see attached file
June 2023
Online Shopping Security Matters: What You Need to Know
Online Shopping Security Matters: What You Need to Know
While physical retail might be making a comeback, it will be hard for retail storefronts to compete with the convenience, variety, and availability of the worldwide web. Unfortunately, online office supply sales are no exception to the rule. While overall sales have continued to increase as companies begin to return to normal operations, online purchases have continued to outpace those in physical retail establishments.
But the continued and growing reliance on digital purchases has opened up a bigger problem for companies; online security and the risk of company data falling into the wrong hands.
Online shopping has been available for years. But the rapid growth and significant boost seen since the end of 2020 has also made businesses offering online sales options even more of a target than before. With more traffic, fraudsters see more opportunities to attack unsuspecting businesses and their customers. In some cases, legitimate businesses are even willing to resort to underhanded tactics to take down the competition.
When Online Stores Crash
There have been multiple instances in the news where online retailers are flooded with so much website traffic that it causes long wait times or even completely crashes the site. If a company or page has been featured in a popular show or showcased heavily, this might be real business reaching levels overwhelming the host server. But for print management, services, and supplies that serve the needs of corporations and business offices, attracting that much website traffic is highly unlikely. The more likely scenario is a Distributed Denial of Service Attack or DDoS.
A DDoS attack employs utilizes bots to significantly raise traffic on an eCommerce site to the point where it crashes or stops performing normally. For businesses looking to take out the competition, the disruption in regular service can degrade client confidence in the company’s ability to meet convenience and supply expectations. In 2021, there were a record-breaking 9.84 million DDoS attacks in the USA.
For cybercriminals, the tactic can be used as a diversion to mask other, more nefarious activities such as planting malware or backend hacking to steal data. The fallout for small eCommerce from a DDoS attack can reach as high as $50,000 per incident.
Other Types of Online Fraud
While DDoS is one of the most common tactics used against online stores, there are several other ways criminals attempt to take advantage of businesses and their customers.
- Interception fraud is an order placed as usual with a matching shipping address and stolen credit card information. However, the actual purchaser intercepts the order by calling the shipping company or customer care representative to change the final delivery address once the order is accepted.
- Account takeover fraud occurs when criminals log into a customer’s account. They have usually gained access to the account by purchasing passwords from the dark web or through phishing schemes. Once logged into the account, criminals will make orders or change customer details.
- Triangulation fraud is performed by setting up a storefront with pricing that will attract customers. They then use stolen credit card numbers to purchase goods from other eCommerce sites to fulfill their orders. As a result, their customers receive their goods, but the original store and the owners of the stolen credit cards are victims of fraud.
- Friendly fraud is based on standard customer care practices for legitimate grievances. For example, criminals will order a product and then cite a problem with the product or delivery to either request their money back from the business or initiate a chargeback directly with their payment processor.
Identifying Commercial Fraud
Many online store platforms have the technology to help guard against the most common forms of fraud. However, office printer industry businesses should be aware of the critical signs of criminal eCommerce behavior to add an extra layer of protection for the company and its customers. Some things to look out for include:
- Inconsistent order details are a big signal of potential fraud. For example, if the zip code and city don’t match or the IP address of the shopper and their email address don’t match, it is most likely a sign of attempted fraudulent activity.
- When a client suddenly places a larger than average order, it is a giant red flag. It might be good to contact the customer to confirm the quantity and other details before processing the transaction.
- Customers usually order using a specific IP address. Therefore, anytime a customer logs in from a new IP, it is advisable to require additional login steps and follow up with the customer for an order confirmation.
- If a customer was not initially set up with multiple shipping addresses and is suddenly expanding the number of delivery locations, it could be a sign of criminal activity.
- The timeframe is another item to watch closely. Criminals usually utilize bots and will trigger a series of activities in a short timeframe, such as multiple orders, multiple credit cards, or initiating several declined transactions in a row.
With the rapid increase in online shopping platforms and the ongoing move of consumers to digital channels, fraudsters are thriving on attacking businesses and their customers. Those who are new to the eCommerce space are especially vulnerable. Therefore, companies planning to operate or already use an online store should make sure they are training staff and taking steps to secure themselves and their customers.
Todays Hacked!
HACKED!
LetMeSpy, a phone tracking app spying on thousands, says it was hacked | TechCrunch.....A copy of the hacked database also appeared online later the same day. DDoSecrets, a nonprofit transparency collective that indexes leaked datasets in ...
Meta Platforms Sued Over Instagram Account Hacked by NFT Scammer.....alleged that Instagram's parent company repeatedly prevented them from accessing the social media profile after it was hacked last September.
American, Southwest pilot applicants' data hacked at Austin recruiting firm.....American, Southwest pilot applicants' data hacked at Austin recruiting firm · The breach took place in late April but the airlines only notified those ...
