Smart Board Purchasing

[Dianne C. Tillman]

Yesterday I requested and received quotes on smart board equipment from both CompView and Tierney Brothers. Tierney Brothers is charging more on both smart boards (we are purchasing one 64" and one 77"). Some of the other items are also more expensive but I am not sure the specs are identical so I can't comment on the price discrepancies on those items. In the past we have purchased 8 of our smart boards from CompView and I love working with them. I am just wondering why the Coop switched vendors if the prices are not cheaper?

[Brian Norman]

I think you just opened the proverbial can of worms. I also received better pricing from CompView and just purchased 20 boards, projectors and mounts from Scott.

[Dianne C. Tillman]

Well, perhaps the worms should be freed from their little can-prison then. I will continue to buy from CompView. I sent Isaiah an email this morning explaining the difference in price and his response was and I quote, "Diane, Thank you for the opportunity to provide a quote. Isaiah" Apparently, they have plenty of business and don't need mine. Indus may not be a very large school but once these last two smart boards are installed, we will have one in each and every classroom. I guess I expect more from a company that wants my business, especially in the current economic environment.

[Randy Dahl]

You need to understand that the NWSC tried to get CompView on the State Contract. But when it all came down to who will be the vendor, all the other service coops wanted Tierney Brothers because they had the lowest prices. Barb tried to get CompView.
Also once there is a contract in place alot of vendors will take a loss to keep a customer. CompView for some reason didn't want to go low enough to get the contract so now they are trying to keep customers.
One thing i really like about going through the vendors that the service coops pick as the vendor, If you have problems Barb is there to help you get what you need or should get. It's nice to have someone to backup you up when you need it.

[Dianne C. Tillman]

I have gone back and compared the price I paid last year for a smart board from CompView and the price is $7 more than yesterday's quote. So, it looks like CompView is lowering their prices to keep me as a customer. Good for me.

[Randy Dahl]

Remember that this forum sends out emails to let everyone know what has been posted on the forum.
I don't like getting email's for there isn't a solution or problem i can try to help out with.
So please use this forum for Problems and Solutions. ( i think that sums up the forum)

I found this on an other forum.
I don't want anyone to take this personal i just think it is a good reminder when we post on the forum.

This forum is for professional who wish to conduct business in a professional manner. We will not tolerate bickering and fighting, patronizing and harrassing, or any "snarky" remarks.


Urban Dictionary defines it as “any language that contains quips or comments containing sarcastic or satirical witticisms intended as blunt irony. It’s usually delivered in a manner that is somewhat abrupt and out of context and intended to stun and amuse.” Wisecracks and put downs didn’t amuse the masses in high school and they won’t attract positive attention online either. Don’t get me wrong, being cynical has worked and some say works well, but doing so comes with as many negatives as it does positives. Just remember that “all attention is not always good attention”.

[Barb Nelson]

Hi Dianne,
I have sent out several letters and emails explaing the Legal Bid process the Service Cooperative has to go through to get pricing ofr our vendors. Our last bid was up in Dec. of 2009. We re-bid and had numerous companies respond with their programs and prices. At that time Tierney qutoed significantly lower prices and had much better value added services than any other vendor including Compview. So we awarded the bid to Tierney Brothers.
Once the bids are opened it is all public information as we are a state agency and have to follow all of the guidelines of the State of MN. The venodrs that did not get awarded the bid, requested the bid pricing that Tierney offered. They then can go to our members and offer lower prices than the awarded vendor. They do this all the time, and there isn't much we can do about it. If they would have originally bid those prices they are offering now to undercut the awarded vendor, they would have been awarded the bid to start with.
The purchasing program is serving its purpose, you are getting lower pricing than you normally would. But our awarded vendor and the Service coop are not making any money on it.
The service cooperative receives an administrative fee from awarded vendors for all sales generated in each region, usually 2% of sales. Last year the Northwest Service Cooperative had sales of 4.2 million. The administrative fees generated form those sales equaled about 80,000.00. That money is used to keep the purchasing and technology programs running at the service coop.
I hope that explains the situation a little bit.
Compview is a great company and I wish they would have bid the pricing they are offereing to you now. But that wasn't the case.
The Northwest Service Cooperatives stands behind the awarded vendor (Tierney Brothers) 100 percent.
Tierney Brothers offered to help you and other members with technical assisance for the problems you are having with your current SMARTBoards through this contract. Even though you didn't originally purchase from them. I think that alone speaks volumes about the services and integrity of Tierney Brothers.
The service coops purpose is to save our members money. As long as you are saving money, the Service Cooperative is serving its purpose. In the economic situation everyone is in now, you gotta buy where you save the most money. Hope this is clearer than mud. I think I even confused myself. :)
Looking forward to the next meeting. Hope it is as good as the last one was! It was fun seeing everyone again...

[Dianne C. Tillman]

My apologies.

Randy Dahl said:

Remember that this forum sends out emails to let everyone know what has been posted on the forum.
I don't like getting email's for there isn't a solution or problem i can try to help out with.
So please use this forum for Problems and Solutions. ( i think that sums up the forum)

I found this on an other forum.
I don't want anyone to take this personal i just think it is a good reminder when we post on the forum.

This forum is for professional who wish to conduct business in a professional manner. We will not tolerate bickering and fighting, patronizing and harrassing, or any "snarky" remarks.


Urban Dictionary defines it as “any language that contains quips or comments containing sarcastic or satirical witticisms intended as blunt irony. It’s usually delivered in a manner that is somewhat abrupt and out of context and intended to stun and amuse.” Wisecracks and put downs didn’t amuse the masses in high school and they won’t attract positive attention online either. Don’t get me wrong, being cynical has worked and some say works well, but doing so comes with as many negatives as it does positives. Just remember that “all attention is not always good attention”.

[Maureen Moris]

I agree that getting emails for every post/response is annoying. But, there is a way for you to control what emails are sent to you related to this site. Click on settings and then email .. there are a lot of choices to help you regulate how many emails you are going to receive.

Randy Dahl said:

Remember that this forum sends out emails to let everyone know what has been posted on the forum.
I don't like getting email's for there isn't a solution or problem i can try to help out with.
So please use this forum for Problems and Solutions. ( i think that sums up the forum)

I found this on an other forum.
I don't want anyone to take this personal i just think it is a good reminder when we post on the forum.

This forum is for professional who wish to conduct business in a professional manner. We will not tolerate bickering and fighting, patronizing and harrassing, or any "snarky" remarks.


Urban Dictionary defines it as “any language that contains quips or comments containing sarcastic or satirical witticisms intended as blunt irony. It’s usually delivered in a manner that is somewhat abrupt and out of context and intended to stun and amuse.” Wisecracks and put downs didn’t amuse the masses in high school and they won’t attract positive attention online either. Don’t get me wrong, being cynical has worked and some say works well, but doing so comes with as many negatives as it does positives. Just remember that “all attention is not always good attention”.