Taking some time off, I need to recharge and get my head straight for the final six months of 2022. I find that the first week of the first quarter is best. Imagine that, every year this coincides with the 4th of July!
-=Good Selling=-
MFP Copier Blog
The Last Day and the First Day of My..........Quarter
Pretty cool date today. The last day before vacation, the first day of the new quarter and my first order for new quarter would be a great start the last day of vacation and the first day of the quarter, right?
My first appointment I thought would be wishy washy as best with an existing account. Seems there was an new Chief IT director with my account. I had the ominous email a week to ten days ago asking for all sorts of info on their copiers. When I get that type of email it's usually not one of those great appointment.
Rather than conducting the meeting first and then organizing the date for the client. I opted to organize all of the data points that they required in a spreadsheet aka dashboard and then scheduled the virtual meeting. I wanted to be ready because many of these appointments can blow up and I wanted to get this done quickly since I had things to fry before my vacation. Thirty minutes before the start of the virtual meeting I emailed the spreadsheet aka dashboard of the 12 devices with our fleet.
The Meeting
I wasn't ready for the immediate response when the client thanked me for the following.
- Answering his email to schedule a review of their devices
- Scheduling a meeting to review the fleet of devices within a week
- Emailing the dashboard of device with lease start, lease end, monthly payment, device #ID, model number term of lease, lease term date, cost per page for black and color, along with last billing for cycle with pricing
My client explained that this he was rather new with the company and there are two fleets from different vendors (one of them me) and he needed to get a handle on all of the devices as soon as possible to he could get his plan in place.
My client then told me that the other vendor is for a Canon fleet and he's still waiting for someone to call or email him back after two weeks. I could tell he was impressed with the response and the how detailed the information was.
I'll take a trip back to the ominous email because in most cases I've been on the end that is told that changes are being made. That was my gut, however I did the work because that's my job. We need to do the work from start to finish even if the outcome is not what we wanted.
After the review, my client picked out one of the locations that had two devices and a pretty hefty volume with both leases terming in the next 3-10 months. It went something like this, "he's what I want, I want redundancy at all of my locations so let's start with this one. Where I have the one 60 ppm color, give me two 50ppm color MFPs and while we're at it also replaced the 30 ppm color as well."
Well, that was stunning, and also a nice bonus to happen the first day of the new quarter and the last day before my vacation. It's a verbal and I know that verbals are not set in stone, but I got him all the docs that he needs in order to move forward when he hits the office in the AM tomorrow.
-=Good Selling=-
Sales Professionals Make Self-Reflection A Habit, Not Deflection… What About You?
Self-reflection entails asking yourself questions about your values, assessing your strengths and failures, thinking about your perceptions and interactions with others, and imagining where you want to take your life in the future.”
Robert L. Rosen
What are your values?
What are your strengths?
How do you want to be perceived?
The nature of sales often creates mental turmoil (self-induced at times), craziness and chaos; creating a way to level-set and refocus on what’s important is valuable.
Being able to set aside alone time regularly through self-reflection becomes a powerful technique to help you be more successful.
Let me ask you a question, how far and how much have you grown in your sales life?
Now think about this quote by Michel de Montaigne
"If I speak of myself in different ways, that is because I look at myself in different ways."
Please take a moment, grab a cup of coffee, sit down, and reflect... go back 5 years ago and then push yourself to the present...
- Are you reaching greater heights in your sales life, now?
- Have you achieved most of your sales goals, now?
- Do you feel extremely fulfilled with your sales life, now?
If you want to live a better sales life, you must learn to grow.
Success in sales does not come overnight. It is achieved through daily improvement in small consistent increments over time.
In Selling from the Heart, I write about the many differences between sales professionals and sales reps. You see, sales professionals do the work that many sales reps find excuses not to do.
A true sales professional doesn't sleepwalk through the day nor their career. They work harder on themselves than any sales manager ever will.
Sales professionals actively think about the things they do. They objectively evaluate themselves on a regular basis. They look at things through an unbiased and clear set of lenses.
Elite sales professionals do more self-reflection as opposed to deflection.
Self-reflection, some of you may be thinking... Serious, come on.
Simply look at self-reflection as a mindfulness technique. This is where you place yourself in a quiet place and state of mind to recall events or experiences from the past, observe your current state, and then envision the future you want to create.
What concerns me is how many, especially in sales, do not allow themselves to pause and reflect on where they are and where they want to be.
And in doing so, this eventually leads to:
- Failing to look for opportunities to improve
- Lackluster feelings and burning out
- High levels of stress and emotional gymnastics
- Lower levels of excitement for a better future
How can you perform at high levels month in and month out or year over year, if you struggle to become your best self?
SELF-REFLECTION... IT STARTS WITH LOOKING INWARD
Socrates famously said,
“The unexamined life is not worth living.”
Self-reflection and looking inward is not an easy thing to practice. All of us live in a fast-paced, hyper-connected world.
Our mobile phones are constantly buzzing, social media is constantly vying for our attention, and Netflix always has something new to binge on.
Taking the time for reflection and inward thinking is tough. Most of us, unfortunately, are living unexamined lives.
The self-reflection journey to sales betterment starts with understanding who you are at your core. It is becoming more in tune with your deeper self. It is the ability to recognize what fires you up, what makes you happy or sad.
As a sales society, we’re largely fixated on the outer work. We focus on the stack rankings, where we are at quarter or year to date, key performance indicators, and number of new clients... starting to the get the picture?
Take a step back and realize that these are merely outer symbols. This does not reflect your inner world.
The key to sales happiness lies in transforming yourself and your career through the inner work.
When you truly understand who you are, you can make the conscious effort to improve yourself and how you communicate better with others.
- How do you deal with your emotions?
- How do you react when your sales life goes astray?
- What areas do you need to work on in your personal growth and development?
Do you have the courage to dig in and ask yourself deep questions?
SELF-REFLECTION... HELPS IN DEFINING YOU
Self-reflection and the quietening of your mind allows you to look inward, helping to rediscover and redefine you.
At this very moment...
- What makes your heart sing?
- How would you define yourself?