Hacked ChatGPT account for sale: More than 100000 are available on the dark web.....The internet's black market is full of stolen credentials to access the Open AI artificial intelligence technology, which can reveal users' ...
Schrödinger's Hacking Law And Cyber Burnout: Capacity Building in U.S. Cybersecurity.....Schrödinger's Hacking Law And Cyber Burnout: Capacity Building in U.S. Cybersecurity. Recruiting problems in cybersecurity will continue until ...
Gas Stations Impacted by Cyberattack on Canadian Energy Giant Suncor - SecurityWeek.....Zendesk Hacked After Employees Fall for Phishing Attack ... Zendesk is informing customers about a data breach that started with an SMS phishing ...
-=Stay Safe=-
Lead for ManagedIT Services (three locations)
see attached file
Lead for 80 plus copiers (KNOCK OUT Sharp)
see attached file
The End of Another Sales Quarter Means New Opportunities
I guess the question I keep asking myself is how many more will I measure myself by? Will it be two, ten or twenty? Frak twenty quarters would be another 5 years and I'm not sure if I have that in me.
Each and ever new quarter gives me a chance to refocus on many of the opportunities that didn't pan out. It's kind of like having a fresh start to re-engage those lagging or drawn out opportunities. I've learned that opportunities never just go away, they are either one or lost.
Eight Years
In particular one recent net new win from two weeks ago was eight years in the making. That's from first contact to a closed order. Eight years is a long time, what's even longer is when you lose two times and the process starts all over again.
Many reps will give up after the first loss and move on, those that stuck around and lost the second time will have packed their bags. However for those of that understand relationships we know that they are not built in days or months. They are build in years.
Two Years & Counting
I have another opportunity that I've been tracking for two years. During the last two quarters I've had hints that the next quarter will be the quarter that the $250K order comes to close. The larger the opportunity in our business means the more time and resources that are needed to bring the opportunity to fruition. Thus the start of the every new quarter gives you are renewed vigor that this will be the quarter. Sometimes all you need is patience and good things will come.
Sales
Today I had a chat with a good friend of mine about sales and opportunities. My friend is coming off one of his best quarters every for his business. I stated you know what this mean right? I then followed up with "as long as we work had we never know what the tomorrows will bring us".
In a short six months most of us will be ending our 2023 sales campaign. With two quarters in the books, many of us will think about what's needed to make the next two quarters as good as the last two.
If a new rep was to ask me that question about what's needed my only answer is that you need to work smart, work hard and out work your competitors.
-=Good Selling=-
Attention Sales World... Heart Matters And Why Soft Skills Will Yield You Hard Dollars!
"When you fish for love, bait with your heart, not your brain."
Mark Twain
What are you fishing for in the sales world?
Furthermore, what are you fishing for with your clients?
I am here to inform all of you, the faster you get to the heart, the faster you get to what matters for your clients and future clients.
Let's think together for a moment...
Could a loving a heart be the pathway to client knowledge?
Could a loving heart be the key to monumental sales growth?
In a post-trust world, where trust in salespeople is at an all-time low, it has now become more critical than ever for you to be transparent, human, and connect at an emotional level with your clients.
Your clients must be valued, respected, involved, and their views must be heard.
Those of you who lead with heart are better suited. By this I mean, you have the wisdom, capacity and wherewithal to positively inspire you clients to transform their businesses towards the next level of growth.
Heartfelt salespeople commit themselves to make tomorrow a better day for their clients.
Nelson Mandela eloquently said,
"A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination".
Heartfelt salespeople establish deep meaningful relationships while maintaining radical amounts of self-discipline. This 1-2 punch creates long-term results, which in turn, fosters sustainability.
Heartfelt salespeople prioritize sustainability over short-term gains. They aim to build enduring and authentic relationships, as opposed to focusing solely on transactions.
Transactional thinking gets salespeople replaced.
Heartfelt salespeople recognize the importance of building genuine connections with their clients. This has them going beyond transactional interactions as they strive to understand their customers' needs, desire, and challenges.
With intentional listening and empathy, they create a foundation of trust, mutual understanding and respect. This approach allows them to establish long-term relationships built on authenticity, care and compassion for each other.
By cultivating trust and delivering consistent meaningful value, you begin creating a foundation for long-term success.
This approach not only leads you to repeat profitable business but also generates monumental amounts of referrals and recommendations. All this contributing to your sustainable growth.
Soft skills will yield you hard dollars!
In a sales world riddled with all about me, selling from the heart creates the foundation known as "all about we."
Selling from the heart is a lifestyle.
It's not a fad, it's not a fly by night sales tactic, nor something you flip the switch on/off.
