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Question

Russian girl - not expert in IT, please, help me!

Aug 26, 2014 5:52AM PDT

hello all, my name is Eva, I just came to USA to work in IT recycling and reselling company as sales manager.
Please, help me guys whom should I contact in companies about that? which department is usually in charge of IT recycling and reselling?is that really interesting product to your mind?
I would really appreciate for ANY help and advice! sorry if my English is not so fluent as I just came from Russia 3 weeks before)

Discussion is locked

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Answer
Re: department
Aug 26, 2014 6:14AM PDT

I'd try the IT department.

And I suppose the owner had made a business plan containing his expert opinion on the market for recycling and reselling and what companies to target.

Kees

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Answer
The thing is, the desktop is pretty dead here.
Aug 26, 2014 6:24AM PDT

The office only has a few desktops left and those are doing "server" type things. I know in other countries the desktop is still kicking around and for gamers, they love to build killer rigs but for business? Laptops are cheap, plentiful and much easily to move around with.
Bob

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Re: desktop
Aug 26, 2014 6:59AM PDT

Luckily for Eva, laptops can be recycled (for raw materials) just as well as desktops. Reselling might be somewhat more difficult due to a somewhat shorter lifespan and somewhat less configurability.

But as I wrote, there must be a business plan already. You don't hire a new employee if you think it's hopeless.

Kees

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who is in charge???
Aug 28, 2014 2:10AM PDT

hi, guys!

thanks a lot for your reply.
But the case is that there is no special business plan (( just they gave me some leads and I should find out who have some equipment for recycling (can be desktops, laptops... whatever)

BUT when I am calling to the companies - the operator cant even imagine who is in charge of this case..

and IT manager most often has no idea about recycling (((((

Is that may be not so much popular in USA? or they just throw laptops and other staff away ? ((

Any ideas?

Thanks

Eva

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Maybe the company is not buying the machines at all?
Aug 28, 2014 2:20AM PDT

I know quite a few companies that lease the equipment from say, Dell. Dell leases the gear for a number of years then the lease ends and the gear goes back to Dell. This removes all the headaches of reclaiming the old gear, recycling and more.

A lot of big companies do this now which would put quite a crimp into your business idea.
Bob

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I should mention BYOD
Aug 28, 2014 2:23AM PDT
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I should mention BYOD
Aug 28, 2014 2:37AM PDT

Oh , this I didn't know - thanks

and what about banks? hospitals? do you think they can use BYOD?

may be I should concentrate in a certain industry which doesn't usually use BYOD and leasing?

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Good idea.
Aug 28, 2014 2:46AM PDT

Banks classically have used terminals and terminal software (app) to avoid the virus/other issues so their PCs have been very old by the time it comes to replacement. What they are sending to the recyclers are usually a decade old and not interesting to today's consumers (in the USA.)

Look at what you can get for 199 bucks today and it eclipses what the bank is moving out of service.
And then we have the move to pads.

110 bucks for an iPad at http://computers.woot.com/offers/ipad-16gb-with-wi-fi-2?ref=cnt_wp_1_5
Add a 20 buck Bluetooth keyboard and I'm doing more than what a decade old PC may be able to do.

Be aware I've been overseas and there is a lack of gear over there but here we are overflowing at times. There are companies that come and go as they think they can collect all this and refurb machines for sale. But here's the rub. Consumers aren't buying them and shipping them to other countries is pretty costly.
Bob

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Pricing?
Aug 28, 2014 3:00AM PDT
http://www.woot.com/offers/hp-14-1-dual-core-laptop-10?ref=cnt_wp_0_10 gets me a under 199 buck laptop and these have been arriving in great shape.

This means you would have to get the old desktops for essentially free then for most businesses the HDD is pulled and destroyed. You're in for some bucks to re-install that, then more bucks for an OS. Yes, there's Linux but folk today may not want that (we are talking as if you are going to re-sell these to consumers.)

