MFP Copier Blog

I believe it was the late spring of this year when KIP released their new C700 series color wide format devices.  The release was massive with the launch of 12 new color models.  The models consisted of five print only color devices, five color MFPs and two color production devices. Indeed it was quite the roll out and I'm still trying to get familiar with each device.

Tonight I'll focus on what I like with the C780 when compared to other wide format devices.

The KIP C780 is a multifunctional device that will print, scan and copy in color.

1) Print Speed- Eight "D" size pages per minute in black or 6 "D" size color per minute.  Hourly print for black is 480 and 360 for color.  LED (Light Emitting Diodes) print technology.

2) Dry Toner- Four color process Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black.  What I like best is that our clients can mark up drawings with highlighters and they don't have to worry about smearing the image (the use of highlighters with ink based prints will cause the image to smear).

3) Quality Prints When You Need Them- In some cases our clients don't always need to print drawings or bid sets everyday.  LED print engines allow you to get a perfect print even if the device has not been used in days or weeks.  COVID 19 taught us a lesson that ink jet devices can't go un-used.  When ink jet devices are un-used for periods of time users will experience streaks on the images and users will need to clean and or purge the print heads (terrible waste of ink and money). In many cases we also saw the failure of print heads that resulting in thousands of dollars in repairs.

4) Stack and Fold- Let's face it,  most standard exit trays are just that standard and nothing special. If you're a fan of nothing special the C780 will stack 200 "D" Size pages out of the box.

KIP offers a 700 sheet stacker (KIP 900 series stacker) as an option that integrates with the C780.  This means with both devices communicating with each other the possibility of misfeeds and awkward stacking is eliminated.

When it comes to LED color print technology KIP is the only manufacturer that offers in-line folding. Prints are folded allowing for easy document filing and distribution in portrait format, to portrait packets.

5) Operating Cost- Without a doubt the KIP C780 offers the lowest cost for toner (consumable) in the industry for wide format print devices.

  We all know how expensive ink is.....whether it's HP, Canon or Epson....

Special thanx to KIP CCtechnology which improves toner yields.

Bonus Likes-

• System holds 4 rolls of paper up to 36" inches wide
• KIP’s Area of Interest on-screen editing let’s you quickly print only the section of information you need
• KIP ImagePro 
  • Driverless PC Printing App
  • High Definition view (view before your print)

I could list another ten or twenty features that I like about the new KIP C780, however it's good to save some for my next blog.

Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions, concerns or need help.

-=Good Selling=-

Scaling Your Office Tech Business: Customer Centricity

The path to scaling any business, especially in office technology, is fraught with challenges. Navigating these needs a strategic compass, a ‘secret’ if you will. A key finding from a Deloitte study proposes this secret: Align your business models and processes around the customer. This seamless integration of customer-centricity into your business structure is crucial for sustainable growth.

A Vital Need to Maintain Customer Centricity

Understanding why successful companies emphasize customer-centric approaches is crucial in defining a well-thought-out business strategy. The answer lies intricately woven into the tapestry of evolving customer expectations. Treating your customers as the heart of your operations isn’t just necessary; it’s an absolute growth catalyst.

As your business scales, so do customers’ expectations. They grow synonymous with your expansion, creating an advancing bar businesses must meet to clinch satisfaction. This relationship is a testament to the influence of three critical tenets of trust:

1. Providing consistent, exceptional customer care: Evidence suggests that businesses offering superior and consistent customer service retain more customers in the long haul.
2. Offering leading-edge technology and support: Using cutting-edge technology and delivering timely support becomes instrumental as customer expectations develop.
3. Designing business processes and models with their needs in mind: The business models and processes should be designed to consider the customer’s evolving needs.

The Need for Superior Customer Service

Superior customer service is no longer just a bonus—it’s a necessity. It is the driving force behind customer retention and loyalty. According to a survey by Microsoft, a staggering 96% of consumers worldwide view customer service as a determining factor in their brand loyalty. This statistic drives home the importance of meeting and surpassing customer service expectations.

Customer service is more than just well-trained representatives— it extends to all consumer interactions with your operations. From the moment they engage with your company, whether it’s a phone call, email, or chatbot interaction, your customers should feel valued and appreciated. This mindfulness to customer engagement establishes your organization as one that consumers can trust.

