MFP Copier Blog

The Week in Copiers Ten Years Ago

The Third Week in February 2011

Snow, snow and more snow.  Some might take off, some might be lazy, some may relax on the couch. I took the entire day to keep working, keep grinding to make I'll finish the month strong!

Enjoy these Awesome Copier Threads from Ten Years Ago this Week

Contex, National / AZON to Premiere the Zero Turn Productivity Center with IQ Quattro X in Upcoming Webinar

Contex and National / AZON will premiere the Zero Turn Productivity Center with the Contex IQ Quattro X large format scanner in an upcoming webinar to be held February 24th at 11 AM Eastern. Designed by National / AZON exclusively for Contex scanners, Zero Turn is a single-footprint holding table for documents that are waiting to be scanned. The IQ Quattro X is the market's fastest CIS scanner, capturing large format documents up to 17.8 inches per second. The combined solution delivers the most productive large format scanning solution available in the industry today.

Click here to register.

For more information, call 877-226-6839 or send email to SalesAmericas@contex.com.

The Week in Copiers Five Years Ago

Third Week of February 2016

It's 7:20AM and I've been awake since 5AM because of our anticipated snow storm in New Jersey. As I write this the snow is coming down heavy and I would say it;s about an inch an hour.  I do enjoy the snow days because they give me a chance to finish up odds and ends along with prepping for the next few days.

Enjoy These Awesome Copier Threads from Five Years Ago this Week

Geesh it's been another week since I last blogged!  My apologies for not keep up with the or three blogs a week.  It's been a bit hectic in the last three weeks or so.

We have another week left in our sales month of February and for the month my revenue is about $72K.  I believe last month was about $80K in revenue, thus I've collected enough revenue for quota 5 weeks early.  Some would take a bit of a break, some would take a few days off and some might just hide for a few days.  For me it's a chance to add gravy for the quarter and put my self in the plus position for the start of the second quarter.  My pipeline has dried up a bit thus it's back to what we do best, prospecting.

Today I was scheduled to be on-site for training for one of my clients in Monmouth County.  Training is not something I do that much anymore however with this account it was the offer of the personal training that tipped the scales for the order last month.

The drive along the Ocean was nice especially since the temps were in the high forties.  Not bad for a day in February around here.  I arrived on time and spent a few minutes with the DM about the logistics of performing training during COVID 19.  We agreed on three shifts of three people each.  We were all wearing masks and doing the distancing thing.  It's been more than a year since I've trained anyone for use of our IMC color series.  While in front of the copier I realized that I didn't know as much I as thought I did.  Lucky for me that the staff I was training new less than me.  The training went well all were satisfied but it was bugging the heck out of me because of what I didn't know.  By tomorrow I'll have that knowledge and get back with the client.  Right, one more item one of note is that one of the staffers asked me to figure out why quick books was still using the old print driver.  That issue was solved by just closing the program and starting it back up again.

All in all it was a good morning and on the drive back to my home office I was sent another purchase order for an A3 color MFP with a net new client.

While things are going well I also know that sometime in the near future things will not be going well.  I could say that I'm on a bit of a hot streak, but that hot streak will become a slump.  You can't avoid the slumps, they will happen, however what you can do is to minimize the time and the scope of the slump.  That brings up back to prospecting, it never stops, it never end, because once you stop prospecting all is lost. of that month or quarter.

Tomorrow means that I'll be back to square one with making calls, sending emails and in-mails.  After all of these years it's just something I'm used too.  I really don't dread the act of prospecting and that's because I know that "x" amount of good will come from it and that translates to order, commissions and revenue.

-=Good Selling=-

February 14th, 2021

MSP. IT & MSSP Industry Notes

Sponsored by

Arcoa Group

Why partnering with ARCOA makes sense
Electronics Recycling is an important and profitable part of the IT asset lifecycle, but it can be overwhelming with all you already do, varying state regulations, and the limited resources at hand. That’s where ARCOA comes in. When you partner with ARCOA, you get all the benefits of a big company without any of the capital investment. We’ve been doing this since 1989 and have the expertise, certifications, and nationwide resources to get the most for all your clients’ retired IT assets. Plus, positioning your clients as environmental stewards not only elevates their appeal to consumers, it meets government requirements and avoids fines.

What partnering with ARCOA looks like
Our role is to make it easy for you to bring more value to your clients. We work with you to help stretch your clients’ IT budget by reducing the total cost of ownership of their electronics. We’re experts at identifying and implementing the solutions your clients need for the end-of-use remarketing, recovery, and recycling of their technology assets. The sooner you involve ARCOA, the sooner you and your clients will see better results.

Frost & Sullivan Recognizes KORE with Industry Award for Recent Growth and Innovation in IoT ...

