when purchasing Cisco hardware follow the below tips.
❏ Ask whether equipment is new Cisco equipment - make sure it's not second-hand
or pre-owned.
❏ Ask for a guarantee of genuine Cisco components. Be aware that some suppliers
will try to pass off third-party or non-genuine substitutions.
❏ Be suspicious of prices that seem too good to be true - you always get what you pay for.
❏ Check that equipment comes with a valid
software license.
❏ Check that equipment has a full Cisco warranty.
❏ Ask whether the equipment entitles you to
Cisco Service Support.
❏ Don't trust products with packaging that appears sub-standard, not original or seems
to have been opened. If the product is new, the packaging should be as well.
❏ Avoid dealing with any supplier who insists that you order immediately to beat a price increase.
❏ Beware of special offers that are about to expire and of suppliers asking you to "reserve
the last few remaining products in stock".
❏ Resist internet, e-mail or telemarketing offers that send representatives to pick up
your payment in person, or demand cash-on-delivery shipment.
If you buy outside of Cisco's Channel Partner Programme, the ‘savings' you make are based on compromise. Compromise that could lead to costly network failure. Savings come because products and components may be second hand, non-genuine or stolen. It's why you may not get a valid software license, a full Cisco warranty, or Cisco support. Which is too bad for your customer when the product fails. And too bad for your business as you may be responsible for undermining their network.
Work with Cisco and Capital Network Solutions and discover the value we can add to your business.
How to find the real winning partnership.
Check the authenticity of your supplier with your Cisco contact and look for a Partner Logo.
For a detailed list of Cisco's Authorized Channel Partners, please refer to: www.cisco.com/go/partnerlocator
Report suspicious activity to your nearest Cisco office, or email:
brandprotection@cisco.com
Network integrity begins at the source.
Are you getting the real deal?
Include wording such as the following in your RFP for Cisco networking equipment.
"Unless otherwise specified, Vendor warrants that the Cisco products are new and in their original packaging. No substitutions are to be supplied without the Buyer's prior written consent. Vendor certifies that the products are genuine Cisco products, are entitled to a full Cisco warranty, and that any related software is licensed originally to the Buyer as the original licensee authorized to use the Cisco software".
