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Top Ten MFP Copier Industry Predictions for 2015

Looking back 2014 was one of my best years in the business. The fourth quarter of 2014 was the best quarter I've ever had!  I can only hope that 2015 will be as good as 2014 if not better.

 

Last years Top Ten MFP Copier Industry Predictions for 2014 had me wondering if we'll ever get back those glorious years of 2000-2007.  Thus, I'm pretty optimistic that 2015 will turn out to be one of the best years ever!

 

Some of my predictions over the years did come to fruition, and for the life of I can't figure out why!  I try to have fun with these, some predictions will come from trends that I've seen in the industry and others are predictions that I'd like to see come true and there are some that I just post because I know it will irk someone the wrong way.  

 

Have fun with this and of course if you have some of you own, please comment!

 

1) Acquisitions of smaller office equipment dealers by larger office equipment will grow even stronger this year.  Those smaller dealerships that have no line of succession will be enticed to give up the ghost.

 

2) The Age of the Mega Dealers continues and we'll see more of these dealers coming to market with their own GEO branding.  These Mega Dealers will expand their own geographic territories and also establishing new beach heads hundreds if not a thousand miles away.

 

3) Dealerships that named their dealerships with  "copy, copiers, office solutions, office systems, office technology, print, and office" will be dropped. Dealerships will create their own strategic branding and will no longer be defined as just selling copiers, printers, faxes, etc.

 

4) It did not happen last year, but maybe this will be the year that one of these three manufacturers throw in the towel.  If one does drop, then I'd be betting it will be Sharp, Toshiba or Kyocera.

 

5) One of the Big 3 (Canon, Ricoh, KonicaMinolta) will buy a Document Management Software company.

 

6) 2015 will be the year of A4 devices!!  I see 70, 80 & 90ppm devices A4 devices coming to market with the cost per model of A3 devices.

 

7) 2015 will not be the year that Ricoh upgrades the W3601, nor the W5100en & W7140en.  Guess we'll have to put that on our Christmas wish for next year! Hey, I'm really hopping this one does come pan out!

 

8) When it comes to Production Systems, Ricoh will be the force to be reckoned with.  No manufacturer stays on top for long, thus the reign of KM at the top spot is coming to a close.

 

9) Keywords for 2015?  Workflow is out, MPS is DOA.  BPI is in!!!  Business Process Improvement says it all!!

 

10) I predict 2015 will be a record year of sales for all Print4Pay Hotel members!  The reason for that bold prediction? Would be because we share knowledge, inspiration, ideas and our passion for the industry!!

 

Have fun with this, I did!

 

-=Good Selling=-

 

 

Implementing basic cybersecurity in a small healthcare business

Big businesses like Sony Pictures Entertainment and Target have had information compromised by hackers, giving small business customers a reason to be wary. What can an enterprise do to implement cybersecurity and appeal to a hesitant audience?


The fear of being breached

 

According to NCC Group, 64 percent of people surveyed by the source believe they are likely to be a victim of a cyberattack within the next 12 months, and 23 percent are doing less on the internet for that very reason. To prevent these fears from being realized, entrepreneurs need to ensure they are updating their software and at least using basic cybersecurity, such as firewalls and email encryption. "It may take a lot of work and effort, but often hackers find holes into your business through old and unpatched software," Christopher Hadnagy, chief human hacker from Social-Engineer, told Entrepreneur.


A business owner should be up to speed on how to put these tactics in place, and may be able to find support from a secure email service. With 77 percent of people not feeling completely safe when doing business, according to the source, it is a priority to get cybersecurity in place for small companies.


The way to go

 

The Department of Homeland Security had a few recommendations for business owners looking to improve security for their small and medium-sized companies. It suggested basic cybersecurity measures, but ultimately suggested that cybersecurity be considered a part of overall corporate risk.


The DHS stressed that every company is at risk, and every business must consider cybersecurity measures within its budget. The source also provided small business resources such as the Small Biz Cyber Planner, a tool that allows businesses to create a custom cybersecurity plan and read information on cyber insurance, advanced spyware and directions on installing protective software.


The possibility of being hacked

 

Entrepreneur discussed the very real possibility of your company being attacked. Collaboration between employees is key when it comes to establishing cybersecurity, as that is exactly what hackers do - collaborate and attack. These hackers are looking specifically at vulnerable data entry points, such as suppliers who have access to a company's data. This means that if you have heavy cybersecurity but your supplier doesn't, you could still be at risk.


Ensuring all passages hackers can take are fortified against intrusion should be a top priority for any business. Ascertain that all cybersecurity basics are put in place and be mindful of the companies you are working with - in turn, customers will feel safer in your hands.

 

David Bailey is Senior Vice President at Protected Trust. 

Protected Trust is a sponsor of the Print4Pay Hotel. I urge members and readers to visit their site to see their full line of products and services.  More and more we need to provide well rounded strategic solutions for our customers. Protected Trust offers some unique solutions that can help us in our day to day efforts. Check them out here.

This Week in the Copier/Office Equipment Industry 10 Years Ago Fourth Week of January 2005

There was not much happening in the news 10 years ago this week.  I thought I would do my own flash back for January of 2005.  I don't keep notes but with having data on the threads from the forums from 10 years ago, the threads do spark the memory.  Ricoh wide format was huge!!!  I for one was selling two of these each month and maxing out with Gross Profit.  I would day that the average gross profit was $7,000 per system.  Yes, it was good times!!!!  FYI, the picture on the left is Sandals in Saint Lucia!!