I encourage you to become your own Sherlock Holmes. Become interested in what grabs your attention and tugs on your heartstrings.
Stop looking in the dictionary for words that define you.
Getting to know yourself allows you to tap into the road of happiness as this is critical to your success as a sales professional. Your beliefs, your attitude and your daily routines are mission critical.
Understanding yourself can mean recognizing your shortcomings. It's about putting them on display for others to judge.
Yes, this means getting extremely vulnerable. This starts with looking in the mirror and saying to yourself, "This is me. This is the real me. This is who I am."
If you struggle to ask yourself deep questions, then you will struggle to ask your clients deep questions?
Again, elite sales professionals do more self-reflection as opposed to deflection.
STOP DEFLECTING YOUR WAY TO SALES SUCCESS
I encourage you to start becoming comfortable with self-reflection.
This will require ferocious self-honesty, self-discipline and massive action.
I encourage you to think about this one...
How can you become ferociously self-honest if you struggle to deal with any discomfort in your sales life?
Those of you who are willing to take risks, step out of your comfort zone and create some discomfort, will reap the biggest rewards.
What questions will you ask yourself daily?
The questions you ask yourself affect the sales life you lead. The questions you ask yourself will determine what your mind focuses on, which triggers certain thoughts, actions, and inactions, ultimately affecting your sales results.
Here are a few questions to help you on your self-reflection journey:
- What is currently working well for me? What can I appreciate and be grateful for?
- What have I recently learned that I can apply into my life and my sales life?
- What is the most important thing for me to focus on right now? Why is it important?
Imagine what could happen when you ask yourself empowering, deeply reflective questions?
This all starts to shift your mind to a whole new level and sets into motion the thinking and actions to jumpstart your sales life.
When we fail to reflect, we lose perspective, get caught up in things that don’t matter, and often lose sight of the things that are most important.
Do not live an unexamined life. Practice self-reflection.
When you deflect and not reflect, you lose out the rewards that soon follows.
Would you like to increase your sales success and fulfillment?
This was my goal when recording all-new materials for the new Selling from the Heart Masterclass, to increasing your sales success and fulfillment in your business.
If you enjoyed the Selling from the Heart book, you’re going to love this masterclass! It takes the tools given to the next level.
Have yet to read Selling from the Heart? No worries, you will receive an audio version as a part of the Masterclass. As an option you can get a free signed copy of Selling from the Heart (just pay for shipping and handling).
You can get your copy here - https://www.sellingfromtheheart.net/book
Together, we will go on a journey where we’ll dive into how to apply the ideas in the book to help you achieve even greater sales success.
With each of the 10 sessions, you’ll receive questions that will help you increase your sales in a way that also makes selling more enjoyable and fulfilling.
This masterclass is configured with you in mind where you can complete the course in chunks from any mobile device, iPad or computer, based on your availability.
You’ll also discover fun bonus materials throughout the course.
Better Call Art with Power MPS What Makes Our DCA Unique and Different
Our 3rd chat with Alex for #MPS #DCA and how to automate your processes
Better Call Art Minolta 450Z Top 50 Copiers #49
One of my favs. I believe the Minolta 450Z was introduced in 1983 or so. Every now and then one manufacturer will produce and over engineered device and the 450Z was one of those
Lead for IT Services in New York
click image for web link
Lead for IT Services in California
click image for web link
Lead for IT Services in Texas
Click image for web link
Many Good People Have Left our Copier Industry
I was told today that a good friend and a great member of our site decided to leave the industry. I was asked not to make mention of that persons name until it's formal.
I hate what the last almost three years has done to our industry. It was great that many of us made it through COVID, however the last 12 months of not being able to get copier/device is the straw that will or has broken many backs. I've never seen it this bad in my 42 years and feel we are losing too many of those good people.
I'll take a shot here and it's to all of the Japanese & Chinese manufacturers, for years and years they reached the zenith of their business model for "just in time delivery". No one ever thought that business model would backfire on our industry after Covid. Do I blame the just-in-time delivery process? Yes, I do!
Manufacturers could not keep up with demand because just-in-time delivery was a business model that couldn't be changed on the drop of a dime. The Japanese had perfected the model so well that warehouses, manufacturers and parts suppliers were doomed with factories shutting down all over the world.
I don't want to make this about just-time-delivery but that business process plays a big part in what's happened in the past three years with our industry.
More to come on this
-=Good Selling=-
Semiconductor Shortage Update
Before COVID-19 hit, insufficient capacities had already created a shortage of semiconductors worldwide. But the pandemic response, with government rules and regulations generating widespread lockdowns, forced manufacturers to temporarily cease production.
Once shut-downs began to ease and production started to ramp back up to normal levels, the demand for these tiny microchips had grown beyond what the industry could meet at normal production levels. The issue was compounded by ongoing supply-chain disruptions keeping necessary materials from being delivered to feed production.
Economical Impact of Semiconductor Shortage
It is estimated that the shortage in 2021 cost the USA economy over $240 billion dollars. The $240 billion is up $30 billion from 2020. As the shortage continues, and it continues to be a struggle to keep up with current demand, let alone make up for the past shortages, the total impact to the USA economy may be over $1 trillion by the end of 2024.
The printing industry, though not often mentioned in the news, has been particularly impacted by the semiconductor shortage. And, unfortunately, it does seem that the impact will continue to get worse through 2022 with relief not likely until 2024 or beyond.
How Semiconductors are Used in Printers and Ink Cartridges
Semiconductor chips are a necessity in the production of ink and toner cartridges. These tiny chips communicate ink and toner levels to the printer’s monitoring software and provide notifications for low levels, blockages, and other information. In addition, these tiny machines have been designed for the highest accuracy, capable of calculating delivery down to the number of droplets a cartridge can release.
But semiconductors are not only used in a printer’s ink and toner cartridges. Like most electronics, they are used in the printer hardware to help regulate the electric current flow throughout the device. This regulation directly affects the digital display, rollers, heating components, spray arms, and other components. So, it is no surprise that the semiconductor shortage has hit the industry hard, directly impacting printer manufacturers, printer management businesses, printer supply companies, and even the business offices that rely on printing.