Tough market.
Bob
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Good idea.
Aug 28, 2014 3:01AM PDT

Dear Bob,

your comments are very helpful

but this company wants me to find NOT equipment for re-selling in the future..BUT only for recycling
which can be damaged, rusted, scratched etc..

any equipment..

as they say that there is such a law in the USA that they cant just get rid of it throwing away and they must recycle a proper way

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How about this.
Aug 28, 2014 3:05AM PDT

Just put out a flyer that you'll have a free e-cycling day at some location. Folk will flock to your location with their closet PCs.

As to your question about law, those laws vary with city, state so there is no way I'm going to dive into that area.
Bob

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Serious recyclers
Aug 28, 2014 3:13AM PDT

Here in Chicago take all electronics, not only computers. Tv's, stereos, printers,
washing machines, cell phones ,you name it, they want it.

It sounds as though the company you're working for is limiting themselves.
Broaden your horizons.

Digger

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Answer
OK, let's say after all this.
Aug 28, 2014 3:31AM PDT

Try this. Create the company flyer for the E-cycle Event and arrange for the trucks to haul it away to your location. You'll get plenty of stuff to fill your recycle house to keep your folk that tear down and send it off for a long time.

You mention "sales" which can mean so much. I know that most companies don't pay for disposal as the recycling is such a crowded market that no one pays for gear to be taken away. At least not in the areas I've been.
Bob

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OK, let's say after all this
Aug 28, 2014 5:07AM PDT

Dear Bob,

I see you are a very professional person.
please, could you look at my mail?

if I write like this in the email:

"we specialize in easy to set up, easy to navigate and easy to reconcile IT equipment recycling and value recovery solutions".

if it will be understandable for IT or other American person what I want to say? or better to use other words?

thanks in advance for all your advice

Eva

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If I'm allowed to break in ...
Aug 28, 2014 5:12AM PDT

- How do you mean "set up recycling"?
- How do you mean "navigate recycling"?
- How do you mean "reconcile recycling"?
- And what do you mean with "recovery"?

If I would get such a mail, I wouldn't have the faintest idea what your company is offering. Probably IT equipment. But why should I buy that from you?

Kees

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Email in correct way
Aug 28, 2014 5:37AM PDT

Dear Kees,
thanks a lot for your advice

the case is that by this mail I should offer e-waste recycling and if they have good assets then to give them some money back... smth like this.

and that our company can do it the best and easy way.

what do you think if to write like that:

"In a perfect world, what would you improve in your company end-of-life IT assets disposal process?

Here at ......."company name", we specialize in easy to set up, easy to navigate and easy to reconcile IT equipment recycling and value recovery solutions. Our technical and market specialists are trained to take care of your custom disposal needs.

We can help if you respond with one of the options below:

1. Yes! We have some equipment for recycling!
Please, contact me.......... (let me know when you will be available for discussion)

2. Yes! We have some equipment good for resale!
Please, contact me.......... (let me know when you will be available for discussion)

3. I am not a person who handles this type of projects
Please, contact ......... (name and contact info goes here)

Thank you and looking forward to do business with you!"

does it sound better? correct language? more understandable?

thanks for your comments, guys!

Eva

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E mail
Aug 28, 2014 6:07AM PDT

dear Kees

what do you think if to write like this:

easy to plan \ easy to trace \ easy to reconcile - sounds more understandable then
"easy to set up, easy to navigate and easy to reconcile "

as for me as I am not IT expert it's all the same))))

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Your English is quite good ...
Aug 28, 2014 6:48AM PDT

but (given that it's not your mother language and you're not used to the IT-jargon) it would be best to ask your boss to have that mail (any promotional material, in fact, such as flyiers, brochures, websites, advertisements) written by a professional copy-writer.

Or, if that's too expensive, let him do it himself.

Kees

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IT jargon
Aug 28, 2014 6:56AM PDT

Dear Kees,

thanks for reply

Is there any website where I can learn some IT jargon ))) just for myself in order to understand what people are talking about)

Eva

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government auctions
Aug 29, 2014 7:31AM PDT
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more govt auctions
Aug 29, 2014 7:46AM PDT
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Answer
OK, so is this your line of business?
Aug 28, 2014 6:23AM PDT