 

 

 

 

          1/29/05 8:23 PM
 
          Topic by Guest
          copiers and printers. The weak dollar also boosted its results. Analysts say Konica Minolta Holdings and Ricoh Co. will join Canon and Xerox with robust results when they report next week as they too are expected to have benefited from strong sales of color
 
          1/31/05 10:04 PM
 
          Topic by Guest
          Kit RAMSEY, N.J. January 31, 2005 Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A, Inc. (Konica Minolta) today announced the availability of a new Security Kit for the bizhub Di3510 series of multifunctional devices -- the bizhub Di3510, bizhub Di3010, bizhub Di
 
          1/26/05 7:55 PM
 
          Topic by Guest
          preferred-stock dividends. Sales rose 6o $4.3 billion from $4.29 billion. Chief Executive Anne Mulcahy's cost cuts are allowing Xerox to sell new lower-priced products to compete with Canon Inc., Ricoh Co. and Hewlett-Packard Co. Xerox wants more equipment in the
 
          1/31/05 10:08 PM
 
          Topic by Guest
          support Toshiba Business Solutions market growth strategy by targeting large, independent and often competitive dealers in leading U.S. markets. Becker Business Systems has long been aware of the solid reputation of Toshiba products and dealers, and we
 
          1/26/05 8:00 PM
 
          Topic by Guest
          EFI, Xerox Collaborate To Deliver New Printer For Graphic Arts Professionals SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 10, 2005  At Macworld San Francisco 2005, the worlds most comprehensive Macintosh operating system event, EFI (Nasdaq: EFII) and Xerox Corporation (NYSE: XRX
 
          1/27/05 2:31 PM
 
          Topic by Guest
          Can anyone tell me how these compare to the 240 capability wise and price wise (with print and scan optionsThanx......David147
 
          1/28/05 3:48 PM
 
          Topic by Guest
          Can we compete with a 2228 or 2232?
 
          1/31/05 7:57 AM
 
          Reply by Boston Mike Boston Mike is offline. Click for Member Snapshot.
          15 customers and expects significant growth in the first half of the year. It also expects to hire about five people this year. PARTNERS Barco Medical Imaging Empiric Systems eSys Medical EWebIT Solutions Kodak Health Imaging Konica Medical Imaging McKesson
 
          1/27/05 5:54 PM
 
          Reply by Old Glory Old Glory is offline. Click for Member Snapshot.
          If you quote Ricoh's published RMAP service pricing, you shouldn't ever get it rejected by the installing dealer. As a matter of fact, I'm quite certain that Ricoh's Dealer Contract obligates the dealer to accept it.
 
          1/27/05 7:54 PM
 
          Reply by Guest
          Jim's right, if you have the account registered DMAP the dealer also have to use Ricohs pricing.  Us ecan use a cpc also,  please call me if you neeed more help. 732.977.1211.
 
          1/29/05 12:06 PM
 
          Reply by Guest
          RO5 Ricoh Customer Presentation This Document has been archived, please send me an email in order to purchase. art@p4photel.com R15_Ricoh_Cust_Pres.ppt
 
          1/31/05 10:21 PM
 
          Topic by Guest
          27 votes were counted! 67% of you thought that should have added color scanning to the new 2051/2060 & 2070 series! 22% voted no and 11% voted "voted did not care". Ricoh, give us color scanning on B & W MFP's!
 
          1/31/05 10:23 PM
 
          Topic by Guest
          Does anyone have information on this new product from Ricoh?  Is it a 50PPM color MFP or just a printer?
 
          2/1/05 4:28 PM
 
          Topic by Guest
          Has anyone run up against Riso in the school system?  I am going up against a Toshiba dealer that sells Risographs as well and was curious if anyone has gone head to head and been successful doing so.  Also, what Riso models were they trying to place in
 
          1/29/05 3:21 PM
 
          Reply by bandit41076 bandit41076 is offline. Click for Member Snapshot.
          folder, then ricoh folder, them wide format, then 240w (whew!)
 
          1/31/05 8:03 AM
 
          Reply by Boston Mike Boston Mike is offline. Click for Member Snapshot.
          Executive Officer David Sharp Chief Operating Officer Chris Joyce Director, Business Development 206-448-2800 x228 chris.joyce@mercent.com Chase Norlin Director, Communications 206-448-2800 x225 chase.norlin@mercent.com OFFICE(S) Mercent Corporation 87 Wall
 
          1/31/05 10:57 PM
 
          Reply by bandit41076 bandit41076 is offline. Click for Member Snapshot.
          this applies to the ricoh 470, but KM and Oce info is good. Oce TDS 400 is very similar t TDS 600. Speed is  main differance.
 
          2/1/05 8:01 AM
 
          Reply by Guest
          base controller which my company provided. None of the "client" stations can enter in codes for a print job, unless they rip the job / then go to the print server and enter the details. RICOH support told me that you should be able to do that from the print
 
          2/1/05 9:07 AM
 
          Reply by Guest
I am waiting,  I heard February for launch,  maybe RICOH will take their time with it though and not just throw it out to so they can recoupe some R&D costs.  like they did on the first B2C pieces..  What a nightmare.

Justice for Documents

Justice for Documents

 

The Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania was established in 1972 to assist the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania in protecting the public and maintaining the integrity of the legal profession by regulating attorney conduct and disciplining misconduct. The Board is an independent ethics organization funded solely by annual fees assessed on each attorney practicing in Pennsylvania. The Board employs a staff of 70 located in 6 offices throughout the Commonwealth.