How is the Semiconductor Supply Shortage Progressing?
As the second half of 2022 rolls in, companies are resuming semiconductor chip manufacturing, and the gap between demand and supply is slowly dwindling. As a result, experts predict the semiconductor shortage is likely to ease in the latter half of the year. However, a full recovery will likely take more time, with predictions showing 2023 at the earliest. Continued supply chain problems and additional COVID responses are the leading causes of the delay.
One significant contributor is the situation in China, where a large number of semiconductors are produced. The country reports a substantial increase in new COVID infections and is taking extreme lockdown measures in response. With large cities such as Shanghai and Beijing either partially or completed closed, manufacturing facilities are again having problems with production schedules and supplies.
A direct result of the high demand and significant shortage for semiconductors is a rise in pricing for electronics across the board. Printers and printing supplies are no exception to the rule. But even as semiconductor supply shortages begin to ease, demand and inflation are still predicted to keep prices higher than in the prior year. As a result, office printing businesses should continue to factor the higher pricing into their pricing and budgets for the foreseeable future.
How Can Office Printing Business Help Their Customers?
Business offices can’t wait for semiconductor supply shortages to ease. They need a solution right now. Managed print services, printer leasing, and printer maintenance businesses are in the perfect position to help companies through this difficult time.
One way that these print service businesses can help their customers is by providing alternative products. Many offices are unaware of manufacturers’ steps to keep printers running despite the semiconductor shortage. Offices with printing partners can rely on those partners’ expertise to provide them with reliable options and alternatives that will work correctly with their printing equipment and keep operations running efficiently.
Pricing is another issue striking office printing clients. Rather than letting partners balk at rising printing costs, managed print and printer supply partners can help their clients evaluate their print usage and make educated decisions to meet the business’s needs without breaking the budget.
Businesses in need of new or additional hardware will continue facing higher equipment costs for the foreseeable future. Unfortunately, many companies may find the added expenses daunting or even prohibitive. But printer services partners can help alleviate that burden by providing alternatives such as managed print services and printer leasing opportunities.
The semiconductor market looks to be making steady progress back to normal production levels. However, the progress is slow and hampered by many factors, including supply chain difficulties and new lockdowns. Fortunately, the ongoing office printing market volatility gives printer services businesses the perfect opportunity to come to the rescue, offering office print partners reliable and convenient products, services, and options to fit their ongoing needs.
Attention Sales World... Building Relational Equity Drives Long Term Sustainable Sales Growth!
"Sweat equity is the most valuable equity there is. Know your business and industry better than anyone else in the world. Love what you do or don't do it."
Mark Cuban
Let's take this quote, courtesy of Mark Cuban and place a bit of a sales spin on it for a moment...
How many of you know your client's business better than one of your competitors?
How well do you know their industry?
Do you HONESTLY love what you do?
The relational equity you build with your clients might be the difference between just getting by and sales longevity.
Relational equity builds sustainable sales growth.
Addington Consulting defines relational equity as,
"Something that is carefully cultivated and preserved by those who desire to influence others. It is an intentional investment in relationships over time that causes others to trust."
In a world where trust and credibility are scarce, building relational equity is about the time, goodwill and value you invest in relationships, expecting nothing in return.
If you introduce two people and they serve each other, you are building relational equity.
However, and the key to all of this is, “expecting nothing in return”. This is at the heart of growing relational value.
Inside the relationship economy, the goal is to give, void the motive to get. In biblical terms, what is sown in the Spirit will uniquely create an attractive, abundant life.
How can you apply this to building relational equity with your clients? As you engage with and listen to your clients, uncover ways to connect them to someone or a resource to make them successful.
To serve is the essence of what it means to sell from the heart.
Your service can be as simple as, “I know someone who is skilled in what you need to do, would it be alright if I bridge an introduction, asking their permission for you to speak with them?”
Meaningful relationships with your clients do not happen overnight.
Relationships deepen over long periods of time and transparency. One key ingredient to lasting, worthwhile relationships is trust.
Trust is based on radical honesty and being real with someone; not having to worry. Trust grows through intentionality and not a facade.
Relationship equity is your new sales development lead magnet.
Relationship equity is cost effective.
Everybody knows somebody.
Relational equity sets you apart.
Making genuine investments in relationships is the key to building relational equity.
BUILD EQUITY AND INVEST
Relationships are like bank accounts. There are deposits and withdrawals, with daily balances reflecting where things are presently.
If you’re not careful, you can end up with overdraft charges with your clients because of insufficient funds in your relationship account.
Are you assessing your client relationships? What is the overall health of these relationships?
Do your relationship accounts have high balances with great engagement, healthy and meaningful conversations, or are they in overdraft protection?
To build relational equity means you must make daily deposits. This requires discipline, extreme focus and consistency.
You reap what you relationally sow
Question for the sales world...
Why have salespeople become lazy when it comes to maintaining their client relationships?
Client retention, loyalty and the equity you build are foundational to your sales survival.
When it comes to building relational equity, think about this quote...
"There is absolutely nothing that can be taken for granted in this world."
Robert Anton Wilson
BUILD RELATIONAL EQUITY
Relational equity development will 2x your sales growth.
For this to happen, you must truly care. You must give a rip about bridging the relational divides and perception that exists between your clients and how they view salespeople.
Here are three helpful tips to increase your relational equity.
UNDERSTAND THE VALUE YOU BRING
Reflect on this for a moment...
- How do you really know you are delivering value?
- Are you really giving your clients what they value better than your competitors?
Are you sure?
In this competitive landscape, you cannot assume any longer. Just because your clients continue to do business with you year over year doesn't mean anything any longer. All this means is they don't know any better than what they know.
When is the last time you asked your client's "What value do I, our services and our products create for you?" I am waiting for your answer, still waiting, still waiting; this is what I thought - it has been a while.
Grab a sheet of paper, ask yourself these two questions and then write down your responses to:
- How do I help my client's gain a competitive advantage?
- What is my client's perception of value in working with me?
