"Conciliatory directions always leave excuses room to expand."
Over the last few years, I have spoken to many actors wishing to help my friends in the document imaging channel transition to managed IT services. Unfortunately, after all this time, none seem interested in helping to change the approach, which honestly has not been a success and needs changing.
I think about conversations with master service providers or consultants regarding the struggles holding back the print services dealers from transitioning effectively to IT services. There is a commonality described in the quote I used to open this article.
"Conciliatory directions always leave excuses room to expand."
The two years I spent at ImageQuest LLC based in Nashville, Tn. along with watching their continued success. As open my mind, heart, and soul to the reality that if dealers applied their entrepreneurial fortitude, they could succeed as Milton Bartley and his team succeed.
The bottom-line the industry's consultants or the few master service providers' good intentions are being hijacked by the industry's reluctance to pay the price needed for improvement. I believe the overconfidence in the copier industry's potential has completely derailed the disciplines required of the teachers in a fear that the students would leave the classroom.
I have asked this question many times, but I must ask again. Why, after over ten years, has the transition not happened? I realize some print service organizations sell managed IT services. However, for the most part, the stories of the channel's success in IT services are never verified by the numbers.
It seems between the consultants in fear of being terminated and the dealers denying the realities of their perceived successes. The document imaging channel is at the crossroads of being defeated in its aspirations to transition past print.
Someone recently told me that some of the actors in the document imaging channel think I am suggesting that they eliminate their print business and only participate in IT services. To be clear, that is false. My goal would be that the dealer would become so successful in the broader deliverable of IT services. Which then would create options regarding their print deliverable.
When I hear people injecting objections to why an improvement message may scare people, Again, I immediately think of the quote which started this article.
"Conciliatory directions always leave excuses room to expand."
The insecurities of the unknown will cripple an industry fighting for its life. During the fight for relevance, those insecure about their place in the future will always attempt to coral others doubtful into a place; I describe as "The pasture of least resistance." A place where disturbance to complacency is never welcomed.
When those representing products and services outside of print imagine the document imaging channel, their excitement in the potential to capture the attention of this massive sales and service distribution channel is overwhelming.
These outsiders will nearly always have delusions of the real potential, and unfortunately, those using the document imaging channel to distribute non-print-related equipment or services become mesmerized by the customer base and perceived relationships.
Often, these outsiders are courted by those within the channel who will exasperate the channel's abilities and potential. I would say outsiders seeking to distribute through the document imaging channel. Don't be fooled by relationships from within. That approach may distract the realities from you.
Time continues proving that those massive print customer bases and those relationships built on selling print equipment and its services do not in any way guarantee the success of another deliverable. In too many cases, the new deliverable is pushed to market through the processes of the print deliverable, and regarding IT services, that approach continues failing and always will.
The unintended reality is that those using the document imaging channel to deliver their alternative products or services are not rewarded by individual dealers' success; they are rewarded by multiple dealers dabbling. When you look at the ways dealers pay for consultative or master provider services, it is easy to accept the truth in this.
Many who are helping the dealers are not willing to challenge them for fear of losing them. This fear is easily tested. Can you remember the last time your master service provider or your IT consultant sat down with you and examined your numbers, challenged your numbers, or shared with you the numbers of others who are successful?
When was the last time your consultant threatened to fire you as a customer based on your unwellness to participate appropriately? Is your consultant allowing you to excuse away your failure?
My friends, I am not giving up on the print dealers and will continue to explore ways to help those interested in doing what I witnessed first-hand being accomplished.
Dealers must move upscale in their IT aspirations, and instead of chasing 2,000.00 a month, IT services contracts seek to perfect in only accepting above $7,000.00.
In 2010 maybe 2,000.00 was acceptable. However, today the commoditization of IT through cloud providers will eliminate the required profitability in these opportunities for all value-added IT service providers.
The dealers must break through the trap, keeping them stuck between MPS and MSP. I am convinced more than ever if dealers re-evaluated their aspirations, eliminated their over-convenience, and were adamant in achieving profitability, they can succeed.
Ladies and gentlemen, let's create the new normal because we all know this.
"Status quo is the killer of all that will be invented."
Ray Stasieczko
CEO/Founder TEASRA,The Innovation Channel and Host of The End of The Day With Ray! https://www.endofthedaywithray.com/
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