 

 

Initial Situation

Pennsylvania has a roll of approximately 100,000 attorneys with roughly 65,000 of them practicing. With such a large number of attorneys in the Commonwealth, the Disciplinary Board must manage and store a great deal of information with accuracy. Their largest division is the Office of Disciplinary Counsel (ODC) which investigates 4,500 – 5,000 complaints annually against attorneys, and when appropriate also prosecutes, resulting in either private or public discipline. The Office of the Secretary to the Board is charged with, among other things, housing the official record of any case resulting in a hearing or discipline. The Attorney Registration Office collects attorney registration fees and maintains a copy of each attorney’s annual registration form. The Accounting and Human Resource Office handle basic business functions.

 

Requirements

After evaluating its business practices, the Board decided it needed to revise some of its processes in order to gain efficiencies, better manage its documents and create approval processes for the Accounting Office and ODC that could be easily reviewed and audited.

 

The Disciplinary Board was already using DocuWare as an archiving tool, but wanted to expand its use to include live case files, as well as integrate the solution with other key software they use. They wanted a solution that could provide them with version control and could facilitate employee collaboration. Even more important, they needed to find the right vendor, one that was local and who could quickly meet their needs.

 

 

Solution

Their Authorized DocuWare Partner, Toshiba Business Solutions, visited each office to understand their paper processes and show the Disciplinary Board how to improve and optimize their existing processes using DocuWare.

 

The ODC’s process starts when a complaint is filed. Hard copy documents are scanned and indexed using a drop down list for the document type and one-click technology, which allows users to point and click on the text they want to use  as an index value, avoiding typos and reducing indexing time. Electronic documents are directly imported into DocuWare and indexed in a similar manner.

 

Within the ODC, electronic approval workflows are in place to allow a colleague to either concur or dissent with any specific decision relating to a case under investigation. If the colleague concurs with the recommendation, the document is automatically routed to a manager for final approval. Tracking these approvals is important to maintaining the organization’s directives.

 

Accounts Payable invoices are received by any of the six offices. When received, a barcode sticker is placed in the corner of the invoice which will act as a unique identifier. The invoice is scanned and information extracted. The documents are fully indexed by referencing the accounting database to fill in vendor information. Hard copies of invoices never need to be sent to the central office and the invoice approval easily moves through a pre-defined, auditable electronic workflow.

 

Benefits

 

Each of the four ODC offices normally handle the complaints in their own region but with DocuWare in place, staff from one office can be redeployed to work on complaints logged at a neighboring office, without having to physically drive there.  This has allowed the ODC to balance its workload among its staff and easily cover employee absences.

 

When charges are brought against any attorney, the 13 unpaid Disciplinary Board Members act as the judges to determine if and how an attorney should be disciplined. The ODC acts as the Prosecutor and the attorney who wronged someone is known as the Respondent. Using the security and access features in DocuWare, the Secretary to the Board gives the ODC access to filed documents in the case, while other documents remain secure or unavailable. These features allow the Secretary to store all documents for a case in one location while still limiting access, simplifying a complex process.

 

Once a hearing is complete and public discipline is determined, the Secretary can change an index field, which then allows full access to the final decision and supporting documentation.

 

For the Finance Director, having an audit trail in place is crucial. Storing and processing all accounting documents from a central repository has eliminated the unintentional role of information gatekeeper.  The entire Disciplinary Board staff now has self-serve access to the information they need regarding invoices and payments, freeing up time and energy for other tasks.  Invoice approval time has sped up now that invoices can quickly be approved even with busy travel schedules.

 

The Attorney Registration Office can now easily update and monitor the records of its roughly 100,000 attorneys.  All funding for the Disciplinary Board comes from these fees so accurate records are essential.

 

“Our DocuWare system functions very well, but our relationship with our authorized DocuWare Partner is even better. A strong vendor relationship was very important to us from the outset of the project and we feel lucky to have both a great vendor and a great system all-in-one,” said Hereda.

 

 

 Conclusion

“A significant benefit we’ve experienced from our use of DocuWare was the ease and flexibility of reviewing and approving documents.  The ability to review and approve documents remotely has changed the working lives of some of our employees and has allowed our organization to more effectively utilize our human resources” said Hereda.

 

The Disciplinary Board has decided to implement DocuWare in the Human Resources division and is developing a roadmap for another successful installation.

 

---------------------------------------Bulleted Lists-----------------

Tasks

Accurately track attorney registrations

Develop business processes than can be audited

Automate invoice approval workflows

 

Benefits

Work load balance among offices

Provide employees with flexible work options

Timely invoice approvals while away from the office

Created controlled self-serve access to accounting information

 

Applied Modules

 

 

Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania

Industry: Government

Location: Pennsylvania

Application: accounting, live case files, complaints

Document types: invoices, legal documents, complaint forms, attorney registration forms

 

Quote

“A significant benefit we’ve experienced from our use of DocuWare was the ease and flexibility of reviewing and approving documents.  The ability to review and approve documents remotely has changed the working lives of some of our employees and has allowed our organization to more effectively utilize our human resources.”

 

Jesse G. Hereda

Finance Director

Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania

Six Reasons Why DocuWare Can Help Copier Dealers Kick-start Their Professional Services

 

print4payhotel_bannerad_300x150_pix_2017A few weeks ago I had to prepare for a demonstration of NSI middleware for one of our Ricoh devices.

We had two scenarios, the first consisted of selecting the NSI middleware from the copier and then to manually enter the index information. The second scenario was to get a document that already had a pre-printed bar code and to demonstrate the ease of bar code scanning.  Everything went perfect...., until I was asked to find that document.  Well, seemed easy enough to me, I went to the Windows search box (was right there on the screen), typed in the PO number and we waited and waited and waited.  It seemed like an eternity!