To understand the meaning of value, you must first put yourself in their shoes and see the world through their eyes.
Think about the equity you can build upon.
ALLOW YOUR CLIENTS TO REALLY GET TO KNOW YOU
Creating true, authentic and genuine relationships by spending informal time with your clients helps to bridge relational gaps. This will build massive amounts of relational equity.
Do you really know your client's and do they really know you?
With all sincerity, when you get to know your clients inside and out and they get to know in the same fashion, you can hyper personalize the attention you give them.
I am believer that true leadership in sales is your ability to affect change and influence inside your current accounts.
The more you can lead with a servant's heart the better off you will be. Open your heart, go first, and share a piece of you.
TREAT YOUR CLIENTS AS VALUED CLIENTS
“How you think about your customer influences how you respond to them.”
Marilyn Suttle
Do you view your customers as customers, or do you view them as clients? How many view them as clients but treat them as customers? Ponder that one for a moment!
Are you building customers or are you building clients?
Customers buy things and clients seek advice!
Therefore, are you treating your customers as a means to sell your products or are you treating them as clients who value your insight?
Value is in eye of the beholder.
If you want your clients to value you and what you bring to them, then think about how you treat them, educate them and help them to do better business.
REFRAME YOUR RELATIONSHIPS
Are you willing to make the investment?
By building relational equity, you will strengthen relationships, command premium prices, develop brand loyalty (YOU), create a loyal following thus generating more revenue over the lifetime of the relationship.
This my sales friends drives long term sustainable growth,
“Always remember that everyone with whom you have a relationship has an invisible sign on their forehead that says, ‘Make me feel important.’ Treat them accordingly.”
Eric Philip Cowell
Would you like to increase your sales success and fulfillment?
This was my goal when recording all-new materials for the new Selling from the Heart Masterclass, to increasing your sales success and fulfillment in your business.
If you enjoyed the Selling from the Heart book, you’re going to love this masterclass! It takes the tools given to the next level.
Have yet to read Selling from the Heart? No worries, you will receive an audio version as a part of the Masterclass. As an option you can get a free signed copy of Selling from the Heart (just pay for shipping and handling).
You can get your copy here - https://www.sellingfromtheheart.net/book
Together, we will go on a journey where we’ll dive into how to apply the ideas in the book to help you achieve even greater sales success.
With each of the 10 sessions, you’ll receive questions that will help you increase your sales in a way that also makes selling more enjoyable and fulfilling.
This masterclass is configured with you in mind where you can complete the course in chunks from any mobile device, iPad or computer, based on your availability.
You’ll also discover fun bonus materials throughout the course.
This Week in the Copier Industry Five Years Ago
This Week in the Copier Industry Five Years Ago
Third Week of June 2017
Over the years, I've become an expert at adding, subtracting and multiplying tenths, hundredths, thousandths and ten thousandths in my head. At times, I find my self spewing the correct math calculation and then wondering how I did that so quick. Guess, that's why memorize our multiplication times tables in grammar school. READ THE REST HERE
Enjoy These Awesome Copier Threads from 5 Years Ago this Week!
Konica Minolta Business Innovation Center secures exclusive servicing partnership with leading security technology company Knightscope
Art Post ·
assets to expand robotic servicing and support, including onsite installation, maintenance and break/fix services for the Knightscope machines. The relationship, one of several Konica Minolta robotic partnerships, demonstrates the commitment Konica Minolta has towards helping scale innovative companies by servicing and support, sales, supplying components, and design consulting. “As an early partner of Knightscope, Konica Minolta is thrilled to have supported their tremendous success by providing
Blog Post
Five Things I Hate & Love About My Copier Career
Art Post ·
Jersey. Who needs mapquest (so nineties) or google maps? Not me. There's no possible way I could ever get lost in New Jersey. Wow, now that's really something to crow about! 4) I've become a contrarian salesperson. Everything is questioned, nothing is absolute, and doing the opposite of what most salespeople do is fine by me. If you're just like every other salesperson, then you'll be treated like all of the other salespeople (The Contrarian Salesperson). 5) Junior High School, age 14 or 15
Topic
Ricoh wants buyers for 2 units amid overall slump
Art Post ·
TOKYO -- Ricoh intends to put two subsidiaries on the market in an attempt to raise money for restructuring its operations worldwide, as the Japanese company continues to suffer a slump in its mainstay multifunction printer business. Ricoh Logistics System is a Tokyo-based unit that handles comprehensive logistics, from warehousing and forwarding to distribution. It draws clients from a range of businesses, such as precision-equipment manufacturing and online sales of office supplies
Topic
Konica Minolta Reshapes Connected Classrooms and Showcases Educational Solutions at ISTE 2017
Art Post ·
how incorporating the Dremel 3D printer and MyStemKits curriculum can revolutionize a classroom and begin future-proofing classrooms for teachers and students in this rapidly evolving environment.” Dremel 3D Printers and MyStemKits Curriculum The Konica Minolta and Dremel 3D printers with MyStemKits curriculum are designed to renew students’ excitement for learning as they witness their own computer-generated designs become tangible objects right before their eyes. This breakthrough technology
Topic
Canon U.S.A. and CGS Publishing Technologies International Announce the Compatibility of imagePROGRAF PRO Series Printers with Color Tuner // Web Software
Art Post ·
MELVILLE, N.Y. , June 21, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Continuing to expand its offerings of versatile large-format print solutions for professionals in the graphic arts market, Canon U.S.A. , Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, and CGS Publishing Technologies International (CGS) are pleased to announce the compatibility of the imagePROGRAF PRO Series printers with the Color Tuner // Web software. Building upon the long-standing relationship between Canon and CGS and its success with legacy
Topic
For Ricoh, it's a sink-or-swim moment
Art Post ·