Emotionally secure salespeople are truly original. They are creative thinking, genuine, sincere, thoughtful and just plain ole give a rip.
Selling from the Heart professionals push the boundaries of conventional sales methods.
In working with their clients, these professionals encourage creativity, openness and mutual involvement. In turn, this provides the freedom to innovate inside various layers within their client base, yielding trust, confidence and cohesion.
Leading this lifestyle means you're carrying yourself with purpose, personal accountability, and a deep commitment to do what's right.
Integrity filled selling keeps you at the top!
GET YOUR HEART RIGHT, GETS YOUR SALES RIGHT
“Sometimes the heart sees what is invisible to the eye.”
H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
What do your clients see when they look into your eyes?
To sell from the heart, your heart must be right.
Simply stated... hurt people hurt more people, confused people just confuse more people.
Here lies the conundrum... when many in sales come from a selfish point of view, they can never sell from the heart.
"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others”
Philippians 2:3-4
A selfish-hearted rep is someone who thinks first and foremost of self. They are consumed by self-consideration. They only find satisfaction when their needs are placed at the front of the quota attaining line.
When salespeople lead with the wallet and not the heart, it comes across immediately in their body language, voice, and facial expressions.
When this self-interest becomes extreme and overrides the consideration of others (think about your clients), it will ultimately lead to negative outcomes, strained relationships and inconsistent sales.
Sowing the heartfelt seeds of your clients by building harmonious relationships, will reap you sales results beyond your wildest imagination.
Leading with the wallet causes commission breath!
Hear me out on this one... you must come at this from a pure place. If not, you will eventually get called out on the carpet as being an empty suit and rightfully so.
Isn't the goal to help your clients function better, do their job better, and to build long term relationships?
If you can agree to this, then you must get your heart in the right place.
HEARTFELT SERVING DRIVES CLIENT CONNECTION
“Rule with the heart of a servant. Serve with the heart of a king.”
Bill Johnson
Who are you honoring and serving? Stop and reflect on that one for a moment.
It's hard to honor and serve with a selfish heart. Therefore, the heart rules when connecting.
If you're not bringing your heart to what you do, if you cannot get passionate about leading where you are, then I must ask you... Why are you in sales? Is this the right place for you?
If you want to build meaningful and purposeful relationships with your clients, then you must connect at the heart level.
Vulnerability becomes your strength. It allows you to connect with your clients authentically, empathetically and with compassion.
Your heart matters the most. Your words, your messaging and your actions create a signal that you really do care about your clients. You see them for who they really are, and not a means to quota attainment.
If salespeople talk the talk, they must walk the walk!
Those salespeople who can inspire others through kindness, flexibility, support and empowerment, connect in ways that many in sales become envious of.
These heartfelt professionals always have something uplifting to say. They make their clients feel comfortable around them. They make them feel secure enough to open up with their business concerns and issues.
When you treat your clients with compassion and truly give a rip about them, they will never forget you.
SOFT SKILLS ARE THE REAL SKILLS
I find this fascinating and quite interesting... many and I mean many salespeople will stress the importance of their client relationships and the impact this has on their sales results... SO... the question becomes... what are you doing to strengthen, enhance and grow your people and relational skillset?
Leading a heart healthy lifestyle is all about people and relational skills. It's the behaviors you use when interacting with other people.
This my sales friends becomes the missing link to your doubling your sales results.
I believe committing to working with your head, heart and hands will create unbreakable bonds with your clients.
You will soon notice:
- An improvement in client engagement
- Innovative ideas flowing between you and your clients
- A collaborative client community based upon trust and loyalty
- Improved client retention, referrals and bottom-line sales results
- Long-term and stable partnerships
Working with your head, heart, and hands is a continuous journey. This requires ongoing self-improvement, learning, and adaptability to meet the evolving needs of your clients.
By integrating these three elements, you establish strong connections and cultivate meaningful relationships, withstanding challenges and the test of time.
Maya Angelou brings this home,
"If you find it in your heart to care for somebody else, you will have succeeded."
Care, compassion and heart is what will drive incremental and monumental sales results. And isn't this what you want?
Joanne discusses the importance of referral selling. She shares her insights on how salespeople can build and leverage their referral networks to create a sustainable and successful sales career. She also emphasizes the need for authenticity in sales and the importance of putting the client first.
HIGHLIGHT QUOTES
The importance of asking for referrals - Joanne: "Because as salespeople we have the relationships and when we've closed a deal, we've talked to more than one person. Typically, yes, right. And we know when we've clicked with people, it's not everybody, but I imagine there must be three or four people that we've connected with during the buying process. All those people we can ask and they're glad to help, they just don't know what to do."