Refining your customer service isn’t just an investment in the present—it’s a strategy for long-term success. By ensuring that every touchpoint with your customers is outstanding, you provide a customer experience that differentiates your brand in a saturated market.

Pivoting Business Processes to the Digital Age

In today’s dynamic business landscape, technology plays a monumental role in satisfying customer’s expectations. As businesses expand and scale, consumers expect the companies they engage with to offer cutting-edge solutions that simplify their interactions. A PWC report highlights that an impressive 85% of buyers are willing to pay a higher price for a superior customer experience, including seamless access to the latest technology.

This trend stresses the need for businesses to stay abreast of emerging trends and innovations, especially in the office technology sector. Companies should focus on incorporating these advancements in their product or service offerings. Their experience with your technology shapes your customers’ perception of your business. In essence, maintaining an innovative edge isn’t just about staying ahead of your competitors, but about meeting your customers’ rapidly evolving needs and expectations.

Keeping Customers as the Core of Your Business Processes

The foundational component of customer-centricity is integrating customer needs into your business operations and processes. Continually reassessing your business models to reflect your customer’s evolving needs is crucial.

With this approach, clients feel valued and understood. They become confident that their needs are prioritized and addressed effectively. This perpetuates trust and nurtures an enduring relationship, bringing about customer loyalty, referrals, and an unbeatable competitive edge. The suitable business model and an unswerving customer focus can catapult your organization to sustained growth and success.

Customer Centricity: The Crux of Scaling

Customer-centricity is not a fleeting business trend—it is the powerful engine propelling the most resilient companies in today’s volatile landscape. Figures from Deloitte underscore this, showing that businesses prioritizing their customers are 60% more profitable than their counterparts.

A robust, customer-focused approach is the underlying strategy for successful, sustainable scaling. The increasing demand for personalized experiences means companies must listen carefully to their customers and adapt accordingly. This adaptability is essential in the secret to scaling any office technology business—an accurate customer-first approach.

Evolving with your Customers

In the journey of business evolution, aligning your pace with that of your customer’s expectations is paramount. As your organization develops and scales, so do your customer’s needs and requirements. Companies must adopt a proactive approach to identifying and acting upon these changing needs to keep up with this progression.

This is where a steadfast focus on customer centricity comes in. Upholding a customer-first approach ensures that your business is ready and equipped to meet escalating customer expectations. By doing so, you promote a positive customer experience and create a sustainable business model that drives successful scaling.

The secret to scaling your office technology business lies in providing exceptional customer service and technology and realizing that your customers are at the heart of your business. Ensuring that your business models, technology, and processes are centered on their needs will help your business seamlessly scale and maintain a competitive edge.

learn more about PowerMPS here

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Hacked by Pegasus spyware: The human rights lawyer trying to free a princess....Forensic analysis confirmed that Haigh was the first confirmed British citizen to be hacked by Pegasus, a military-grade spyware created by Israel's ...

Fort Myers billing firm notifies patients of data breach.....Arietis Health did medical billing for dozens of companies where patient data may have been compromised by data breach.

Clorox resumes normal plant operations in the wake of cyberattack....Programming scripts on laptop monitor, unauthorized remote hacking of server Image attribution tooltip. Motortion via Getty Images. Image ...

European Standards Organization ETSI gets hacked, user data stolen....ETSI is a recognized regional standards body dealing with telecommunications, broadcasting, and other electronic communications networks and services. It supports European regulations and legislation through the creation of Harmonised European Standards....

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-=Stay Safe=-

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This Week in Copiers Fifteen Years Ago

First Week of October 2008

Real Copier Sales

I just think of Print Management (or Managed Print Services) as the extension of copier programs into the print environment...all service and supplies for a set cost per copy (or in this case print). Sometimes it includes hardware, sometimes not. The other aspect we bring to the table is the establishment of...... more here

Enjoy These awesome copiers threads from 15 Years Ago

"Approaching people looking for something in return isn't a relationship, it's a transaction.

Mark Manson

Being in sales is an extremely challenging, fun, exhausting, mundane, a grind, and a highly competitive game. It’s exciting to finally get that “sale”, that pumps you up even more for the next one.

Let's drop some honesty here.... How may in sales are on a quest to get to the sale as fast as possible?

Allow me to expand on this one...

How soon can I convert the first handshake (virtual or face-to-face) to shipping an order to them?

How fast can I get through all the details of a meeting to the pitch?