I was then asked if the document could be routed to the ERP system.

That's when it finally struck me that my talk track should have stated,  yes we can search for that document and we might be able to route it back to your ERP, however that's really a talk that we should have with our team of document experts about Document Management software. (special thanx to Tom K)

So, what happens if your Dealership does not have that team of document experts to fall back on?  What happens if this a critical aspect to getting the deal? It's obvious that the prospect has additional needs or pain points that need to be addressed in order to move the hardware and middleware sale forward.

If you're one of those Dealers and run into these scenarios, then I suggest you give a call to the talented group at DocuWare. Recently, I had a talk with Brian Love (Senior Director of Professional Services) about the additional services DocuWare can provide to Dealers that need to kick-start their professional services offerings and extend the reach of the hardware.

  • Reason #1) DocuWare provides the ability to  easily connect to many ERP systems
  • Reason #2) DocuWare offers Professional Service Engagement.  Since I'm with a Ricoh Dealership, what I can tell you that this would be somewhat similar to the CHAMPS engagement.  You would engage your local DocuWare rep, request discovery help with xyz customer for connecting with their ERP system.  Then talk with a knowledgeable consultant and gain the trust of the client.
  • Reason #3) DocuWare offers a full team of skilled professionals that can offer the needed connector, help with a SDK kit, and also provide a Scope of Work, and Proposal to the Dealer. The Dealer would then quote the prospect, take the order, enjoy the margin and let DocuWare do the rest of the Professional Services.
  • Reason #4) Engaging with DocuWare means you don't have to walk away if you don't have the resources at your Dealership.  Thus, a great way to add additional value and services with little to no low overhead.
  • Reason #5) Grow your own services offering by learning first-hand how to effectively run your own software Professional Services team.  DocuWare essentially gives you the playbook and is there to help you along the way.  Even better, you make margin, grow your business while you learn.
  • Reason #6) DocuWare makes it easy by offering a standard discovery package for a needs analysis, solution design and ROI.  This simplified approach makes it easy for the dealership to benefit from without needing to become the EDM to ERP expert. 


I'm finding that we (dealers) that have the talk track of, "what do you do with those documents once they are scanned (where do they go)", opens up an entirely new discussion about their workflow.  The more I talk about the document life cycle, I'm finding that I'm uncovering additional opportunities other than hardware.

No more can we live off the clicks derived from MFP's.  Our prospects and customers are interested, we just need to dig deeper into their processes.

You can access the DocuWare website here

-=Good Selling=-  

Holes in a fence: How the approach to cybersecurity is changing

The Sony Entertainment cyberattack is not yet old news. On the contrary, the breach is still affecting the idea of cybersecurity and how important it is for organizations to have protection in place. The mystery of who was behind the attack on Sony is in no way solved, and the incident created new fears that companies have to face, including the awareness of holes in their systems and employees who are willing to give up sensitive company information.


These fears are causing many to scramble to find a perfect cybersecurity solution, but there isn't one out there. Hackers are evolving nearly as fast as security tools, which is exactly what makes the implementation of cybersecurity so difficult. If cyberterrorists can break into Sony Entertainment as easily as they did, it seems as though almost no company is safe.


Attacked from the inside

The Huffington Post described how former employees of Sony Entertainment are expressing concern that the cyberattack originated from someone within the company, or that someone on the inside was deeply involved.


The idea that the attack originated from North Korea was confirmed by the FBI last month, and the country did face repercussions, as President Barack Obama put sanctions in place against North Korean officials and companies. However, that has not stopped some Sony associates from believing that an individual involved with the company helped North Korea.


"It's virtually impossible to get that information unless you are an insider, were an insider or have been working with an insider," Kurt Stammberger, senior vice president at Norse, a provider of cybersecurity for financial services, technology and government, told The Huffington Post. "That's why we and so many other security professionals are convinced an insider played an important role." There has been a counter-argument that a cyberattack of this caliber can most certainly be done remotely without any inside help. But Marc Rogers, head of security at hacker conference Defcon, told The Huffington Post that the issue with all of these claims - even the FBI's - is a lack of evidence.


New strategies, new fears

Despite the differing ideas on what happened to Sony, everyone can agree on one thing: Cybersecurity needs to be taken more seriously. "Service providers like Yahoo, Google and Dropbox are offering bounties for vulnerabilities because it's a better deal for them. Paying a thousand dollars to find [an exploit] is money well spent," HD Moore, chief security officer at Rapid7, a security vendor, told TechCrunch.


In fact, these costs are crucial. Cybersecurity methods that were optional years ago are now necessary, such as email encryption and compliant email. Many professionals suggest layers of cybersecurity to ensure that there is backup upon backup in case the worst happens.

 

These strategies are born from the major attacks on companies such as Sony, Home Depot and JP Morgan. TechCrunch reported that although many want to avoid being the next victim of a similar cyberattack virtually every business seems extremely vulnerable.


Finding a complicated solution

TechCrunch highlighted how many organizations aren't putting enough energy into protecting themselves from cyberattacks. The typical reaction to a breach has been to Band-Aid the loophole that facilitated the specific incident and move on. Instead of taking this approach, an enterprise should look to prevent all types of breaches from occurring, not just the ones it has experienced.


"An attack happens, and they plug it. They don't invest proactively to stop a class of threats in a fundamental manner. It's not like they don't try to aggregate threats and think ahead, they do, but by and large, they respond like an immune system. Nothing happens until a virus comes in and they address it," Andre.