Connect with Joanne and check her work in the links below:
LinkedIn: https://lnkd.in/exNMs3z3
No More Cold Calling: https://lnkd.in/ewsZyMwW
Learn more about Darrell and Larry:
Got a video about how you sell from the heart? Share it by texting VIDEO to 21000.
Click https://lnkd.in/epVEisH to preorder your copy of the rerelease of the Selling from the Heart book.
SUBSCRIBE to our YOUTUBE CHANNEL! https://lnkd.in/ed_dwJXh
Please visit WHYINSTITUTE.COM
Please go to WORKBETTERNOW.COM
Click for your Daily Dose of Inspiration
Check out the 2023 Authentic Selling Challenge
Get your Insiders Group FREE PASS here
This Week in the Copier Industry 5 Years Ago
This Week in the Copier Industry 5 Years Ago
Last Week of June 2018
Real Copier Sales
Today was a sweet day for me because after eight years I finally sealed the deal with a net new client for a $17K order. Eight years! I guess this is a testament about not giving up, not giving up when you don't win the first first and second time.
For many reps they may never make that 8 year mark, many may give up after the first loss and not alone the second loss. After 43 years of courting SMB clients all I can tell you is that the copier industry has been very, very good to me. With any business or sales job it's all about what you make of your time and how dedicated are you.
-=Good Selling=-
Toshiba Expands Managed Print Program to Label Printers
Art Post ·
LAKE FOREST, Calif.--( BUSINESS WIRE )-- Toshiba America Business Solutions today announces the expansion of its industry-leading Encompass managed print services (MPS) program to include Toshiba and other OEM thermal barcode printers. Toshiba’s expanded MPS program now fully supports and optimizes supply chain and logistics operations thermal barcode print fleets with OEM-branded parts, labeling supplies and full-service maintenance. Toshiba’s customizable Encompass program is specifically
Topic
Ricoh changes the inkjet game, introducing additional inks and the new RICOH Pro VC70000
Art Post ·
MALVERN, Pa. , June 25, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Ricoh USA Inc. today announced the newest addition to its award-winning inkjet portfolio, the RICOH Pro VC70000, built to accelerate the transfer of offset print volumes to digital. The new continuous feed platform empowers commercial printers to produce quality applications, such as high-end catalogs and magazines, traditionally expected from offset presses. Additionally, Ricoh-developed inks enable up to 40 percent savings in paper costs while
Topic
Copier firm Doceo moves Dauphin County office
Art Post ·
The York-based printing and copier firm Doceo Office Solutions, recently moved its Dauphin County office to 15 S. Houcks Road in Lower Paxton Township. The new spacewill double the sizeof Doceo’s previous office, Doceo officials said Monday. The former space was just under 1,000 square feet while the new space is 2,050 square feet. In a newly renovated showroom, the firm willoffer hands-on demonstrations of copiers and printers by a sales team led by Bill Alquist, vice president of sales, and
Blog Post Premium
The Flat Rate Program "The Good, the Bad & the Ugly"
Art Post ·
If you've been around as long as I have, then you're old! No, really it's that you've seen or heard about some of the coolest marketing programs from our beloved copier manufacturers. One program has recently has a ton of chatter on the Print4Pay forums lately. That's the KonicaMinoltaAll inclusive unlimited clickprogram. I first heard of the program through one of my Linkedin connections and he was touting how awesome the program is for clients. In fact he's authored his success on the One
Topic
Nick Offin appointed new Toshiba head of sales, marketing and operations for Northern Europe
Art Post ·
Former Toshiba Information System ’s Head of B2B Sales-Northern Europe Offin, who will replace Neil Bramley on the 1st July after Bramley held the post for 23 years, is set to focus his operations on promoting the expansion of the public, corporate and mid-market sectors of the industrial, healthcare and education industries. “Over the past five years, expanding my remit beyond partner-driven activity to include a wide variety of market approaches has given me the chance to focus on the
Topic
Sharp Expands Into Houston Market With The Acquisition Of American Business Machines
Art Post ·
and financially successful organizations. About Sharp Business Systems Sharp Business Systems is the direct sales division of Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America, which markets Sharp's full line of multifunction printers (MFPs)/Copiers, Network Printers, and professional display products including the AQUOS BOARD® interactive display system. Sharp Imaging and Information Systems is a division of Sharp Electronics Corporation, the U.S. sales and marketing subsidiary of Sharp
Topic
Ricoh brings enterprise-class workflow solutions to small and medium-sized businesses, via the cloud
Art Post ·
technologies and services enabling individuals to work smarter. For more than 80 years, Ricoh has been driving innovation and is a leading provider of document management solutions, IT services, commercial and industrial printing, digital cameras, and industrial systems. Headquartered in Tokyo , Ricoh Group operates in approximately 200 countries and regions. In the financial year ended March 2018 , Ricoh Group had worldwide sales of 2,063 billion yen (approx. 19.4 billion USD ). For further
Topic
Xerox says to lower dependency on Fujifilm, seek new vendors
