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--- Pump Selection and Purchasing

knowledge of the field conditions and the understanding of how
these conditions might impact the pump performance and
reliability. This underscores the need for all the questioning
identified in the early stages of this Chapter.
It should also be noted that, just because a centrifugal pump has
been purchased to deliver 500 gallons per minute, it will not
necessarily do that in the field, as it is under constant control of
the system.
All pump problems arise from either internal or external stresses.
The internal stresses mostly occur as a result of upset hydraulic
conditions which are rarely discussed in any specification,
regardless of how integral they are to the system in which the
pump must operate. The external stresses come from inappro-
priate installation or operation, and they too are rarely acknow-
ledged, particularly in the specification.
Suppliers do not guarantee field performance.
0
This is the most important point. The standard pump manu-
facturer's guarantee covers defective material and workananship of
parts of its own manufacture. They will also agree to meet (within
certain tolerances and under factory test conditions) all specified
conditions of Head, Capacity, NPSH and sometimes Vibration,
with the stated levels of Efficiency and Power Draw offered.
In the event that anything goes wrong in the field, the first
reaction is to take the pump back to the factory and test it under
controlled conditions. This is quite understandable and justified,
as the supplier has no control over the installation and operating
conditions in the field. Consequently, field performance is rarely,
if ever, guaranteed.

5.3.1 Traditional pricing negotiation
Otherwise known as 'Your price is too high!'. This is the standard
response to any equipment salesperson from any customer anywhere in
the world, and while the language might change with the product and
the country, the idea is exactly the same. Many salespeople have not yet
realized that this statement is simply a set piece in the formal script of
the negotiation process which has become part of the pump purchasing
scenario over the years. Any Purchasing Officer worth their salt will use
that phrase regardless of the specific numbers in front of them.

The sad part is that, over the years, it has created a trend towards price
cutting that has served neither manufacturer nor user. Witness the
number of companies that no longer serve certain markets where this
practice is still in wide usage; resulting in some good quality products

81 m