This common reaction may be due to the desire to find a simple answer rather than facing the hard fact that cybersecurity is extremely complicated and can't be accomplished with a onea solution. Just fixing one issue helps a company feel in control, but instead, an organization should work to lessen its pride and bring in a third party to help implement a system, such as a secure email provider for basic cybersecurity solutions.


David Cowan, a partner with venture capital firm Bessemer Ventures, likened the attitude companies have about cybersecurity to a fence with many holes: When a criminal breaks in through one hole, a firm covers that specific opening and puts cameras on it. But if the business pulled back and looked at the big picture, it would be able to see that there are many other holes to cover and criminals to watch out for. The only good thing that has come of the recent various cyberattacks is that more and more companies are stepping back and taking cybersecurity seriously, a development that could be considered the situation's silver lining.

 

David Bailey is Senior Vice President at Protected Trust. 

Protected Trust is a sponsor of the Print4Pay Hotel. I urge members and readers to visit their site to see their full line of products and services.  More and more we need to provide well rounded strategic solutions for our customers. Protected Trust offers some unique solutions that can help us in our day to day efforts. Check them out here.

 

Color Cost Per Page Poll for Segment 3 (produce 31 to 40 pages)

Do you need to stay ahead of the curve, or just curious what the curve looks like? 

 

We've introduced our new color cost per page poll for Segment 3 Color MFP's here.

 

Cost Per Page tactics, and marketing keeps changing, post your color cost per page and keep checking to see if your dealership is just right, below the curve or above the curve!

 

How the heck can you fight the cost per page battle with either your dealership/direct branch or the customer if you're not sure where the rest of the industry is?

 

Take a minute or so to view the current votes and then take the survey yourself.  Check back in a few week and I'm sure you have an excellent sampling if you're too high, too low or just right!!

 

Color Cost Per Page Poll for Segment 3 (produce 31-40 pages)

This Week in the Copier/Office Equipment Industry 10 Years Ago Third Week of January 2005

U.S. President George W. Bush is sworn in for his second term, with a pledge to seek "freedom in all the world".

 

          1/24/05 7:52 PM
 
          Topic by Guest
Konica Minolta Business Solutions Leads Two Segments Of U.S. Color Copier Sales bizhub C350, 8050 and CF5001 Sales Help Konica Minolta Attain #1 Market Share for 21-30 ppm and 41-69 ppm Color Copier/MFP Segments RAMSEY, N.J. Janaury 13, 2005 Konica
 
          1/21/05 8:25 AM
 
          Topic by Guest
          , including the DocuTech(R) and Xerox Nuvera(TM) production product families. For production products already installed in a customer location, a software upgrade is available at no charge from a Xerox service representative. Xerox Premium Digital Carbonless
 
          1/22/05 1:00 AM
 
          Topic by Flying_birdman Flying_birdman is offline. Click for Member Snapshot.
          Does anyone know if you can connect a Savin 4090 and Ricoh 2090 with the copy connect kit?
 
          1/24/05 7:39 PM
 
          Topic by Guest
          interactions for Sales Representatives, Field Technicians, and System Engineers. Your Ricoh ID is Ricohs method of identifying individuals who have the knowledge, tools and skills to competently support Ricoh product(s). In addition to receiving a Ricoh ID
 
          1/20/05 1:03 PM
 
          Reply by bandit41076 bandit41076 is offline. Click for Member Snapshot.
          PbPort Select HP and any designjet 650 select keep exisiting driver rename 240 PDF printer Share out to network OR 5. get the the 300 dpi driver from Ricoh tech support
 
          1/20/05 3:37 PM
 
          Reply by Guest
          you have had sucess with? reson I am asking, the sales rep from PM AUDIT wasn't able to tell me for sure if the RICOH 2238c was compatible with their software. I don't want to test in the clients office. thanks vince,
 
          1/20/05 8:50 PM
 
          Reply by Guest
          You need a Tech ID before you can login. I work for a Savin dealer, and after I attended my first Ricoh class, I was assigned a number. These tips are from other Techs that have come across a lot of typical problems out in the field, and can be very
 
          1/24/05 2:31 PM
 
          Reply by Guest
          I believe Art started this.... The fw 240 wide format flyer.doc doc was moved to www.documentmall.com Accountname: art_post username: p4pusers passcode: goodpals select p4pusers cabinet, then wideformat folder, then ricoh folder, them wide format, then
 
          1/24/05 3:24 PM
 
          Reply by bandit41076 bandit41076 is offline. Click for Member Snapshot.
          I have that one - anything new? See attached... seminar invite The WFSeminar Invitation.pdf  doc was moved to www.documentmall.com Accountname: art_post username: p4pusers passcode: goodpals select p4pusers cabinet, then wideformat folder, then ricoh
 
          1/24/05 7:49 PM
 
          Reply by Guest
          Another that I use The Wide Format Mailer 240W.pub  was moved to www.documentmall.com Accountname: art_post username: p4pusers passcode: goodpals select p4pusers cabinet, then wideformat folder, then ricoh folder, them wide format, then 240w (whew!)
 
          1/24/05 7:54 PM
 
          Topic by Guest
          Segment 1 MFP and business-level fax machine supplement entry level of product lineup Muratec America, Inc., manufacturer of multifunction office equipment and business productivity solutions, announces today the introduction of a segment 1 copier-based
 
          1/25/05 8:46 AM
 
          Topic by Guest
 
 
          1/22/05 11:03 AM
 
          Reply by Guest
          I can't see why not, as long as the 2090 is 4090 (not up on my Savin model numbers),  all that changes is the model number and the insert.  All of the systems that we get on have lables for Savin and Ricoh.
 