Art Post ·
( Reuters) - Xerox Corp said on Monday it would start sourcing products from new vendors to lower its dependency on Fujifilm Holdings Corp and may not renew its technology agreement with the 56-year-old joint venture Fuji Xerox. Fujifilm sued Xerox last week for well over $1 billion, faulting the printer and copier company for succumbing to pressure from activist investors Carl Icahn and Darwin Deason in calling off a proposed merger agreed in January. In a letter to Fujifilm Chief Executive
Comment
Re: The Flat Rate Program "The Good, the Bad & the Ugly"
Art Post ·
copyme posted: Then let me take it one step further - is there anything misleading in the way it is being presented? Is there any way to see the offer in writing from one of the reps out there? It one thing to "say" it is unlimited clicks - it is another thing if it is writing. Doesn't seem to be unlimited clicks in any way shape or form to me. Is this going to give Office Equipment Sales People a bad name out there? I think it needs to be exposed if this is a scam. IN reviewing what I write
Topic
Xerox Job Build
I have a customer who was using a Xerox Job Build feature to copy mixed single and double sided documents (so they are not charged a click for blank pages). How can I do this on a Savin/Ricoh? With Xerox Job Build you can tell the copier these pages are single sided and these pages are double allowing you to only be charged for the pages with coverage. I can't figure out if or how to do this with the Savin. Thanks!
Topic
Ricoh Deploys Cloud Solutions for Small Businesses
Art Post ·
designed to streamline common processes and help workers be more productive. Cloud Connectors provides connectivity to a range of cloud-based applications with a scan-to-email feature with no configuration, mobile printing, and optical character recognition (OCR). 39, business, among others. With RICOH Integrated Cloud Environment packages, users can seamlessly connect to more than 20 different cloud applications. Workflows in the cloud give businesses that need specific tasks and advanced
Blog Post
A Selling From The Heart Sales Professional Listens With The Intent To Learn
, CONNECT MORE Listening with the intent to learn is the cornerstone of a selling from the heart professional. They understand talking is not really giving. It may feel like giving to a sales rep but it isn't. Effective listening begins with the intent to understand. Most sales reps love talking about themselves.They love spewing their product knowledge as well as the features and benefits of their service.In actuality, they're puking all over themselves as they stick to what they know rather than
Comment
Re: The Flat Rate Program "The Good, the Bad & the Ugly"
copyme ·
Question: This makes little sense. If it is "unlimited clicks" but at the same time if the customer goes over their typical use pattern there is an overage charge, then how can it be "unlimited clicks"? I must be missing something! From the post: Here's what's not so good for the sales person to chat about: If a client use of supplies rises above the typical use pattern (determined by KMBS) the client would need to pay overage charges
Comment
Re: The Flat Rate Program "The Good, the Bad & the Ugly"
copyme ·
Then let me take it one step further - is there anything misleading in the way it is being presented? Is there any way to see the offer in writing from one of the reps out there? It one thing to "say" it is unlimited clicks - it is another thing if it is writing. Doesn't seem to be unlimited clicks in any way shape or form to me. Is this going to give Office Equipment Sales People a bad name out there? I think it needs to be exposed if this is a scam.
Topic
Fujifilm threatens to compete against Xerox if partnership not renewed
Art Post ·
(Reuters) - Fujifilm Holdings Corp ( 4901.T ) on Wednesday threatened to compete against Xerox Corp ( XRX.N ) in Asia-Pacific and challenge it in America and Europe if it failed to renew its technology agreement in 2021. Xerox had said on Monday it would start sourcing products from new vendors to lower its dependency on Fujifilm and may not renew the agreement with the 56-year-old joint venture Fuji Xerox. In a letter to Xerox’s newly appointed Chief Executive Officer, John Visentin, Fujifilm
Topic
Memjet Powers the New Neopost MACH 6 Printer for Direct Mail and Packaging
Art Post ·
SAN DIEGO - June 27, 2018 - Memjet announces that Neopost has incorporated Memjet’s printing technology into its MACH 6 digital color thick media printer for mailing, printing and packaging applications. The MACH 6 ensures a level of quality and speed that toner-based solutions cannot provide and gives print providers the resource they need to produce affordable, short-run, digital color printing while increasing their profitability and productivity. The MACH 6 represents Neopost’s next
Topic
New York judge rejects Fujifilm bid to dissolve Xerox deal injunction
Art Post ·
NEW YORK – Fujifilm Holdings Corp. failed to persuade a Manhattan state judge to dissolve an order barring its planned merger with Xerox Corp., cutting off a possible option for keeping the deal alive. The company has claimed in a separate lawsuit it will suffer $1 billion in damages if it can’t cement the $6.1 billion takeover, which was thwarted by activist investors Carl Icahn and Darwin Deason. Deason sued Xerox in February in Manhattan state court to block the acquisition, accusing its
Blog Post
It's The Day After the End of a Quarter "Do You Know Where Your Best Sales People Are?"