• KORE announced it was selected as the winner of the 2020 Best Practices Competitive Strategy Leadership Award in the IoT Managed Services industry
• The Frost & Sullivan award marks the 6th recognition for KORE in the past 12 months
• KORE has a presence across 190 countries and more than 6,500 active customers
• • manages more than 12 million devices on behalf of its clients

InfraGuard brings Automated Cloud Managed Services to Singapore in partnership with Cloud ...

• InfraGuard is global server management software with offices in Singapore, Australia, UK and India
• Cloud Comrade is a Singapore-based cloud computing consultancy company with a presence also in Indonesia and Malaysia
• io instituting Platform-backed Managed Services with in-built automation and self-governance features
• Cloud Comrade is one of the first partners to adopt this new way of working

Intelliteach and Hilltop Consultants Renamed Frontline Managed Services® to Reflect Growth, Service Upgrades and Legal Industry Reach

• Rebranding to Frontline Managed Services
• Supports more than 600 law firms
• Frontline Managed Services became one of the first dedicated legal managed services provider to leverage ServiceNow® as its ticketing platform
• Frontline Managed Services provides outsourcing solutions for legal industry, including IT Service Desk support, Managed IT Services, Managed Financial Services and eBilling
• Has a global footprint with offices in Atlanta, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., St. Louis, Toledo, Toronto, London, and Goa, India

SolarWinds MSP Building New IT Systems Prior To N-able Launch

• Solar Winds MSP to launch this spring as independent, publicly traded called N-able
• Rolling out new IT, accounting and email systems
• “We‘re actually fortunate in that Tim [Brown] and the team have intimate knowledge and views as to what these bad guys did, what these threat actors did,” Pagliuca told CRN. “And as we look to design the new N-able systems, we’re going to have the benefit of all that knowledge and these world class experts to help us design this.”

IDX Announces Cybersecurity Healthcheck for Organizations in Conjunction with No-Cost Data ...

• IDX, a digital privacy platform and data breach services provider, announces its Cybersecurity Healthcheck
• Complimentary service for mid-market organizations to get an "adversaries view" of their security
• IDX will provide this service as part of its no-cost Master Services Agreement (MSA)
• Hackers behind the SolarWinds attack infiltrated up to 18,000 private and public sector organizations – including every branch of the U.S. military and most Fortune 500 companies

Vendor for MFP makers is hacked

• Wind River Systems of Alameda, CA provides software that is used by some MFP manufacturers, including its embedded Linux platform
• Has notified an unknown number of its customers that some of its data was downloaded from its network
• In 2019, security researchers announced that devices that use Wind Rivers VxWorks software were vulnerable to hacks using URGENT/11 bugs.

Is the office printer dead?

• Reported on Mail Guardian
• Office printer isn’t going anywhere soon, but adapting to life in the digital age
• Prediction of Gareth Brenchley, Managing Director at managed business services company Itec Cape Town
• Most companies still have print-reliant workplaces, and spend tens of thousands of rands a year on print
• The printer isn’t just a ‘dumb device’ in the corner of the office: it’s become part of a connected, intelligent network, with modern multifunctional printers (MFPs) giving users new abilities to digitize their documents and manage their information,” says Brenchley

Secureworks Unveils Secureworks Taegis™, XDR Advancements, and MSSP Partner Initiative to Strengthen Cybersecurity Community

• Secureworks^® provider for cybersecurity, today unveiled its security analytics platform, Secureworks Taegis™
• Offers extended threat detection and response (XDR) across cloud, endpoint and network on the cloud-native, Secureworks Taegis platform
• Taegis XDR is a cloud-native SaaS solution
• A recent survey from ESG and Secureworks showed that organizations see XDR as a path to increased security efficacy

Lead for BDR Services in California

RFP Available: https://www.publicpurchase.com/

Lingo Uses Its Own Cloud Contact Center Solution to Enhance Customer Care

• Lingo Communications ("Lingo"), a Cloud/UC and managed service provider, announced implantation its own Cloud Contact Center solution to manage its Customer Care call center
• States implementation has improved 190% plus

Simple Helix Acquires Data Center and Internet Connectivity Business Unit from NRTC Managed ...

• Simple Helix LLC announced acquisition of NRTC Managed Services' data center, carrier exchange, and connectivity business
• Acquisition expands the Simple Helix footprint by adding data center operations in Huntsville, Atlanta, and Chicago

LogicalDOC Named Best Document Control Software Company of 2021 by Digital.com

• Digital.com, has recognized LogicalDOC among the best document control software companies of 2021
• Digital.com, a review website for small business online tools, products, and services
• Digital.com conducted a 40-hour assessment of over 80 software solutions across the web
• Complete list of best document control software, please visit https://digital.com/document-control-software/.