years from now if nothing is done," he said. "People around me warn that our survival will then be questioned." Multifunctional printer dependence Close The Imaging and Solutions division, which primarily handles multifunctional printers, contributes 90% of Ricoh's consolidated sales. For the fiscal year that ended in March, the division's profit plunged, lowering Ricoh's operating profit to sales ratio to 4.6%. This is less than half the ratio at Canon , which suffered a setback in the same
Topic
Genesis Technologies Earns Canon Top Dealer Award Again
Art Post ·
Northbrook, IL (PRWEB) June 21, 2017 Genesis Technologies became a Canon copier and MFD dealer in 2013. Since then, Genesis sales and service of Canon have grown dramatically to a large base of managed print services (MPS) clients nationwide. What the Canon Top Dealer Award Means Canon's Executive VP GM of the Business Imaging Solutions Group, Toyo Kuwamura, commented: "Please accept our congratulations and the 'Top Dealer Award' in recognition of your accomplishments for the 2106 sales year
Topic
2017 BTA National Conference to be Held
Art Post ·
Sales Solutions, Continuum (lunch sponsor), CoreDial, Crawford Thomas, ECi Software Solutions, eesyQ, Epson, EverBank, GreatAmerica Financial Services, HP, Innovolt, ITC Systems, KYOCERA Document Solutions, Laserfiche, Lexmark, LMI, Miracle Service, Muratec, OKI, Panasonic (breaks sponsor), PHSI, Plustek, Polek Polek, Prism Software, ProcureIT, RISO, Royal Imaging, Static Control (keynote sponsor), Supplies Network (breakfast sponsor), SYNNEX, Tigerpaw, TonerCycle/InkCycle, Toshiba, Wells Fargo
Topic
Gestetner wins best performance in Asia Pacific for RICOH
Art Post ·
office automation brands such as RICOH, BenQ, Fujitsu and Asus, in addition to its groundbreaking Papercut Document Management Solution and a range of services provided by Nashua Lanka (Pvt) Ltd. (Gestetner Offset) and Gestetner Printing Services (Pvt) Ltd. (Gestetner Outsource), under parent company Gestetner of Ceylon PLC. RICOH Asia Pacific is a global technology company specialising in office imaging equipment, production print solutions, document management systems and IT
Blog Post
Hey Sales Reps... Stop Chasing Shiny Objects And Get To Work!
well. Sales reps are easily enamored! I submit to you sales reps are jumping on the social selling bandwagon as this has become the next shiny object of desire. Sales reps have become enthusiastic, raving fans of the social selling movement. It's the craze, it's fashionable, it's popular, heck they all want to be part of the growing movement. Let's take one huge step beyond being bandwagoner sales reps. Let's stop the madness! Let's get better at sales! Let's unite to improve our entire game as
Topic
JFK Health Treats Printing Security, Costs and Usage with Nuance Solutions
Art Post ·
Output Manager and Nuance mobile printing with PrinterOn, to provide a rules engine to manage and monitor printing, and maintain secure printing. These solutions enabled JFK Health to eliminate about 50 devices from its printing fleet of 500. They also help drive down print volumes and identify when print volumes are spiking to trigger re-routing of jobs to the JFK Health print shop, saving money. “Healthcare networks, like JFK Health, must grapple with two seemingly opposite goals: reduce costs
Member
Toshiba seen unable to submit report by June deadline
Art Post ·
TOKYO (Jiji Press) — Toshiba Corp. appears likely to face difficulties meeting the legal deadline at the end of this month for submitting a securities report for fiscal 2016, which ended in March, to the Kanto Local Finance Bureau. The struggling electronics and machinery maker is still unable to finalize its fiscal 2016 business results, due to a disagreement with its auditor, PricewaterhouseCoopers Aarata LLC, or PwC Aarata, over huge losses at Toshiba’s U.S. nuclear business unit
Topic
Toshiba Has Chosen a Buyer for its Chip Business
Art Post ·
Toshiba ( TOSYY ) is said to have made the decision to choose a Japanese government-led group of Japanese, U.S., and South Korean firms to buy its semiconductor business, Reuters reports, citing sources. The consortium's bid clears Toshiba's minimum of 2 trillion yen, or $18 billion. Toshiba is looking to sell the chip unit in order to cover billions of dollars in losses from its now bankrupt U.S. nuclear unit. The group includes Japanese state-backed fund Innovation Network Corp of Japan, the
Topic
Phase 3 and Gigantic Color Solidify Advantage with EFI VUTEk 5r Printers
Art Post ·
on the list of Best Places to Work by the Charlotte Business Journal, as well as the no. 202 printer in North America by the flagship Printing Impressions 400. Founded in 1988 in Dallas, Texas, Gigantic Color ( www.giganticcolor.com ) is a regional leader in marketing solutions, providing design, print and installation services. Gigantic Color ranked as no. 163 on thePrinting Impressions 400list, and has become the industry standard for gargantuan ideas delivered and installed through the
Survey
Can Ricoh Pull Off the Global Restructuring?
Art Post ·
Geesh, seems everyday brings a new story. Ricoh operating profit was reduced from 2.9% to 1.7% for the year that ended in March. We've seen the restructuring here in the US, a giant cut with GAM, and a third cut to come in the US.
Topic
Toshiba's lack of auditor options exposes global problem
Art Post ·
TOKYO -- When Toshiba holds its annual shareholders' meeting on June 28, the company's fiscal 2016 financial results will not be ready because its auditor, PricewaterhouseCoopers Aarata, has not approved them. This ongoing mess at the troubled Japanese electronics company shows how concentrated the global audit industry has become and the danger it poses to global capital markets. Until fiscal 2015, Toshiba had its books audited by Ernst Young ShinNihon. Toshiba switched to auditorsin fiscal
Topic
Canon awarded $4.5m in toner patent case
Art Post ·
Camera producer Canon has been awarded $4.5 million after a federal jury found that a plastic manufacturer and a toner company wilfully infringed Canon’s patent. The verdict was handed down on Monday, June 19, at the US District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Atlanta Division. The two parties found to have infringed Canon’s patent were General Plastic, which was ordered to pay $3.7 million, and Color Imaging, which was told to pay under $1 million ($730,000). read the rest here
Topic
Wisconsin one of six U.S. states Foxconn, Sharp considering for plant
Art Post ·
* Decision to made in July - Gou * Plant could be worth more than $7 bln * Focus on "rust belt" states By Jess Macy Yu and J.R. WuTAIPEI, June 22 (Reuters) - Foxconn <2317.TW>, the world's largest contract electronics maker, is looking at six U.S. states including Wisconsin as locations for a display-making plant and would make a decision next month, top executives said on Thursday. Read the rest here
Reply
Re: Ricoh wants buyers for 2 units amid overall slump
Art Post ·
We've posted a new survey about Ricoh, here's the link https://www.p4photel.com/surve...global-restructuring
Re: Can Ricoh Pull Off the Global Restructuring?
