see attached file
MFP Copier Blog
If Today Is Your Birthday by Chris Polek for August 21st, 2023
Lead for 22 plus Copiers
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MSP & MSSP Industry Notes for August 21st, 2023
Sponsored by
August 21st, 2023
Why partnering with ARCOA makes sense
Electronics Recycling is an important and profitable part of the IT asset lifecycle, but it can be overwhelming with all you already do, varying state regulations, and the limited resources at hand. That’s where ARCOA comes in. When you partner with ARCOA, you get all the benefits of a big company without any of the capital investment. We’ve been doing this since 1989 and have the expertise, certifications, and nationwide resources to get the most for all your clients’ retired IT assets. Plus, positioning your clients as environmental stewards not only elevates their appeal to consumers, it meets government requirements and avoids fines.
What partnering with ARCOA looks like
Our role is to make it easy for you to bring more value to your clients. We work with you to help stretch your clients’ IT budget by reducing the total cost of ownership of their electronics. We’re experts at identifying and implementing the solutions your clients need for the end-of-use remarketing, recovery, and recycling of their technology assets. The sooner you involve ARCOA, the sooner you and your client.
International Council condemns Ninestar
Press release published by the well-known International Imaging Technology Council in response to announcement from the U.S. federal government about Ninestar using forced labor for some of its products.
- Asks its members worldwide in print industry to “ensure that products are not produced using forced labor”
- “Let us work together to eradicate such unethical practices from our supply chains”
- Ninestar (headquartered in China) is the “third largest printer and printer cartridge manufacturer in the world, and trades under dozens of brand names” (including Lexmark, of which it owns controlling interest)
- “It is disheartening that these products continue to be sold”
- “by allowing such sales to persist, buyers are supporting an industry that profits from modern-day slaver
Konica Minolta Achieves VMware Cloud Verified Status
- announced it has achieved VMware Cloud Verified status
- Cloud Verified badge signals to customers that Konica Minolta offers a service running on top of the complete VMware Cloud infrastructure
- Cloud Verified partner services, customers attain access to the full set of VMware Cloud Infrastructure capabilities including integration and interoperability, cost optimization and flexibility
Quantiphi Launches TotalCare Strategic AWS Workload Managed Services
- announced the launch of TotalCare™
- specialized managed services solution to help organizations manage the IT and tech infrastructure on Amazon Web Services (AWS) workloads
- Quantiphi offers services in regulated and non-regulated markets under the AWS TotalCare™ umbrella
- named an “Overall Leader” in the 2023 KuppingerCole Leadership Compass for Managed Detection and Response Services for Kroll Responder
- recognition demonstrates the continual investment Kroll has made into Kroll Responder
- KuppingerCole identified Overall Leaders based on a combined rating which analyzes the strength of products, market presence and the innovation of vendors
- The IRS has lost track of millions of sensitive taxpayer records after a watchdog group found empty boxes at an IRS document storage facility in Ogden, Utah that were supposed to contain 168 microfilm cartridges with images of millions of records.
- Prospect Medical Holdings, headquartered in Los Angeles, CA, updated the list of healthcare facilities that were affected by cyber attack:
- Bellflower Behavioral Health of CA
- Foothill Regional Medical Center of CA
- Los Angeles Community Hospital of CA
- Norwalk Community Hospital of CA
- Southern California Hospitals of Culver City and Hollywood
- Van Nuys Behavioral Health of CA
- Manchester Memorial of CT
- Rockville General of CT
- Waterbury Hospital of CT
- Crozer Chester Medical Center of PA
- Delaware County Memorial of PA
- Springfield Hospital of PA
- Taylor Hospital of PA
- Roger Williams Medical Center of RI
- Our Lady of Fatima Hospital of RI
- The federal Department of Health & Human Services published a warning about a new ransomware hacking gang, named Rhysida, which is aiming its attacks on the healthcare industry in the U.S.
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital of Massachusetts notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI was exposed after cyber attack.