Ricoh USA, Inc. Wins 2020-21 Cloud Award

• Winner of the Best Cloud Hosting Provider in the international Cloud Computing Awards program, The Cloud Awards
• Lead judge Richard Geary said: "Cloud technologies make a good platform for turning around urgent applications rapidly and at scale. This was clearly evidenced in the range of innovative technological responses to the pandemic we have seen."
• Cloud Awards will return with a new Cloud Computing program in fall 2021 to continue its recognition of excellence in cloud computing

Cybersecurity

Wall Street Journal published report called “Hospital Suffer New Wave of Hacking Attempts”

• Great Plains Health of Nebraska’s Christopher Stroud admitted that up to 70,000 attempts per day from hackers trying to get into the hospital’s network
• Hackers give interview with Cisco researcher:
  • Identified as “Aleks”, and lives in Siberia, Russia
  • In his early 30's
  • Has university level education
  • Uses Mimikatz and PowerShell as tools
  • Is part of the Lockbit ransomware gang
  • Healthcare is his favorite target as they pay ransom up to 90% of the time
  • Victims are motivated to pay ransom if they believe that their data will be leaked
  • If victim has cybersecurity insurance, payment is “all but guaranteed”

• $350 million was earned by ransomware gangs in 2020, according to research done by Chainanalysis.
• Friendswood Independent School District of Texas notified an unknown number of students that their info was exposed after it was accidentally sent to a school photographer
• Shorewood School District of Wisconsin notified an unknown number of students that their info was exposed after an email mistake.
• Digital Shadows Cybersecurity published report stating that 29% of new ransomware attacks are now aimed at industrial goods and services companies.
• Coveware Cybersecurity published report stating that the average ransom payment to hackers has declined to $154,108.
• • Most common ransomware is Sodinokibi, aka REvil
  • Other strains include; Maze, Ryuk, NetWalker, Egregor, Conti and DopplePaymer
  • Minimum of 60% of companies pay the ransom
  • If companies do not fix the vulnerability that allowed the ransomware attack, they run risk of being attacked again.
  • Most common industries hit by ransomware in last 90 days:
  • • 17.9% = healthcare
    • 16.3% = professional services
    • 11.9% = consumer services
    • 9.5% = public sector
• Beaumont Health of Michigan notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI may have been exposed after a cybersecurity incident with its COVID-19 vaccine appointment system.
• Comcast Corp., headquartered in Philadelphia, PA notified up to 1.5 billion customers that their info may have been exposed after a database was inadvertently exposed on a public website.
• Victor Central School District of New York notified an unknown number of students that their info was exposed after ransomware attack.
• 60 Minutes episode on CBS had Bill Evanina, former director of US Counterintelligence, state that up to 80% of all Americans have had their personal information stolen by Chinese government.
• Nationwide Children’s Research Institute of Columbus, OH notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI as well as trade secrets, were stolen by a former researcher for financial gain.
• Capsule Security published report stating that stolen PHI (protected health information, i.e. patient medical records) are selling for as much as $1000 each on the Dark Web.
• Goodwin Procter Law Firm, headquartered in Boston, Mass, notified an unknown number of clients that their info may have been exposed after breach.
• Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department notified an unknown number of tourists that their info may have been exposed after a breach.
• Accelion Software of Palo Alto notified 1.6 million people who used Employment Security Department (unemployment office) in the state of Washington that their info was exposed after breach.
• DriveSure of Northbrook, IL notified over 3 million people that their info was exposed after breach. DriveSure is a car dealership service provider focused on employee training programs and customer retention.
• Baldwin Wallace University of Berea, OH notified an unknown number of students that their info may have been exposed after a ransomware attack.
• Epsilon Data Management of Irving, TX agreed to pay $150 million to settle lawsuit regarding allegation that company sold confidential information on millions of Americans.
• US Fertility of Baltimore, MD faces a class action lawsuit regarding recent data breach that exposed PHI.

The Week in Copiers Fifteen Years Ago

The Second Week of February 2006

I had a little time after work today to review a Minnella's Pocket Guide to Copiers (low and middle volume) from 1990. I wanted to see how many companies were in the business that offered dealerships. Notice I did call them manufacturers and the reason for that is many of these companies bought the copiers from the manufacturer but then re-labeled them as a different brand.

Can anyone guess how many there were in 1990?  Do you give up?  There were 25 companies!  With many obscure names such as Silver Reed, Sanyo, Towa, Selex and Swintec.  Interesting that four of those five names also manufactured typewriters.

Enjoy these awesome copier threads from 15 years ago this week!