How fast can I get from point A to C while bypassing B?

How fast can I close the deal with someone who has an extremely tight schedule, and this is my first face-to-face with them?

Collectively as salespeople, it is your job to sell. However, the consummate professional understands their client and their frustrations, aspirations, company dynamics, activities they're into, passions they want to pursue, and their dreams.

With transactional conversations, you're simply skimming the surface. You aren’t fully engaging with who you're speaking with. You're speaking to them with the simple goal of... How fast can I get this order to hit my monthly, quarterly or annual budget.

Transactional speak squashes relational growth.

Do I have you thinking a bit about your conversations?

Just a bit curious, when you speak with your clients or for that matter, your future clients, are you solely focused on the transaction or the interaction?

In your conversations, are you clear about the purpose? Are your thoughts, words, and actions aligned with the purpose and the outcomes you would like to achieve?

Are your conversations coming from a place of caring and wanting to be of service or making a difference?

A heartfelt professional leaves the other person feeling glad they had the interaction with them.

Are your conversations heartfelt?

Are your conversations sincere?

Are your conversations intentional?

Conversations are one of the strongest tools you have to effectively build meaningful relationships.

The way you open a conversation directly impacts what happens next. It's the direction you take these conversations along with the strategy behind all of it, which determines this... a customer transaction or a client relationship.

Are you building customers or building clients?

You never know when one conversation will lead to exponential revenue growth.

Conversations build relationships, and relationships build businesses.

Now, answer me this...

Are you creating transactional customers or transformational clients?

Allow me to throw a stake in the ground on this one... transactional salespeople are killing the sales profession.

Yes, you heard me correctly... They are killing the profession and who is to blame for that?

If you're running around trying to find a "sales deal" for the here and now, I am going to ask you to stop and think about the longevity this has and the mental anguish you're putting yourself through.

Transactional mindsets are only focused on the sale.

This transactional mindset based on pitch and pounce has tarnished the profession.

The race to the bottom is occurring at rapid rates within many sales channels. Undercutting and monumental discounts is not a long-term business strategy.

This approach is not only unsustainable but puts your relationships at risk.

Point blank... You cannot build a trusted relationship with transactional speak.

These transactional conversations may lead to short-term growth but long-term failures... All at the expense of your customers.

TRANSACTIONAL MINDSETS

Transactional interactions and the associated behaviors are felt by those that are involved in them.

I guarantee that at some point in time these conversations will be replaced by a better transactional conversation.

How likely will your clients come back for more if you continually deliver a transactional type of experience?

Some of you might be saying, "developing my client relationships is tough" and you might be right, however; the transactional conversations you're having with your clients will consume you.

Transactional mindsets alienate, transformational conversations build client communities.

You have a transactional mindset if...

1. You value the transaction over the relationship.
2. You prioritize your own needs over those of others.

The main problem with transactional mentality is that many salespeople view the relationship as nothing more than what can be obtained.

Transactional approaches do not lead to transformational results.

TRANSFORMATIONAL CONVERSATIONS BUILD CONNECTION

I believe we do need some transactional type conversations in our daily sales lives, however; there are plenty of opportunities to move those conversations to transformational.

Quality over quantity!

I believe deep and meaningful transformational conversations are more powerful and effective than transactional ones.

Transformational conversations require you to be open in engaging with another individual without knowing where the conversation will go. There's no hidden agenda or deception.

Transformational conversations explore:

• Dreams
• Fears
• Doubts
• Possibilities
• Aspirations

"I think for any relationship to be successful, there needs to be loving communication, appreciation, and understanding."

Miranda Kerr

Think about the above quote... How can you develop loving communication, appreciation and understanding with a transactional mindset?

Sales professionals with a transformational mindset:

• Do not seek out predetermined outcomes
• They ask powerful questions
• They listen deeply
• They acknowledge and are supportive

TRANSFORMATIONAL CONVERSATIONS BUILD TRUST

The quality of your conversations will determine the quality of your sales life.

To quote, Judith E. Glaser, Founder of The CreatingWE Institute,

"Once it is understood how to have productive, quality conversations, individuals and teams can take control of their destiny."

Trust is one key ingredient to creating transformational conversations which lead to meaningful relationships. Trust is powerful. It promotes loyalty, increases credibility and defines how you and your clients interact with each other.