Art Post ·
Topic
Need help with Sharp 4070N & Color Matching
Art Post ·
I cut the above from the 4070N brochure. How is this used on the Sharp? Is it just some embedded software/
Event
Ricoh Convergence
Topic
Ricoh ICE for MS365 Set Up
Art Post ·
Can anyone help with a set up for Ricoh ICE with Office 365? Need asap if you can?
Topic
New Xerox CEO calls Fujifilm’s bid to renew merger talks ‘delusional,’ casts shadow over Fuji Xerox venture
Art Post ·
NEW YORK/SAN FRANCISCO – Xerox Corp. CEO John Visentin blasted his Fujifilm Holdings Corp. counterpart’s efforts to revive merger talks and warned that he doesn’t plan to renew the companies’ Asia joint venture Fuji Xerox in 2021. Visentin, elevated to CEO after shareholders Carl Icahn and Darwin Deason won a court order blocking the companies’ $6.1 billion merger deal, said in a letter to Fujifilm Chairman Shigetaka Komori on Monday that a lawsuit by Tokyo-based Fujifilm was “nothing more
Comment
Re: The Flat Rate Program "The Good, the Bad & the Ugly"
Art Post ·
heard today that reps get an extra 2%
Comment
Re: The Flat Rate Program "The Good, the Bad & the Ugly"
Art Post ·
Program is to be continued for third quarter of 2018
Comment
Re: The Flat Rate Program "The Good, the Bad & the Ugly"
Art Post ·
Copyme I guess you could say that is the "gotcha" clause
Comment
Re: The Flat Rate Program "The Good, the Bad & the Ugly"
Art Post ·
I'm not seeing this as a scam, but just a company protecting it self if a user is producing too much color on a page. personally, I think the reps need to tell the "entire" story and explain any potential pitfalls.
Comment
Re: The Flat Rate Program "The Good, the Bad & the Ugly"
fisher ·
This is nothing more than just another way to package the exact same thing we've all always done. Just packaging and a talk track. Same old Same OLD.
Comment
Re: The Flat Rate Program "The Good, the Bad & the Ugly"
Art Post ·
I beg to differ. We just ran up against this with an account that was producing 16K in color on three MFP devices. This program saves that client almost $40K
Comment
Re: The Flat Rate Program "The Good, the Bad & the Ugly"
Giving away the blades to sell the razor? That doesn't make sense. What could possibly have changed to allow them to forgo such profits nationwide? On a side note, I wander if they have any Chinese Manufacturing?
Topic
EFEX acquires office equipment supplier Think Office Technology
Art Post ·
Nick Sheehan. Think’s branches in Cairns, Townsville, Mackay, Emerald, Gladstone, Brisbane, Sunshine Coast and Toowoomba will join EFEX’s current footprint of three offices to form an 11-branch network spanning from Adelaide in the south to Cairns in the north. Sheehan told CRN that Think, currently a subsidiary of ASX-listed Flexigroup, was Konica Minolta’s biggest dealer in Australia and that EFEX was one of Kyocera’s biggest. He said the merger would create a strong business footprint across
Comment
Re: Lexmark’s A4 Evolution is now the A4 Revolution
SalesServiceGuy posted: A4 copiers are caught in battle between product quality and low price. Other than lower costs there are no big reasons why you should buy an A4 MFP over an A3 MFP. Many customers prefer A3 copiers because they feel comfortable with the build quality and reliability. Price is not necessarily the highest priority for them. I have yet to see an A4 copier from any vendor that has a document feeder that even comes close to the build quality found on A3 copiers. As scanning
Comment
Re: Copier Parts & Accessories China Tariff Starts in 9 Working Days
More than a few copier/ printers are manufactured in Thailand and the Philippines due to low labor costs. I do not know but I think these products tend to be more low end A4 and printer products. I think most A3 product is made in China. I can only speak for Toshiba but I know the majority of North American toner is made in North Dakota. As I am from Canada, I am hoping with fingers crossed that this very likely US tariff war with China will not effect us.
Lead for Fleet of Copiers (College)
click image for web link
New Jersey Surveyors Love the Ricoh IM CW2200 Wide Format
Yes, it’s been some time since Ricoh updated the Ricoh MP cw2201 wide format. Covid19 has cramped a lot of the office equipment manufactures introductions for the last two years. Thus almost six years since the intro of the MP cw2201, the new IM CW2200 has launched. There’s some new features and some new wrinkles that New Jersey Surveyors will love. The I stands for Intelligent and the M for multi-functional!