-=Good Selling=-

Nine Reasons Why I'm Going to BTA's Winter Break in Orlando!

I missed out on the Winter Break event last year due to a snowstorm here in Jersey!  I was pretty bummed, who from the northeast wouldn't want to get to Florida in March.  March is one of my least favorite months of the year in Jersey, on some days it's winter, other days you get a sprinkling of spring and then you're back to winter.

 

This years event will be held on March 20th & March 21st at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.  Which is awesome!!!  I'm heading down with the wife early on the 20th and we'll then spend the rest of the week enjoying the resort, Disney and the warmth!!

 

But, what I'm most looking forward to is the Educational Sessions, thus my Ten Reasons are listed below:

 

  • Adapting to Today's New Buying Habits:  Darrel Amy, chief information officer, & Lindsay Kelly, chief marketing strategist, Dealer Marketing
  • Recession or No Recession:  Prepare Your Business to Grove & Thrive in Either Environment Chris Polek, CEO Polek & Polek
  • Sales Management: The Benchmarks that Drive Sales to Higher Levels: Melissa Whitaker, founder Melissa Whitaker International LLC
  • Keynote Dealer Panel:  Mergers, Acquisitions & Future Growth: What is Your Dealership's Strategy? Jeff Gau CEO Marco, Saint Cloud, Minn. Jim Kreikemeier, President Capital Business Systems Inc., For Collins, Colorado Rick Lott, Co-Owner Zymphony Technology Solutions Tampa, Florida
  • Spend time with all of the 37 vendors to see what's new & different, and how it can help me grow my sales revenue and profit.
  • Chance to catch up with old friends and network with new friends!
  • Spend Sunday afternoon & evening at the Disney theme park of my choice (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios or Animal Kingdom)
  • Catch a Braves pre-season baseball game
  • Enjoy the warmth, the sun, and the resort (no phone, no motor car, no cold weather)

I highly recommend all of the BTA Events, but, if you can swing the time in March make sure you book the registration by on or before the February 18th.  By registering before the 18th you'll receive a second registration free!!  Register here

 

-=Good Selling=-

 

The state of cybersecurity in the health care industry

The health care sector should prepare for cybersecurity in 2015, as it's expected to become a huge target. Breaches within the sector can prove even more costly than those afflicting other industries, with HealthITSecurity reporting that such incidents are affected by factors such as HIPAA fines, which can amount to anything from $100 to $50,000 per each violation.


What can health care companies do to prepare for the cyberattack attempts that they are highly likely to face in the new year?


HIPAA and the need for cybersecurity

HIPAA, which stands for the Health Information Protection and Security Act, has required health care companies to put technical safeguards in place to keep sensitive data secure. These types of preemptive actions are necessary because of previous attacks on the health care industry, such as one orchestrated by the group Fin4, which worked to infiltrate pharmaceutical and health care companies in the hope that compromising privileged information would affect the global market.


The New York Times reported that FireEye, a Silicon Valley security company, researched the group and found it was composed of native English speakers based in North America or Western Europe who were experienced in Wall Street jargon. The hacker group crafted unique emails tailored to each victim to facilitate the take over of accounts and acquire sensitive information. The list of victims included top-level executives and legal counsel. The group also compromised company documents.


The danger health care faces

According to a survey by IDC Health Insights, 39 percent of respondents said they had experienced more than 10 cyberattacks in the last year, and 27 percent of those attacks were successful in compromising information. Since hackers have only been getting better in the ways they attack and the technology they have been infiltrating, this percentage will only rise.


"Today's health care organizations are at a greater risk of a cyberattack than ever before, in part because electronic health information is more widely available today than in the nearly 20 years since the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act was passed in 1996," IDC Health Insights Research Vice President Lynne Dunbrack said in a statement. "For health care organizations, it's not a matter of whether they are going to be attacked, but when."


Even medical devices and hospital equipment are at risk of being hacked into, and the Department of Homeland Security has been investigating their safety, according to FierceHealthIT. Many health care companies that sell this equipment have no cybersecurity precautions set in place for it, according to The New York Times.


This has definitely affected the way people view cybersecurity in health care, as after FireEye's chief executive David G. Dewalt appeared on "60 Minutes" to discuss cybersecurity in the health care industry, the stock in the company's shares have gone down from $100 a share to $30. Cybersecurity is beginning to be taken seriously by everyone - not just companies working in an industry that is affected by it, but those who are investing in them.


What can the health care industry do

There doesn't seem to be a certain concrete way to implement cybersecurity into any industry, so finding more initiative to research ways to do so should be a top priority. The executives whose inboxes are being targeted should take steps to implement basic cybersecurity methods such as email encryption.


Email encryption alone won't protect something as big as the health care industry, but it is definitely a solid first step. Good cybersecurity takes layers of backup, such as firewalls on top of email encryption and preventative elements for malware and hacker intrusion. If companies do their research and look to secure email providers for information, they can protect the sensitive data in their systems.

 

David Bailey is Senior Vice President at Protected Trust. 

Protected Trust is a sponsor of the Print4Pay Hotel. I urge members and readers to visit their site to see their full line of products and services.  More and more we need to provide well rounded strategic solutions for our customers. Protected Trust offers some unique solutions that can help us in our day to day efforts. Check them out here.

 

 

The Who, What, Where, When, Why & How of Print

Did you know that if you where to fill your car gas tank with inkjet ink that it would cost $150,000!

 

What do you think is the average number of pages printed by the average employee each year?   Yup, 10,000 pages.

