MFP Copier Blog

The first plain paper copier was marketed in 1959 by Xerox.  The model 914 weighed some 648 lbs and only made seven copies per minute. 

When people think about copiers, most will think that all copy machines made copies onto plain cut sheet paper.  Actually there were many manufacturers that manufactured e-stat copiers. Those copiers used rolls of paper that were treated with chemicals to make the liquid or dry toner populate the image on the paper.

As I'm always searching the web for copier information, I've found that a large part of the copier industry is missing from the internet.  There is a tremendous amount of data from the nineties and forward, however almost nothing about the copiers and manufacturers of the past from the sixties, seventies and eighties.

My first training as a service tech was on some liquid Apeco and Minolta 101 copiers. By 1982 the vast majority of copiers that I saw in the field were cut sheet plain paper models like the Minolta EP510, the Minolta EP310 (aka IBM 102).   

One of my initiatives for the Print4Pay Hotel this year is to gather as much information from that time period and post it on this site. So, for all of you old timers out there or maybe you're the son or daughter of parent that started your dealership, go check your archives and see what you can come up with.  We'd love to have them posted here for the future!!!

-=Good Selling=-

It's about the Vendors.  Thus, I'd like to focus this blog about the Vendors who support the BTA Channel and the Print4Pay Hotel. 

The BTA East Grand Slam events is one of my favs!!  No need to fly, a short three hour drive and what could be better than spending a few days in Baltimore's Inner Harbor!!

BLI, Buyers Lab: 50 years, Buyers Laboratory (BLI) has been a leading source for unbiased and reliable intelligence for the global digital imaging industry.  All of BLI's competitive information services can be access in it's Web-based imaging intelligence product bliQ. 

I've seen it, I've used it and I can't do with out it.  Every salesperson should have access to this treasure trove of data. It's a program that you sure keep open the entire day that you're in the office.

Muratec Americas: It's all about the service & support right? Anyone looking for a second line or even a main line should consider Muratec.  In the near future (November)  Muratec will be expanding to offer a 45 & 55 page per minute color A3 MFP.  In addition they will also offer a 36 & 45 page per minute black A3 MFP. Great fact is that you can only buy a Muratec MFP from a Muratec Dealer. Isn't that refreshing!

Polek & Polek:  A New Jersey company that I remember from my dealer days back in the Eighties.  Polek & Polek provides high-quality compatible parts, toner and cartridges, saving dealers up to 60% over OEM costs.  Polek & Polek also provides remote device management and a chip-reset service for drum/imaging units. 

Did you know that during one Jersey Nor-Easter that the guys at Polek & Polek actually delivered toner by sled!!!!  True story, now that's customer service!!!!

Print Audit:  Print Audit develops print tracking and auditing software that enable organizations to analyze, reduce and recover their printing volumes and costs.  Print Audits Premier Program is without a doubt one of the "ten best values" that's available to Office Equipment Dealers. Print Audit's innovations have fueled it's success; the company has achieved an average of 362% annual growth over the past ten years. Check out their new Print Management Insider Blog here.

ESP/SurgeX:  Headquartered in Zebulon, N.C., is a global leader in power management technology. It's products provide unparalleled industrial-grade protect, safeguard the reliability of digital equipment and enable service-based organizations to proactively manage power quality.  Check out this blog I wrote about two weeks ago ESP/Surge Hits Home Run with New Remote Portal for Real Time Power Events.

Lease Corporation of America:  In 1988, Lease Corporation of America began establishing mutually beneficial business relationships based on trust. "Financing you can Trust" epitomizes the LCA founding philosophy and has been a constant factor in the success over the past 25 years. 

If I were to ever strike it out on my own again, LCA would be my main source to offer financing to my customers. It's not just because of the rates, it's the integrity and the relationship.  It's also about a company that is willing to go outside of the box and create exciting lease programs that you can offer to your clients. One of those programs that was offered was that the first six months of the lease, they payments would be $100 per month, and then the lease would step up to the correct payment.  I thought this was an excellent promotion and I'm sure this would have helped many of my customers get off the fence and do business with me.  Give em a click here.

