Background

In early 2011 Ross Wiffler of Common Sense Business Solutions met with Kimberly Williams of St. Vincent de Paul Church in Petaluma to explore alternatives to their existing copy machine. During the meeting Kimberly shared that St. Vincent de Paul Church had a long standing, 20+ year relationship with their existing vendor and felt confident that they were receiving the best pricing available for the type of equipment they had. At the time of this meeting St. Vincent de Paul Church was approaching the end of their existing copier lease and had already received a quote from their current vendor for a replacement option as well as competitive proposals from several competing companies.

Solution

Upon review of St. Vincent de Paul’s current lease agreement and service agreement and the pending replacement proposal from their existing vendor, Common Sense Business Solutions concluded that we were able to provide a faster, more efficient copier with an all inclusive service and support agreement for less than one quarter the monthly cost proposed by their incumbent vendor.

The savings were so dramatic that Kimberly Williams felt inclined to ask if we were truly able to deliver what we had offered in our proposal. Upon concluding that the offer was not a mistake, Kimberly enthusiastically shared the proposals she had collected to date with several members of their committee including an individual with significant experience and insight into the copier industry. Upon reviewing the proposals it was clear that Common Sense Business Solutions was offering the greatest value and St. Vincent de Paul entered into a relationship to lease a Konica Minolta Bizhub C451.

Additional Benefits

Over three years following the installation the Konica Minolta Bizhub C451 continues to provide a level of copying, printing and scanning that St. Vincent de Paul had never achieved with their previous copy machines. In addition to providing faster, more efficient copying and printing for their administrative needs, the Konica Minolta Bizhub C451 also provides automated booklet creation with automatic folding and 2 point stapling making the weekly task of printing bulletins far less time consuming and more efficient. The service and support that St. Vincent de Paul has received has been an added benefit highlighted by personalized account and service representatives, consistently fast service response times and proactive applications of critical equipment updates and services.

Summary

Common Sense Business Solutions has helped St. Vincent de Paul Church lower their costs by approximately 400% while providing superior service and support along with more efficient, feature rich equipment resulting in an expanded range of materials that no longer have to be outsourced to printing companies.

 

What Most People Overlook When It Comes to Copier Leases

Let’s face it—most organizations don’t spend their afternoons analyzing copier lease agreements. But here’s the catch: those small, overlooked line items on your monthly statement? They can quietly bleed thousands from your budget each year. That’s exactly the trap St. Vincent de Paul Church in Petaluma was about to fall into—until they hit pause and had a deeper conversation with Common Sense Business Solutions.

In 2025, office tech isn’t just about making copies—it’s about smart, integrated solutions that actually support your workflow. The switch to a Konica Minolta Bizhub C451 didn’t just improve print speed and image quality—it transformed how the church team handled time-sensitive tasks like bulletin printing, document archiving, and event materials. And because it’s a true multifunction printer/copier/scanner, it streamlined everything into one compact workhorse.

 

Hidden Value: Service That Shows Up Before You Ask

One of the biggest things people miss when evaluating copier leases? The support that comes after the sale. St. Vincent’s didn’t just save money—they gained peace of mind. Their new copier lease included proactive service, personalized support, and automated maintenance alerts—features their old vendor never offered, even after two decades.

Think about it: would you rather save $100/month and risk downtime, or invest in a cost-saving office equipment solution that’s built to grow with your needs? St. Vincent de Paul Church chose the latter—and nearly quadrupled their value while cutting costs by 75%. That’s not just a good deal—it’s the kind of smart decision every organization should be making in 2025.

 

Testimonial

CSBS received the following testimonial from St. Vincent de Paul’s Office Manager Kimberly Williams:

“We contacted three other companies for bids and we found that Ross Wiffler and Common Sense Business Solutions had exactly what we were looking for. He has that sense of business service that is retrospective of the 1950s. Courteous, friendly and when he says he will do something or be somewhere he is spot on. His pricing was very competitive and I am at relief that he has our best interests at heart.”

Common Sense Business Solutions is a locally owned and operated office equipment dealership with the goal of creating lasting relationships with our neighbors and business partners in Sonoma County while making a positive impact on our community and environment. We use our experience to provide personalized, detailed evaluations that help our clients save money while implementing the most efficient solutions to meet their individual needs.

CSBS main office is at 2208 Northpoint Parkway, Santa Rosa, CA 95407 and we can be reached at (707) 528-2151

St. Vincent de Paul Church in Petaluma is a Eucharist centered people who, as the Body of Christ, live their faith in word and deed by sharing their time, talent, and treasure to support one another and serve those in need.