Plotter Waterproof inks
Not only is the ink waterproof but it’s also UV resistant, no longer will ink smear or run if the document gets wet. Unlike other plotters that use 5 colors, our Ricoh wide format uses only four colors (cyan, magenta, yellow and black), which means it’s less expensive to buy four cartridges rather than five. Simple stuff right?
GEL-Jet technology
GEL-Jet technology is really pretty cool and that’s because even though the ink is liquid, it’s leaving behind a dry toner particle. The liquid acts as a carrying agent for the toner. When the liquid carrying agent comes into contact with the paper the carrying agent evaporates and leaves behind the dry toner particle. Thus in my eyes you have the best of both worlds for ink and toner. The image is dry and won’t smear nor run, and there is much less energy used with GEL-Jet printers over color laser printers. Thus the GEL-Jet typically uses 90% less power thus helping to reduce C02 emissions.
Wide Format Scan Technology
It wasn’t until I worked with a competitors wide format plotter when I found out that their wide format plotter could not scan or email a document to multiple scan locations (email or folder). Thus clients that need to scan documents to multiple locations in one pass can appreciate how the Ricoh IM CW2200 can save a tremendous amount of time scanning. I’ll admit most users now scan more than they copy. Can you imagine the time wasted to send the same drawing/plot to 5 users five times? geesh!
Every wide format competitor uses an outdated process for scanning documents except for Ricoh. Let’s say you need to scan 10 pages for a bid request, thus with the competitors you’ll need to place one document at a time in the scanner. Then wait for the document to scan, then wait for the document to exit the scanner and then remove the scanned document. I’m sorry but that’s an outdated process that I call “one in and one out” and huge waste of time!
Scan Exit Technology
Our Ricoh IM CW2200 offers a unique document exit tray for scanned documents to reside. The Ricoh process allows you place the document in the feeder, and then start the scan. When the document is scanned you then place the document that’s next in line to be scanned. Every scanned page is then delivered to the stack exit tray. When the scanning is complete, you grab the scanned pages from the exit tray stacker. Incredible time savings!
Auto Firmware Updates
Firmware is everywhere and without firmware most if not all electronic devices will not work. Firmware is a set of software instructions that tells the hardware what to do. In the past firmware for printers, copiers, scanners had to be installed by a technician. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it was the code that manufacturers and dealers lived by. The reason for that is because each on site call costs the manufacturers money. If the device was not operating correctly one of the fixes was to have a tech on site to install firmware.
Ricoh auto updates eliminates the need for a tech to be on-site. In addition it ensures the manufacturers hardware can be updated via the internet quickly. Many of those updates are for security as well as hardware fixes. You can learn more here for firmware security.
Closing
There’s my five reasons, however there are many more that would take too much time to list tonight. The IM CW 2200 is priced in the middle of the road for color 36″ plotters that scan/copy/print. In addition the IM CW 2200 can also be equipped with a dual roll feeder. This feature allows users to have a 36″ and 18″ rolls of paper available. The 18″ roll of paper can be used for check plots. If you’re in New Jersey, feel free to reach out to me apost@p4photel.com, if out side for New Jersey give me a buzz also and I can put in touch with some great reps that can help.
Feel free to check out our site Print4Pay Hotel. Another interesting blog about wide format plotter for you, Surveyor in New Jersey Selects Ricoh Wide Format
-=Good Selling=-
Today's Hacked!
HACKED!
What Is Network Hacking? How to Avoid Being Hacked - Enterprise Networking Planet....Network hacking is the process of identifying and exploiting a network's weaknesses to gain illegal access to computing devices and networks.
Are your online accounts safe? 2023's most hacked passwords - ......A recent study examined data from multiple sources and over 6 million breached passwords to find the worst offenders. Hacked passwords were then ...
3 in 4 people at risk of being hacked due to poor password practices | Security Magazine....A new report shows that 75% of people globally don't adhere to widely-accepted password best practices with 64% either using weak passwords or ...
At least 10 federal agencies contracted with hacked software maker.....At least 10 federal agencies have contracted with Ipswitch Inc., maker of the MOVEit software at the center of a cyber attack on government networks this month, federal procurement data show.
Global development corp hacked near White House | Cybernews.....Global development corp hacked near White House ... The Russian-allied hacktivist gangs Killnet and Anonymous Sudan have claimed another major financial ...
iOttie discloses data breach after site hacked to steal credit cards - Bleeping Computer.....Car mount and mobile accessory maker iOttie warns that its site was compromised for almost two months to steal online shoppers' credit cards and ...