DocuWare:  DocuWare has more than 10,000 installations and more than 100,000 satisfied users daily in 70 countries. Docuware offers solutions that target small to mid-size companies, government agencies and departments in large organizations. More than 400 Authorized Docuware Partners make up a worldwide independent dealer network, employing more than 1,000 Docuware experts. 

More and more,  guys and gals like me are digging deeper to help customers with business processes.  Keep in mind that Docuware is not just about Document Management anymore, DocuWare can automate the entire process of capturing, organizing, accessing, viewing, collaborating on, updating, integrating and customizing it.  Check out their awesome web site here.

Note from Art

I hope I didn't miss anyone. For those of you that are Print4Pay Hotel members and even those of you who are not but enjoy the site.  Please support the vendors of the BTA and the Print4Pay Hotel. With out these awesome vendors there wouldn't be a BTA or Print4Pay Hotel.

-=Good Selling=-

In many instances, business leaders believe that email security is among the least of their concerns when it comes to data management and protection, focusing the entirety of their efforts on other communications tools, infrastructure components, devices and the like. Now, while it is valid that certain other aspects in the corporate infrastructure are going to be more difficult to control and secure, such as mobile devices and networks, leaders should not fail to see the dangers of inadequate email protection.

Email accounts often act as the foundation of a given individual's online identity, as they are a popularly used form of authentication, a storage database for a wealth of communications and much, much more. Think about when an employee forgets his or her password - the website will often send a verification notification to the email account, and the staff member will then have to use the link therein to reset the password or make other changes to access management.

Going a step further, so much information is transferred through email today that one would likely be hard-pressed to find a company that does not have any sensitive information stored in these environments. So, how would a company be able to protect itself from the wealth of dangers on the Internet today without a significant amount of effort placed in the email encryption and security arena? Even when other components are protected, this will always represent a significant risk.

Now, after a few major data breaches that led to the exposure of login and password information among email users, it is becoming a bit clearer that many businesses have lagged in their approaches to security specifically in terms of these accounts. The time is now for a major changing of the guard, as threat mitigation and risk management are all about comprehension and proactivity - two characteristics that are significantly lacking in the modern private and public sectors.

Proof is in the pudding

The Wall Street Journal recently reported that one survey from LexisNexis revealed roughly 90 percent of legal entities are using email for corporate communications functions, yet few are actually protecting these messages from unsanctioned access and manipulation. Although every industry needs to be aware of the dangers that come through when email security is not maximized, law firms have bigger concerns to worry about.

For example, legal discovery, chain of custody, general information governance and, of course, data security will generally dictate how successful one law firm is against another in a litigation proceeding. This is why it is relatively horrifying that the LexisNexis survey revealed only a little more than one-fifth of law firms are actually using email encryption services, putting virtually every message at risk of exposure or theft, the news provider noted.

What's more, the source pointed out that nearly 60 percent of those very same respondents admitted that significant issues would arise should a non-intended reader come across one of these emails.

"There's clearly a disconnect between expressed security concerns and measures law firms employ to protect their clients and themselves," LexisNexis senior product manager and attorney Christopher T. Anderson explained, according to The Wall Street Journal. "Relying on a mere statement of confidentiality when sharing privileged communications by email is a weak measure–and further it might protect the law firm but affords very little protection for the client."

At the end of the day, this is just a drop in the river when looking at the widespread lack of email security commitments across industries.

When will knowledge spread?

Again, companies have fought an uphill battle to quickly and adequately secure all of their digital assets, and no one is arguing that this has been an easy or straightforward responsibility in any sense. It is certainly understandable that organizations struggle to keep a close eye on every potential risk given how quickly devices, applications, systems and more are entering the average corporate environment.

However, the excuses for not having comprehensive and proactive approaches to security are few and fading, and leaders must recognize that they will be the most damaged parties when a major breach or other incident strikes.

One of the more worrisome, yet consistent findings in recent studies and surveys is that decision-makers understand what the threats are and why they represent such significant risk, but are either lethargic or completely apathetic when it comes time to provision tools to protect their operations.