It is interesting that the Company who created the system of discounts is now suffering from their own creation. Ricoh should be called the king of "discount association", as they continued to create more ways too discount equipment to more verticals. Starting with the acquisition of Lanier which only accelerated the programs.
Comment
Re: Can Ricoh Pull Off the Global Restructuring?
Jason H ·
I don't think the future is very bright for Ricoh. They continually lose their big dealers to global imaging and then add in all the problems with their business model. Buying market share at any and all costs is never going to be sustainable and they reallze that now, but they should have learned that years ago. The Japanese are their own worst enemy in business. The messed up with the direct operations and tried to screw their cash cow, the dealers.
Comment
Re: Can Ricoh Pull Off the Global Restructuring?
Art Post ·
Bill Siderys posted: It is interesting that the Company who created the system of discounts is now suffering from their own creation. Ricoh should be called the king of "discount association", as they continued to create more ways too discount equipment to more verticals. Starting with the acquisition of Lanier which only accelerated the programs. Yup, and the killer was the purchase of IKON. IKON execs replaced Ricoh long term Ricoh execs. IKON was one of the biggest dumpers on price for
Topic
Contex to Exhibit Wide Format Scanning Solutions for the GIS Community at ESRI User Conference
Art Post ·
unlimited length. The SDOneMF is Contex’s most portable and flexible wide format scanner that turns printers into multi-function systems. Users can easily scan, copy, and markup documents, and share them via the scanner’s wireless cloud connectivity -- a market exclusive. Recently updated, SDOneMF scanner now provides greater scanning speeds, processing, and editing capabilities. ESRI attendees can also see the newly introduced IQQuattro 3600 wide format scanner at Contex’s booth. The IQQuattro
Blog Post
Why Did We Build a Cloud Product Before Everyone Else?
Dr. Stefan Weinberger (Guest) ·
strategy was sound: we built a robust channel business (over 500 partners today) that delivered growth and profitability for literally decades. We went global (70 countries, 16 languages), we spanned industries (hundreds) and gained thousands of loyal users (over 175,000). In short: DocuWare was doing great selling enterprise, on-premises software . Cloud Was Fringe With years of growth and no signs of slowing, why did DocuWare move to the cloud? Competitors weren’t chasing it. Customers
Comment
Re: Wide Format Selling Techniques & Best Practices Webinar
Who is running this? You? Do we have any premium members?
This Week in the Copier Industry 10 Years Ago
This Week in the Copier Industry 10 Years Ago
Third Week of June 2012
Wednesday night found me and members of our Stratix crew at The Jillian Fund charity gala in North Jersey. It is awesome to be a part of 600 people and many vendors of our industry to raise funds to help those in need.
Enjoy These Fantastic Threads from Ten Years Ago This Week!
Konica Minolta bizhub PRO 951 Delivers Unmatched Monochrome Reliability and Quality
Art Post (Guest) ·
technologies and Managed IT Services for the desktop to the print shop. Konica Minolta has been recognized as a leading supplier by the Allegra Network, International Center for Entrepreneurial Development (ICED), Mail Boxes Etc., Inc., and National Association of Quick Printers (NAQP). Konica Minolta's innovative bizhub PRESS C8000 is the first digital press to receive the G7 Digital Press Certification from the IDEAlliance®. For more information, please visit http://www.CountOnKonicaMinolta.com
Topic
Pacific Office Automation Awarded 2011 Konica Minolta Dealer Award
Art Post (Guest) ·
work ethic and dedication to the company," said Doug Pitassi, President of Pacific Office Automation. "With Konica Minolta's products, and POA's service, we offer a great solution to our customers." Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A. Inc. is a leader in digital printing technologies and Business Intelligence Services for print professionals and graphic communications firms of any size. "As part of supporting the success of our dealer channel, we want to recognize those partners that not
Topic
Diamond Colour Print moves into digital print with Ricoh C751 investment
Art Post (Guest) ·
– including Canon, Xerox and HP Indigo – before deciding on the Ricoh C751. "It fits well with our Speedmaster SM 74-6 and allows us to provide customers with a full range of options in terms of run length, product and even personalisation," he said. The Ricoh Pro C751 has a monthly duty cycle of 350,000pp and a print speed of between 65ppm and 75ppm. It can print at a resolution up to 1,200x4,800dpi. Pollard added that by switching some of its existing short-run work from the Speedmaster to the
Topic
Skanska Enhances Green Credentials and Streamlines Efficiency with Managed Print from
Art Post (Guest) ·
default duplex printing, the construction company has reduced its paper requirements by over 750,000 sheets. Before M2 partnered with Skanska the Company’s printer estate of 965 printers, copiers and faxes had grown in an unregulated way. This denied the IT department the ability to monitor and support the devices causing delays and internal issues. Although there were more than 10 service contracts across its estate, some machines were not covered, which caused further cost implications
Topic
ESI Distributes Xerox BookCentre into Government, Education Markets
Art Post (Guest) ·
to quickly and easily scan from books and send the scanned pages to email, smartphones, tablets, Google Docs, USB drives, fax or print them by selecting the desired option on the touchscreen computer.” The Xerox BookCentre product line, available in the United States and Canada, will be shown at the American Library Association conference on June 22-25 in Anaheim, CA at Scannx’ booth #727. “We are committed to meeting our customers’ needs and expectations while at the same time, providing them
Topic
Sharp HealthCare in San Diego, CA Signs Five Year $10M Contract with AUXILIO to Execu
Art Post (Guest) ·
Sharp HealthCare in San Diego, CA Signs Five Year $10M Contract with AUXILIO to Execute Managed Print Services Across the System June 20, 2012 - 16:32 --AUXILIO,Inc. (AUXO.OB), the health care industrys leader in Managed Print Services (MPS), announced a contract valued at approximately $10 million over five years with Sharp HealthCare in San Diego, CA. The MPS contract with the world class, integrated regional health care delivery system is expected to save the care organization in excess of
Topic
Big Hole in Ricoh MFP line up
Art Post (Guest) ·
It's not often, however the slowest speed A3 MFP from Ricoh with Scan, Fax, Print & Canbinet has an MSRP of about 6,244. Since there is no more 16 or 20ppm A3 MFP, what's everyone doing for replacements of existing 16,18, and 20ppm A3 MFP devices? Art
Topic
Xerox Awarded Seven Year $75 Million Contract with Philadelphia Parking Authority: Ne
Art Post (Guest) ·
DALLAS, Jun 19, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Xerox will continue to help the Philadelphia Parking Authority simplify parking for Philadelphia drivers and make the process more efficient for the city with a new seven-year, $75 million contract. During the past 30 years, Xerox has helped increase collections. Xerox's parking management program was selected after a public bidding process to improve customer service with a new website during the next year that allows for online applications for Resident
Reply
Re: Scan to searchable text PDF
Native Scan to Searchable PDF is a standard feature on most current Xerox copiers. It is an inexpensive iOption on Konica Minolta. Both vendors are using the processing power of the copier to create a Searchable PDF.