The Week in Copiers Ten Years Ago

Second Week of February 2011

I had a great day today and it wasn't because I sold something. I had to visit and account to pick up original docs from a net new client.  Five other vendors were in on the offering, I did not give away margin. I asked "why did you choose Stratix as your vendor", our new account stated "You were the only sales person that listened to my needs and gave us what we needed."  Ah yes it was a great day to me!

Enjoy these awesome copier threads from ten years ago this week!

Losing is the Key to Winning Part II

I've know Deon Boshoff for many years and Deon has been a member of the Print4Pay Hotel for as long as I can remember.  Deon is the Managing Director at Nashua Paarl & West Coast in Cape Town, South Africa.

Nashua offers print & print solutions, workspace solutions, connectivity and surveillance & access control solutions for their marketplace.

Deon offered up some additions to a recent blog I re-posted on Linkedin last night (Losing is the Key to Winning).  His offerings are in red and I think Deon offers up some great additional information for all of us.

Losing is the Key to Winning Part II

We hate to lose right?  Nothing grinds my gears more, than losing a prospect. The reason why your daily activity must increase to make provision for the losses and declined credit approvals. Your pipeline should be 3x your target i.e. R120 000 pm x 3 = R360 000 pm at all times.

I expect that I should be able to secure an order from all of my prospects. I expect to bat 1.000, however the reality is far from that.  I definitely lose more deals than I win. A healthy pipeline is the only answer together with exceptional activity.

In fact, I lose about 65% of the time. Then your activity should increase by 65%

Is losing 65% of the time a bad thing?  I don't think so, because I know that every lost deal moves me closer to obtaining an order, in addition there is so much to be learned from the deals you don't get. Hopefully you made friends with the business people and obtain the necessary information, now they also know you and they can put the face to the name, you informed them what type of products and services you can offer, your service levels and most probably that you are local?

Just today, I had a prospect contact me to tell me that they were not moving forward with my proposal, and that they are going to stay with their current vendor. Did you offer all your products and services? Your opposition might not have them all?

At first I thought it was awesome that I was contacted right away,  because I  wouldn't have to place countless calls or emails with no answers.  Secondly, I thanked them for their time and asked why we were not able to secure their business.  In a response email, I was told that pricing was similar for both systems, and they were happy with the present dealer and their level of service. Never give up, promote yourself, your products and services. Always be courteous

Hey, that's okay by me, I don't mind losing, because I was able to keep the door open for Managed IT and BDR, which they expressed interest in.  The dealer that I lost to does not offer those services, thus I'll be able to schedule an appointment down the road and an opportunity to "own" the network.  Once I own the network, I'll have a better shot at upgrading the copier sometime down the road. Fill your diary to fill your pipeline to get a deal

The prospect emailed this back to me:

"We were impressed with you and your presentation." Your presentation should be the differentiator.

"As I mentioned, it just came down to who we were familiar with since both your pricing's ran neck-and-neck." The reason for more daily activity.

Here's what I learned from losing today

• The prospect values service and support because price was not the issue, this will be helpful when having a conversation about our IT offerings and all our other products & services
• I was able to keep a high level of margin and was told pricing was neck and neck, thus on future deals against that competitor, I may have a leg up with pricing make notes and remember for future quoting purposes
• The prospect is loyal, because they stayed with the current provider. We're all in need of more loyal accounts. How, by visiting them regularly, the reason for a minimum of 5 appointments per day
• I found a prospect for Managed IT, yes sir,  because I asked additional qualifying questions about their current IT status and initiatives. In today's business environment we cannot ONLY focus on the copier, ask the qualifying questions on the other products and services we offer?
• I found a prospect for Backup Disaster Recovery, could not help to see the dozens of backup tapes when they showed me their current copier system, which lead to, "what happens if there is catastrophic loss and when was the last time you tested your backup" Be the expert and suggest alternatives
• They will be a prospect again for a copier in 30 months or so, and what comes around goes around since they decided for a 36 month lease. Build your pipeline and diarize – stay in contact

All of the above then gets logged into my CRM, along with a call in two weeks to schedule an appointment about Managed IT services. Most important part of your daily sales cycle.

With baseball, not getting a hit in 7 out 10 plate appearances over your career will land you into the Hall of Fame.  In sales that means for every 3.3 opportunities I will have a sale, I'll take it any day of the week! The 10:3:1 ratio works all over the world in the same way.

-=Good Selling=-

Note from Art:  Special Thanx to Deon for his input!

The Week in Copiers Five Years Ago

Second Week of February 2016

We hate to lose right?  Nothing grinds my gears more, than losing a prospect.

I expect that I should be able to secure an order from all of my prospects. I expect to bat 1.000, however the reality is far from that.  I definitely lose more deals than I win.

Enjoy These Awesome Copier Threads from Five Years Ago!

In fact, I lose about 65% of the time.

Member

Debra Alzuro