Email encryption services have become relatively affordable, intuitive and easy to implement, while the best ones will never hinder productivity among employees who are using the tools. The time is now to get a bit smarter with email security, and businesses must understand that these accounts are the first step toward avoiding a major headache when a hacker makes them a target.

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.

While at the Canatta Awards Dinner last week, I had asked a question to Lou Sticklin (Director of Marketing) how Muratec America got started. 

For those of us that are dinosaurs in the industry, we remember that Muratec America was once known as a Murata Business Systems in the early eighties. 

Lou told me that there was a group of people from Burroughs Corporation/Fax Division that approached Mr. Murata and convinced him to market Murata Fax machines here in the United States. Thus in 1985 Murata started marketing their own fax systems under it's own name from their corporate office in Dallas, Texas.  In 1986 Burroughs Corporation merged with Sperry Corporation and changed their name to Unisys.  In 1992 Murata Business Solutions changed their name to Muratec Americas.

By, 1986, I had my own dealership.  It was not uncommon for office equipment dealers to carry one brand of copiers and a different brand of fax machines.  My dealership was Authorized for Adler Royal (mita) copiers and over the years we had three different fax partners. They were Teli (Sweden), Mitsubishi and then Brother. 

Fax sales in the eighties were HOT!  Every business had to have at least one, and if you were fortunate to have some large accounts you couldn't  keep them in stock. 

Selling fax machines was just like selling copiers, phone calls, newspaper ads, knocking on the doors was the way to fill your funnel.  Here in the NY metro area, I can remember cold calling and always either going up against a dealer that sold the Murata fax machines or I had to quote against them.  They were solid machines and they always had the newest feature set to offer the customers. Back in the eighties if you had a Murata Dealership you were the crÈme de la crÈme of the office equipment dealers.  If you were just starting your dealership you then opted for the Teli, Omni fax, Hitachi, Sanyo's of the world.

I can still remember companies that would have 8 or 10 fax machines side by side, all they did was receive faxes from their customers. Other customers would have one for incoming and one for outgoing.  I can also remember buying hundreds of boxes of thermal roll fax paper each month.  You see, back then, the only consumable was the paper. It wasn't until the mid nineties that we saw the transition to plain paper fax machines.

When thinking about the History of Fax machines, I'll always remember that Murata was an awesome machine and a tough one to beat.

BTW, Lou was kind enough to email me some very old brochures for the site, you can view them here.

-=Good Selling=-

I really wasn't planning on writing this blog tonight, however, sometimes you just need to do what you have to do. 

Ricoh Americas seems to be on the verge of launching the new monochrome (black)

MP 2554/3054/3554/4054/5054/6054 series.  I'm betting dollars to doughnuts that Ricoh is using the same print engine for all of these models.  I would also tend to think that the higher end 5054/6054 will have a few additional features, they may even include the 4054 in the mix. Scratch that, the 4054/5054/6054 seem to all have identical features expect for print engine speed.

At this time, I don't have any information for the MP 2554/3054/3554 series of systems. Thus, I would expect them to be somewhat de-featured from the 4054/5054/6054 (40, 50 & 60 page per minute print/copy speed) systems.

So, what's new and different?

• Duplex Single Pass Color Scanning, scan in color or black 110 pages per minute for simplex (single sided) documents and 180 pages per minute for duplex (two sided) documents. Yipee!!  It's about time, the MP4002 & MP5002 were past their prime over a year ago.
• Envelopes can be feed from tray two (standard feature)
• How cool is this, an optional network interface that allows the system to have to IP addresses and reside on two networks.
• There are five optional finishers, of which two are booklet, two regular finisher and one internal finisher. (have not heard whether the internal is a staple less finisher)
• We're also going to get a re-designed print driver that is icon based
• Synchronised LED lights, that will indicate where there is a paper misfeed
• Scanning to NCP (Netware Core Protocol), first time I've seen this, here's a link to explain
• 300 g/m² max paper weight from any tray & duplex up to 256 g/m²

Right, there's not that much here, but that's why I called this a "sneak peak", hope to have additional information for everyone soon.  I got my information from Ricoh Australia, here's that link http://www.ricoh.com.au/produc...unctions-black-white

I did search for a brochure, however could not find one yet. I did find the operators manual, and you can get that here.