Reply
Re: OKI Data and Toshiba Tec Agree to Joint Development of Multifunction Printers
Art Post (Guest) ·
Vince: You're right, I remember when that was announced the Konica and Minolta would share technology and maybe a year or two later was the announcement that they would merge. However Konica & Minolta had a lot more in common with film, copiers and cameras to pull off a complete merger. If I were a betting man I believe that Oki will acquire the Toshiba brand for Imaging within 12 months or so.
Topic
Thousands of office printers hit by "gibberish" malware
Art Post (Guest) ·
serve up adverts; a common way for malware writers to generate quick revenue. But one of the apparent “ side effects” of the malware affects printers. The malware unpacks a file in a PCs printer queue, which Windows then turns into a print job. Because these files aren’t readable to ordinary folk without special tools, it churns out incomprehensible gobbledegook, and doesn’t stop until the printer runs out of paper, disconnected from the power supply, or is attacked by a peeved systems
Topic
Managed Print Services Fuels Growth of Service Point USA
Art Post (Guest) ·
WOBURN, Mass., Jun 21, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Service Point USA, a longtime Managed Print Services (MPS) provider, enters its third decade of MPS leadership with an expanded suite of end-to-end business, marketing and graphics advisory services. Service Point is favored by architects, engineers, construction consultants, photographers, graphic designers, self-published authors, and artists -- all professional users of large format and high-quality color-rich printing. Service Point's new
Topic
Bay Copy Celebrates 40th Anniversary
Art Post (Guest) ·
Success Profiles award; and the United States Chamber of Commerce's Blue Chip Initiative Enterprise award. Bay Copy has also served as a host site for visiting dignitaries from worldwide offices of Konica Business Technologies, now known as Konica Minolta. About Bay Copy Bay Copy maintains headquarters at 100 Reservoir Park, Rockland, MA and has nearly 40 years experience serving the document imaging needs of businesses throughout Massachusetts. In addition to a full line of Konica Minolta, Muratec
Topic
W--OLP 16 copiers
Art Post (Guest) ·
www.FedBid.com.FOB Destination shall be Multiple shipping information. The DHS Customs and Border Protection requires the following items, Meet or Exceed, to the following: LI 001, Base year of a 60 month Operating Lease Plan for 4 copiers similar to Sharp MX-M283N; Specs: Speed Band ?A? (20-29 cpm), Maintenance Plan Volume Band ?A? (0-10,000) copies per month, Paper Tray capacity: 8 ? x 11 Drawer, 8 ? x 14 Drawer, 1,000 paper capacity Automatic Document Feeder (ADF), Security Data Kit, Energy Star compliant
Topic
Lexmark awarded 5-year, $21 million printing contract from FAA
Art Post (Guest) ·
agencies within the U.S. Department of Transportation also can take advantage of the contract to access Lexmark’s products and solutions for output infrastructures. Lexmark technology will support the stringent printing and scanning security requirements set forth by the federal government to protect confidential information. The FAA will have greater control over its documents by using Personal Identity Verification (PIV) cards to access print, copy, scan and fax features through Lexmark’s
Topic
A few questions on the Canon imagePROGRAF 760/765
Art Post (Guest) ·
What is the difference between the 760 and the 765?Will either of these systems be able to scan multi page .tiff or .pdf?Is there anything unique about this system?Please help if you can.
Topic
0% Copier Financing
I know this is popular in the auto industry. How can I make it happen in the copier business? I find a lot of SMB's are concerned about the perceived extra expense to them of leasing. I have read in a Google search that 0% financing on a car is like paying $5500 for a $5000 car. I have been told that 0% Financing is best for a 36 month term. I do not know why? If I want a 60 month term, I should be pitching like 1.9% Financing. I do not know why?
Reply
Re: Big Hole in Ricoh MFP line up
Art Post (Guest) ·
(new) to their existing HP. So, I tried a different strategy and then asked them if they "copy" 11x17, and the reply was that they did not. I then moved to offering them an 11x17 printer only and the new MP301SPF and thought they could cut another $1,000 for savings. I'm going to work the numbers tonight on this and see where they pan out. I had thought about used, but our pricing for used equipment is....well...not that good. Thanx for info I'll post more on this when I run some numbers. Art
Reply
Re: OKI Data and Toshiba Tec Agree to Joint Development of Multifunction Printers
Sounds like Konica & Minolta to me!
Reply
Re: 0% Copier Financing
I did find GMAN's post from 2008 describing a 36 month 0% lease from Konica Minolta but no real details. I even found that Apple is currently offering 0% financing on a 24 month lease worth at least $5k.