 

One of the items I'm going to get better at this year is to ask net new accounts if they are being burdened with overage charges.  If so, then I'm going to move right to my Who, Where, What, When, Why & How of Print to alleviate overage charges on my competitions equipment!  That's fricking awesome!!

 

The Who of Print

  • Who printed that document?  
  • That document is confidential and the document was left out on the copier.
  • How did our competition beat us to market with our new product?

Knowing "Who" printed that document can give you an document trail to that person.  It's not uncommon that companies can get fined for leaving confidential documents out in the open.  It's also fact that trade, products secrets can printed and stolen.  Fines can be eliminated and thieves can be prosecuted.

 

The Where of Print: 

  • Where was that document printed?
  • What printer was used?
  • What port & IP address?

Knowing what imaging devices documents are printed to can lead to a better understanding of the costs that are involved for each imaging device.

 

The What of Print:

  • Document Names that were printed, were those documents confidential?

The When of Print:

  • Date and Time stamp that the document was printed

The How of Print:

  • Name of application that the document was printed from

Thus the Who, Where, What, When & How of Print Analysis is available to the CIO at any time.

 

But, the analysis is just the tip of the iceberg!  Diving deeper, we need to ask "Why" they print the documents like they do.  Such as:

 

  • Why do you print internet pages in color?
  • Why do you print Document A single sided?
  • Why do you not have a time and date stamp on each document printed?
  • Why do you not have the document name on a printed document?
  • Why do you not have the name of the user on the document that was printed?
  • Why do you not have those documents protected from printing by an unauthorized user?

 

Print Rules software  can change your customers print habits, reduce paper costs, reduce and or eliminate overage costs on copiers.  Dang, we would be hero's right! 

 

Maybe we're not asking the right question when we are surveying our potential net new customers.  I would tend to think that most end users do have overage charges on most devices. 

 

We hear from our customers that nothing is more frustrating than to get a bill at the end of the year for overages!  Maybe we need to be proactive and give our customers a way to control printing.

 

It's no secret that I'm a fan of Print Audit, and it's no secret that they are a Premium Sponsor of the Print4Pay Hotel. What is a secret, is that I was a fan of Print Audit before they were a sponsor.

 

My goal for 2015 is to open the talk track of overages and the Who, What, Where, When, Why & How of Print.

 

-=Good Selling=-

Empowering Dealers: ITEX Expo 2015

Empowering Dealers: ITEX Expo 2015

 

By Sand Sinclair, Conference Director/Editor

 

The annual ITEX Expo & Conference is one of the most focused and credible venues to deliver the latest tools, strategies, education and industry information to those in the office, imaging, and IT channels.  Each year ITEX spotlights a power house exhibit floor, power hour education tracks, and powerful workshops to yes, empower attendees.  Sharing a spectrum of information on new and evolving product technology, advances in integrated workflow and document management solutions, managed print services, cloud, IT and managed services, along with new strategies for sales, supplies, business model planning and more, ITEX and noteworthy experts arm industry professionals with “implementable how to” methods to achieve greater profits and success.

 

Today’s business owners, C-level executives, company management and dedicated staffs can look to ITEX 2015 to “Power Up!” their company profits.

 

Held in sunny South Florida, a sought out destination in early March, ITEX rocks the Broward County Convention Center in downtown Ft. Lauderdale from March 10 to 12. The convenient location is located near the ocean, airport, hotels, restaurants, sightseeing and recreation.

 

If you’re wondering “What now?” when it comes to advancing your business, dealers and professionals will find the best answers and strategies in dozens of Power Hour sessions to help them stay ahead of the encroaching competition.  An array of leading presenters will help to empower dealers with an actionable game plan for 2015 and beyond.  ITEX offers dedicated tracks to specifically teach you how to leverage a myriad of business solutions. From navigating the complex sale to developing new partnerships, to reinventing a better business model to adopting a new product platform, you will be empowered with the latest knowledge needed to advance.

 

If you’re looking to deep dive for real immersion on diversification and / or IT business planning, consider one of two half-day “forerunner” Executive Workshops which are available on March 10. These will help those providers who are choosing a path to diversify by either having a stronger “Focus” on new areas of print, or choosing to “Pivot” into new and diverse areas outside of the print industry (with some doing a combination of both).  Going down these paths can be initially challenging as there are a myriad of questions, including those on costs, investments, risks, staffing, outsourcing, partnering, products and new services to consider, while the opportunities to add big value, growth and revenue from adopting these solutions can be immense, if done correctly. The Executive Workshops include:  “Mapping the Next Business Model: Channel Diversification “ - presented by leading analysts from InfoTrends  along with a selected dealer panel that includes Gordon Flesch Company and CBI, among others; and a CompTIA-led  workshop: “Gaining Business Agility to Adapt, Strengthen, Transform “(your business) with a focus on operational efficiency, financial planning, a “solutions playbook.”  Presenters will help you gain a better understanding of IT market dynamics, and how to evaluate market developments and how they affect your business strategy.

 

In addition, a half-day Strategic Sales Workshop sponsored by ITEX and GreatAmerica Financial Services, led by veteran Paul Dippell, CEO, Service Leadership will be held on March 12, entitled “Light a Fire under Your Managed IT Sales” at the 2015 event.

 

“The value that Paul demonstrates to his audience is immense,” commented Josie Heskje, Manager, GreatAmerica Financial Services. “We’ve worked with him for years to provide education to his dealers and we’re happy to partner with ITEX to bring his thought leadership to the dealers in attendance who are heading down the Managed IT Services path.”