With transformational conversation you proactively work to paint a picture of mutual success.

Transformational conversations require conversational competence. This requires practice. By becoming conversationally competent you open the space for healthy and assertive conversations to emerge.

Healthy, trust-based conversations can be challenging but are necessary for long-term relational sustainability.

Sales professionals build and promote trust in their conversations by:

1. Placing trust at the center of all their relationships.
2. Becoming a connected listener.
3. Becoming present in the moment and engaged in all conversations.

Transformational conversations characterized by openness, active listening, empathy, shared goals, and assertiveness, become a powerful driver for building trust.

Trust is the fundamental component of healthy and productive relationships, and transformational conversations provide a platform for nurturing and strengthening that trust.

IT'S YOUR DECISION

We all have choices in our lives.

A transactional mindset along with the associated conversations may work and provide you with a sense of sales fulfillment but I promise you that a transformational mindset and conversations will change the trajectory of your sales results.

Bryant McGill and his quote brings this all home,

"Real transformation requires real honesty. If you want to move forward - get real with yourself."

Transactional conversations squash relational growth while transformational conversations build relational strength.

In this episode of Selling From the Heart , we are joined by Radhika Shukla , a senior sales leader with extensive experience in the industry. Radhika shares her insights on selling from the heart and the importance of servant leadership. She emphasizes the three pillars of successful sales: serving passionately, connecting authentically, and thriving collectively.

Radhika also discusses the power of networking and building meaningful relationships in sales.

ABOUT THE GUEST

Radhika Shukla, an accomplished Sr. Sales Leader and holder of a Michigan-Ross MBA, brings forth over 21 years of invaluable experience in strategic sales leadership and business management. Her career has been defined by a strong emphasis on mentoring and leading high-performing teams across North America and Asia, with a focus on crafting cost-effective solutions that address critical business needs and drive digital transformations for customers.

In her most recent role, Radhika successfully helmed a $250M+ P&L business in the US Enterprise Commercial East Region. Her leadership ethos can be succinctly summarized as "Inspire, Empower, Appreciate," reflecting her commitment to leading with empathy and care.

Remarkably, she holds 15 Cloud and Industry tech certifications, including Microsoft Cloud and Industry 4.0, and is recognized as a Google Cloud Digital Leader, further underscoring her dedication to staying at the forefront of industry advancements.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Serving passionately means understanding the customer's needs and tailoring solutions to meet those needs. Authenticity is crucial in building trust with customers.

Being transparent and open, even in difficult conversations, builds credibility. Thriving collectively involves cross-functional collaboration and presenting a united front to customers. It is important to remove barriers and support team members' success.

Networking is a powerful tool in sales. Setting clear objectives, choosing targeted events, and being genuine and authentic can lead to valuable connections. Building an influential inner circle through networking can accelerate success in sales.

HIGHLIGHT QUOTES

"Passionate service starts with truly understanding what the customer needs, not with what we have to sell to meet our quotas." - Radhika Shukla

"Authentic connections are built on trust, transparency, and genuine relationships." - Radhika Shukla

"Your network is your true net worth." - Radhika Shukla

"Quality is more important than quantity when it comes to networking." - Radhika Shukla

"Relationships have to be maintained. You have to nurture them." - Radhika Shukla

Learn more about Radhika:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/radhikash...

Learn more about Darrell and Larry:

Darrell's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darrellamy/

Larry's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larrylevi...

Website: https://www.sellingfromtheheart.net/

Got a video about how you sell from the heart? Share it by texting VIDEO to 21000.

Please visit BarnesandNobles.com to order your copy of the rerelease of the Selling from the Heart book. https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sell...

SUBSCRIBE to our YOUTUBE CHANNEL! @SellingFromtheHeart

Please visit WHY INSTITUTE: https://whyinstitute.com/

Please go to WORK BETTER NOW: https://www.workbetternow.com/

Click for your Daily Dose of Inspiration: https://www.sellingfromtheheart.net/d...

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This Week in Copiers Ten Years Ago

First Week of October 2013

Real Copier Sales

Most will say, argghh, it's way to complicated and I don't have the time for that. All I want to do is sell and make money or I'm sure the commission report is correct and there's no need to double check it. How about this one that was once stated to me many years ago, "we don't make mistakes with commission reports".  WHAT!!

read the rest here

Check These Great Copier Threads from Ten Years Ago This Week