Reply
Re: 0% Copier Financing
Art Post (Guest) ·
SSG: I have never seen a 36 month Zero interest lease for a dollar purchase option. I've heard that the reason there is no real low or zero type of finance lease ($1) because it would be extremely difficult for them to repo a copier that is in someone office or house. The only way I know to make it work is to fudge the numbers. Meaning you sell the system for MSRP and then offer them a $1.00 purchase option. The leasing company would fund you off of the $1.00 out finance rate. Thus if the
Reply
Re: 0% Copier Financing
0% Interest financing is a popular financing tool across the board - you see it in the auto industry, furniture, IT (such as your apple example). It has never been a big seller in the Office Equipment industry business due to the business model that the dealers/manufacturers sell with. Many dealers are selling FMV leases (we like the upgrades)and not highlighting to the customer the actual cash purchase price of the equipment. 0% works best when a customer see's a purchase price (let's say
Reply
Re: OKI Data and Toshiba Tec Agree to Joint Development of Multifunction Printers
Art, Now a days just because one company "Acquires" another company it doesn't mean that the company getting acquired won't end up running the company that "Acquired" them. Your Honor I would like to submit the following evidence...Ricoh Acquired Lanier, Ricoh Acquired Ikon, Canon Acquired Oce... Give me the good old days when the company that bought your company ended up running the company they bought and not the other way around.
Reply
Re: OKI Data and Toshiba Tec Agree to Joint Development of Multifunction Printers
Art Post (Guest) ·
quote: Your Honor I would like to submit the following evidence...Ricoh Acquired Lanier, Ricoh Acquired Ikon, Canon Acquired Oce...
Topic
Manager, Technical Communications - Global at Kofax in Irvine, CA ...
Art Post (Guest) ·
the flow of information throughout an organization by managing the capture of business critical information in paper, fax and electronic formats in a more accurate, timely and cost effective manner. These solutions provide a rapid return on investment to thousands of customers in banking and financial services, insurance, government, business process outsourcing and other markets. Kofax delivers these solutions through its own sales and service organization, as well as through a global network
Reply
Re: OKI Data and Toshiba Tec Agree to Joint Development of Multifunction Printers
GIntel ·
A few notes: Toshiba has been rebranding OKI's A4 LED MFPs in Europe for years Oki has been rebranding Toshiba's A3 MFPs in the US and Europe for years This may lead to some type of M&A in the future, but its not part of the current plan This is intended to be a way for BOTH members to stay in the market by combining R&D and manufacturing resources
Reply
Re: Big Hole in Ricoh MFP line up
Art Post (Guest) ·
I presented th mp301spf and the 6330N printer. I was able to knock off another 1,200 or so. Going to present with the ole close of "if I can get the price down to ....., will you order today?
Reply
Re: 0% Copier Financing
I was thinking more of a FMV lease. My current lease vendor is working to see if they can structure a lease where I guarantee to purchase the copier at the end of term (I must exercise my first right of refusal)at a higher than normal residual, they will offer 0% Financing.
Reply
Re: 0% Copier Financing
Talking to several SMB business owners the objection to leasing is that they perceive the interest rate to be 15-20%. When we tell them the actual rate is around 7% because of low current interest rates, the objections seem to fall away. I appreciate making the differnce between 0% Financing and 0% leasing. I actually want to promote 0% Financing. I do think it might catch a buyer's attention in multiple competitive quotes. You are right in the copier business we are more so trying to sell the
Reply
Re: MP 5210 for Healthcare
Lexmark offers lockable drawers on the T652-T656 and X651-X658 series of printers and MFP's. The difference in MSRP between the regular 400 Sheet Drawer and Lockable 400 Sheet Drawer is roughly $55.
Reply
Re: MP 5210 for Healthcare
Saw the healthcare printer at Convergence. Hard to say what it can or can't do since it is too new. Looks impressive. I have hospitals using HP's with lockable drawers. Boils down to applications, cost, CPP and right printer in right enviornment. Do not know street price and such yet.
Reply
Re: MP 5210 for Healthcare
I captured a picture of specs for those who would like along with printer picture.
Reply
Re: Can Ricoh be Everything to Everyone?
Art Post (Guest) ·
I was talking to someone in the indsutry today and was told that Ricoh Direct is just offering Westbrook Technologies which offers Fortis. Here's the link http://www.westbrooktech.com/company/press_room.html for Document Management. While Ricoh Americas had other Document Management Offerings from other companies they elected to just use Westbrook Technologies. Now, this is just food for thought, that VP came from Ikon in the same position. They stuck with the IKON solution, keep in mind that
Reply
Re: MP 5210 for Healthcare
Thanks to everyone for your feedback and comments. We don't sell too many paper tray locks for Ricoh equipment, so I am not too concerned about the new model with locking drawers. Always good to understand the competition!
Topic
MP 5210 for Healthcare
I heard that Ricoh announced a new model of the MP 5210 that will have built-in paper tray locks and will be marketed to the Healthcare community. Does anyone have any information on this? How much of a premium are they asking for the new model? Thanks for your comments!
Topic
Kofax Augments Mobile Capture Strategy with Pioneering Industry Veteran
Art Post (Guest) ·
Kofax plc (LSE: KFX), a leading provider of Capture Enabled BPMTM (business process management) solutions, today announced that Drew Hyatt has joined the Company as Senior Vice President of Mobile Applications to drive its mobile capture strategy and sales efforts. Mr. Hyatt started on June 18 and works out of Kofax’s operating headquarters in Irvine, Calif. Mr. Hyatt most recently worked at Mitek Systems, Inc., where he served as its Senior Vice President of Sales, Product Management and
Topic
10 FREE Cloud Storage Options
Art Post (Guest) ·
, users get access to 5 GB of free online storage on Amazon Cloud Drive to securely store music, videos, photos and documents online, with the ability to access them from any device. If more storage space is needed, paid plans are available for storage up to 1,000 GB. In February, Amazon cut cloud storage prices by as much as 13.5 percent. Ubuntu Canonical last week released an updated version of Ubuntu, upping to 5 GB from 2 GB of free cloud storage to users through its Ubuntu One platform. The