Kremlin-backed hacking group puts fresh emphasis on stealing credentials....Microsoft has detected an increase in credential-stealing attacks conducted by the Russian state-affiliated hacker group often labeled as APT29, ...
Reddit Gets Hacked, Data Held Hostage For Millions Of Dollars - .....The ransomware hacker group BlackCat vows to release internal Reddit data unless the company pays them $4.5 million.
-=Stay Safe=-
Lead for Managed IT Services for 50 plus Workstations
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Printing Industry 4.0 – Changes For Managed Print Businesses
The first industrial revolution was mechanization through water and steam power. The second was the development of mass production through assembly lines and division of labor. The third was spawned by the introduction of computers, electronics, and automation.
Now, experts say, we are in the fourth revolution, or “Industry 4.0.” Welcome to the age of Big Data, Machine Learning, and the Internet of Things. In this transformation, worldwide commerce is being significantly reshaped by the proliferation of the internet throughout our society. To many businesses, it means more intelligent manufacturing or better networking. For others, this revolution means a whole new way of doing business.
Some companies have taken advantage of these significant changes and incorporated 4.0 as an advantage that sets them apart. Others, facing an industry that has worked quickly to embrace what the worldwide web offers, face a stark picture should they continue to follow the business practices they have known for decades. For those, the message is brutal but straightforward – “Evolve or Die.”
But even companies faced with dire choices can take heart. This is not Kodak or CPI Photo facing the influx of the digital camera. This is not the phone booth business melting in the face of a suddenly booming mobile phone market. This is evolution, not extinction – as long as you embrace the revolution before it is too late.
What Customers Want
Industry 4.0 has spoiled the customer on nearly all fronts. Amazon provides curated item picks and fast delivery. Grocery stores will shop for you and drop the goods at your doorstep. The majority of customers who reach out to businesses on social media (75%) expect a response within 24 hours. Over a quarter (35%) expect some sort of answer in an hour or less.
We are so incredibly spoiled that 40% of online shoppers won’t wait more than 3 seconds for an internet page to load. Goldfish would wait longer.
But it’s more than an expectation for fast response times, predictive metrics, and quick delivery. The demand for self-service has risen significantly. Even for business-to-business channels, companies are far less likely to visit a location, pick up a phone, or even send an email for a quote. As of 2019, more than half of companies (61-65%)preferred self-service for research, evaluation, ordering, and reordering.
So, today’s business customer is searching for intuitive technology with a simple user experience on the front-end and lightning-fast, friendly, and helpful response on the back-end. Where did they get this expectation? From other industries that have already upgraded to a 4.0 model.
Industry 4.0 For The Printing World
Business and office printing is a unique industry that relies heavily on printing supplies, equipment, software, and maintenance. While some companies cobble together their own mish-mash of vendor suppliers, a growing number of businesses have realized the real efficiencies and costs savings are found partnering with Managed Print Services (MPS) providers. And 4.0 technology is giving the Managed Print business even more of an advantage.
Most MPS companies already pride themselves on high quality, fast delivery, and low pricing. But office printers have become so ubiquitous to the business space that equipment manufactures were forced to divorce them from anything resembling the small consumer printers found standard in big box stores. Office printers are designed to connect to networks. Initially, this was to allow for fast inter-office printing. Now, however, it will enable these machines to be securely connected to cloud-based services that can assist with better overall management.
MPS using services such as PowerMPS, for instance, can use their cloud-based customer connection to provide more in-depth services for their clients and generate a better self-service experience online. Things like predictive supply ordering, usage reports, and online service requests are just a few of the ways a 4.0 empowered MPS provider’s customers can benefit.
But it’s more than a convenience; MPS 4.0 also offers a significant return for MPS businesses. Updating the business to provide in-person and online interactions caters to both companies who thrive on face-to-face sales and those who prefer a fast, always available, online alternative.
In A Post-Covid Print World
In a post-COVID-19 world, an online strategy is even more critical as it can help cater to those business partners still subject to more stringent safety measures. It also creates a way for the MPS business to continue operations even if they are forced to temporarily close their physical doors. And, while in-person service and maintenance areas may be limited, cloud-based connections can expand remote maintenance and sales opportunities. The result is a larger, more digital space to grow.
Fortunately, implementing a 4.0 strategy doesn’t have to be an IT and labor-intensive project. Services like PowerMPS offer comprehensive and easily implemented software that allows MPS businesses to create customized storefronts, customer profiles, and connections that will get them online quickly and efficiently. While the print industry’s call to embrace the 4.0 revolution may not be a blaring alarm yet, savvy MPS providers are taking advantage of everything the Internet of Things has to offer…before it becomes a “due or die.”