One more item, I checked the manual, and there was not a statement on how many original pages would fit in the document feeder. I'm assuming it will have the same specs as the MP C4503 series, this it should have a 220 page document feeder.

Now, if Ricoh would only update their wide format line, now that would be a wonder to behold!!

-=Good Selling=-

Businesses continue to become more interested in the power of the cloud, though recent data breaches have appeared to reignite fears that this technology is simply impossible to secure. Although this should be common knowledge by now, cloud computing is not inherently dangerous, but a lack of knowledge and awareness with respect to management and security in general is what leads to most complications.

When the services first broke into the public eye, many were concerned about their data being stored in Web-based environments, and worried that this would inevitably lead to a greater level of risk and more prolific threats. As is the case with any new technology, fears peaked around the time that decision-makers realized just how poor of a plan it would be to completely avoid the cloud altogether, finding themselves between a rock and a hard place.

In the years since, though, it has become clear that a well-managed and expertly secured cloud can be even more effective in the defense arena given the generally disparate and remote devices in use among most businesses. The key advantage is contained within the technology's ability to centralize management of all systems, users, devices and apps, which is critical to maintaining efficient and accurate control of data in the modern marketplace.

Now, when major breaches occur and seem to imply that they took place in a cloud-based environment, the first step is to not believe the hype that it was the technology's fault. This type of transference of responsibility will not only hold the company back from actually enacting effective security programs, but will also reduce the intelligence of decision-making when the next round of provisioning comes to pass.

First, it might help to understand just how powerful the cloud can be.
A clear competitive advantage Forbes recently listed some of the benefits that organizations commonly enjoy  when taking a structured, smart approach to cloud computing deployments, management and utilization. According to the news provider, one of the top advantages is the ability to automate certain services, as this will streamline the customer experience while simultaneously allowing employees to focus on other, more strategic matters.

Additionally, this will tend to boost the agility of the firm and make it more amiable to the constantly evolving consumer and corporate landscapes that will never be profitable when a company is stagnating. The source stated that innovation can be powered by cloud computing in ways that were not before possible, specifically because there is much less risk when trying new things and an enhanced flexibility with core business processes.
Finally, Forbes asserted that the ability to link all of the systems in place and create a central environment for all data to interact and grow will boost the intelligence of the firm. Keeping this in mind and understanding that consumers and corporate purchasers are interested in the most innovative, next-generation businesses in each market, it should be clear that getting by without the cloud is getting harder with the passing of each day.

Do not fear the cloud When a breach occurs, one would be hard-pressed to trace it back to an actual technology, at least most of the time. Sure, sometimes apps have flaws or vulnerabilities, but these should be proactively identified and eradicated when following the best practices of data and system security.

GigaOM recently affirmed that security in the cloud is achievable, but that corporate decision-makers must take ownership over these matters to truly make a difference. One of the biggest areas in which mistakes and problems arise, the source stated, is contained within the communication of responsibility between the vendor and the business itself.

When this is streamlined and both parties are on the same page, there is a much greater likelihood that security performances will remain at the highest, most effective level. This is also another reason why companies should be looking for vendors that specialize in their specific needs, such as a medical organization choosing a service provider that has extensive experience and a proven track record in health care compliance procedures.

According to GigaOM, it is difficult to say that the risks of cloud computing are more weighty than the rewards, and this has been clear in the massive number of deployments that have taken place in the past few years. This is not to say that the risks are not substantial, but rather that the rewards are relatively boundless with cloud computing, and failing to adequately leverage these solutions can lead to serious competitive disadvantages down the road.

Remember, the cloud can be just as secure as - if not more than - traditional IT frameworks and infrastructure. The trick is to protect these modern technologies with novel security solutions and effective vendor services.