 

Leading OEMs featured in the exhibit hall at ITEX include Epson America, Inc., Fujitsu Computer Products of America, Inc., Hewlett-Packard Company, Inc., Lexmark, Sindoh, and OKI Data Americas, which join the impressive ranks of over a hundred best-in-class distributors, vendors, and technology providers such as AppRiver, Papercut Software International, Newfield IT, LogicNow, Ingram Micro, Laserfiche, Continuum, among many others. The event is also supported by Platinum Sponsors Digitek Computer Products, DocuWare Corporation, ECi Software Solutions, MSE – Micro Solutions Enterprises, and OKI Data Americas, as well as Gold Sponsors General Plastic Industrial Co., GreatAmerica Financial Services, Image Star, PHSI Pure Water Technology, Square 9 Softworks, and Supplies Network.

 

This year, ITEX will deliver a Keynote Address through Lawrence M. Walsh, CEO & Chief Analyst of The 2112 Group, entitled “Building Better Businesses in a Dynamic Channel.”  Says Walsh, “Dealers, resellers, service providers that invest not just in technology but more and more so in business value and performance, will be well-positioned for the future.”

 

We all know that the office channel is being challenged through emerging technologies and advancing competition, and a change in how clients conduct their business today.  ITEX wants you to have the necessary tools to carry out your business mission – that of capitalizing on what the multi-billion dollar office industry has to offer.  Join us at the channel’s premier event for the intersection of cutting-edge technologies, education and networking opportunities where ITEX attendees will learn how to leverage, manage and build business solutions.  The industry’s annual homecoming – ITEX Expo – continues to bring together dealers, resellers, distributors, VARs, MSPs, vendors, OEMs and associations to network, learn, partner, and power up for success.  Naturally, we hope to see you at the show in March!

 

Sand Sinclair is ITEX Conference Director and Editor-in-Chief of imageSource Magazine, produced and managed by Questex Media Group LLC, a global, diversified business-to-business integrated media and information provider, headquartered in Newton, MA.  Visit www.itexshow.com and www.imagesourcemag.com for detailed information.

Toner Delivered by Sled "Blizzard of 77"

I always enjoy speaking with Chris Polek (CEO of Polek & Polek)!  In an interview we did awhile back, I had asked him what was one of his best memories from the copier business!  Geesh, he went all the way back to before I was in the industry.  It may be short but it's great read about a company that goes above and beyond with customer service.

 

Me: Over your career in supply sales I’m sure you may have a funny or humorous story, can you tell us one?

 

Chris:  I think about back to our early days of being in business when we still operated out of my father’s house.  There was a long, steep driveway to get to the house.  When heavy snowstorms were forecast, it was impossible to get a car up and down the driveway.  We were a very small company then, and did not qualify to have packages picked up from UPS. 

 

We had to bring our own packages to the UPS hub in Newark, New Jersey.  We had this really bad blizzard in the winter of 1977.  Mark Ruggieri, who still works with us today, was in high school and packed orders in the afternoon and got them delivered to UPS.  Mark is one of our most dedicated employees, and he showed it early on that day.  With nearly a foot of snow already on the ground, Mark went and got my brother’s sled out of the garage, and got all the boxes on the sled.  He got the packages all the way down the hill, loaded into the car, and got them off to UPS, so they would be delivered to our customers on time!

 

Polek & Polek give them a shot!!

 

 

-=Good Selling=-

Seven Reasons Why You Need To Become a Premium P4P Hotel Member

Nothing is for FREE, we've heard this over and over through out our sales careers right? 

 

We share information, we are the relentless, we drive the sales, we seek new customers, we (Print4Pay Hotel) members are the top sellers in the industry.  Our need for knowledge translates to increased sales, generates additional GP and above all helps us provide for our families. Without a doubt, the Premium Members of the Print4Pay Hotel are the best of the best.

 

However, we all didn't start out that way, the key for most members is that they are relentless in their search for knowledge, the Print4Pay Hotel provides us with the opportunity to share, inspire, collaborate and exchange our ideas so we can move forward.

 

Premium Membership will get you access to:

 

  • Premium Forum:  Reserved for Premium Members threads only, located here.
  • Access to Current RFP's:  Each week we post RFP's that we've found and you may have not had the time to find.  You can check out the RFP forum here.
  • Access to Industry Proposals/Document Library:  We keep some of the proposals in the Document Library and we also post them in clips section titled "Pricing on the Street" & Competitive Proposals
  • Access to Download Premium Sales Documents:  Go here and check out the documents that we have in our library and we're always adding to them.
  • Ability to Download Premium Documents:  There's a treasure trove of documents through out the site that other members have uploaded, you'll be able to download those documents!
  • Access to Premium Blogs:  Right now I'm in the middle of posting "31 Ways to Close More Sales" which runs once a week. Starting in December I'll start running "31 Ways to Garner Net New Business". There are additional Premium Blogs that are posted on the site now and has we move forward more and more the of the Blogs that were "FREE" will become "Premium".
  • Contact Me: If you've got a Premium Membership feel free to reach out to me for sales help, product knowledge, how would I do this, and special pricing knowledge.

In fact just tonight I was asked to comment on a new sales cheat sheet that was sent to me, in fact I liked it so much that I comp'd that member a Premium Membership. The file that was created is a fantastic reminder for all of us in sales of what we should ask and do on every call. I believe this is invaluable for new reps!

 

An Annual membership is $117, a Lifetime Premium Membership is only $499 and you can also get Team Premium Memberships for $2,500 (annual).

 

-=Good Selling=-

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