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.

One of the more interesting products I saw at the BTA Grand Slam event in Baltimore was the ESP/SurgeX Remote Portal.  I'm going to use this paragraph from the recent Press Release.

"The remote portal is designed to provide remote access to ESP/SurgeX diagnostic devices from anywhere at any time, via a web browser.

Compatible with new ESP/SurgeX power protection and diagnostic intelligence installations, the Remote Portal enables service teams to access power diagnostics remotely and brings added IP accessibility to the ESP/SurgeX power protection portfolio. As the first IP power diagnostics communications tool in the imaging industry, this innovative device enables technicians to remotely view the history of power quality events, monitor live data, reboot/recycle power, and diagnose power disturbances via a web browser".

Ok, I get it.  Over the years I've seen many issues that the customer thought was our copiers but turned out to be power. In the customers eyes, they'll always blame the machine and not the power. Plain and simple you had to prove it to them!  Which mean multiple tech trips, the installation of the power monitor, and the de-installation.  All of this costs money!! Oh, yes and what about the down time for the customer!!!

The ability to monitor the history of power events through a web browser is tool that we need to add to our proposals.  This is another one of those differentiators or lock out benefits that make you and your dealership stand above the rest!  How about with a major account RFP, what's going to make you different besides price and who wants to travel down that road.  Add value to make the separation from the others!

I even thought the ESP/SurgeX Remote Portal would be a great after sale for the customer.  Don't sell it to them, but rent it to them as a monthly or quarterly billing for the maintenance agreement.  Is $19.95 or $14.95 per month to much to ask?  I don't think so, of course you'll need to sell the value and the benefits to the customer.  Thinking a little more about this and it could be an addition profit center for your Managed Service Plan for PC's & Servers.

Thus what would be the benefits to the end user?

• Virtually ZERO down time to trouble shoot a power related event
• Greatly reduce the chance of damaged hardware
• Down time on the MFP causes workflow delays thus can directly impact revenue

In a recent thread on the Print4Pay Hotel forums I did read that there are some dealers adding power management to differentiate themselves. Thus, we can be smarter than the average bear!!

Need more info?  Go here and download the brochure or better yet call ESP at 800.645.9721 and tell em Print4Pay Hotel sent you!

-=Good Selling=-

Gesh, it's late and I just got home from the 29th Annual Cannata Awards and Charity Dinner! 

Where do I start............., I took the time to read Franks Editors note and I was inspired with this, "Fundamentally, life is not about who can accumulate the most money. It's about who can do the most with what they have been fortunate enough to have earned". Amen to that!

This years Charity recipient is St. Ignatius College Prep school which is located in Chicago, Illinois. 

Before I tell you about the awards, I'd like to thank Muratec America for inviting me to sit with them tonight. Thus, if you're in need of a second line or would like to make them your primary line, you'll be glad you did!

Now, if you're not familiar with the Awards ceremony, you can think of it more like a roast in good fun with the manufacturers.

I had a few good chuckles when Charlie Gibson (VP of Sales for Milner, Inc.) gave a few digs to Lexmark about the yields on their toner cartridges.  Lexmark International, Inc, won for Printer Manufacturer of the Year.

Ed Carrol who is COO of TGI Office Automation gave a few jabs to Larry White (VP, Sales, Toshiba America Business Solutions, Inc about the four positions that were listed on his LinkedIn profile that were all the same.  Toshiba America Business Solutions, Inc. won for Best in Class Manufacturer of the Year.

MFP Manufacturer of the Year went to Ricoh Americas Corporation.  I was hoping to hear a few good lines from Carl Fernyak (CEO MT Business Technologies, Inc), but, that was not the case.

All in all it was a great night for the Industry to get together. I was also impressed with the amount of P4P'ers that were in attendance also.  Larry, Jim, Mike, Gman, Scott, Lou, Matt and Bill thanx for taking the time to make this an eventful evening.

I's also like to thank Frank & CJ Cannata and the people behind the scenes for pulling off another excellent event!

-=Good Selling=-