- The Colorado Department of Higher Education notified an unknown number of students and teachers that their info was exposed after cyber attack.
- Gunster, Yoakley & Stewart Law Firm of Miami, Florida notified an unknown number of clients that their info was exposed after cyber attack
- Crown Point School District of Indiana notified an unknown number of students that their info was exposed after cyber attack
- Johns Hopkins Medicine of Baltimore, Maryland notified 310,405 patients that their PHI was exposed after cyber attack
- Precision Anesthesia Billing of Tampa, FL notified 209,200 patients that their PHI was exposed after a cyber attack
- Life Management Center of Northwest Florida notified 19,107 patients that their PHI was exposed after cyber attack
- Discovery at Home notified senior patients in Florida and Texas that their PHI was exposed after cyber attack
- Bi-Bett Corporation of California notified 4,722 patients that their PHI was exposed after cyber attack
- Jefferson County Health Center of Oklahoma notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI was exposed after cyber attack
- Oregon Sports Medicine notified an unknown number of patients that their PHI was exposed after cyber attack
- The New Haven School District of Connecticut is reporting that it lost more than $6 million after a cyber attack
- Florida Healthy Kids Insurance notified an unknown number of parents that their children’s records were exposed after cyber attack
Fax solution vendor offers new features
- Most driven by hacking groups in Russia
- Clop ransomware alone may have reaped $100 million in ransom payments
- Median ransom payment = $190,424
LiquidText Announces Integration With iManage Tools for Seamless Document Analysis and ...
- announces its strategic integration with iManage Work
- leading work product management platform for law firms, corporate legal departments, and other professional services firms
- brings together the best of LiquidText’s advanced reading, document analysis and annotation capabilities with iManage’s robust document and email management competencies
Computerease IT Support of Chicago Sets the Standard for Efficiency and Affordability
- offers a comprehensive spectrum of relevant services. Its specialty areas encompass a wide array of solutions, including but not limited to Cybersecurity, co-managed IT services, cloud solutions, work-from-home solutions, IT Consulting, VoIP services, data back-up and recovery, IT help desk, virtualization, and vCIO services
Lock in on Cyber Security with ARCOA
- ARCOA, data security is a critical part of what we do
- every item received, we adhere to NIST 800-88 procedures
- strict protocols to overwrite information render all data permanently removed and unrecoverable
Huntress Announces Partnership With Darkhorse Tech to Protect the Dental Industry from Cyber Attacks
- announced a new partnership with Darkhorse Tech, a leading provider of IT solutions for dental practices
- offers managed security platform for small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) and the managed service providers that support them
High Wire Reports Revenue of $16.1 Million in First Half of 2023
- provider of managed cybersecurity and technology enablement, reported results for continuing operations for the three and six months ended June 30, 2023
- First half 2023 revenue increased 32% to $16.1 million
- Monthly recurring revenue exceeded a record $1 million
- Total contract value (TCV) for Overwatch managed cybersecurity services totaled $6.0 million at quarter end, up from $5.1 million at the end of the previous quarter (see TCV defined below).
The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Modern Document Management Systems
- Reported on Fagen Wasanni
- integration of AI into these systems has revolutionized the way businesses handle their documents, leading to increased efficiency and productivity
- AI can automatically classify and sort documents based on their content, making it easier for users to locate specific documents
Fujifilm to offer optional endpoint security
Announced new solution named “MPS Guardia”, to protect its MFPs, printers from cyber attacks
- Also offers protects data stored on MFP hard drive
- Granted ISO 2700 and 9001 certification
- Web portal allows customer to view, managed and control security settings
- Three different levels of features; Lite, Essentials and Enterprise Plus versions
Less productive working from home?
- Research published by MIT and UCLA
- Workers were 18% less productive when working from home as compared to when they worked in office
- Part of project used cameras built into worker’s laptop computers and took low resolution photos every 15 minutes
- Microsoft also announced that research showed that working from home resulted in 25% reduction in time spent collaborating across groups
Cyber Security Managed Services Market Size to Surpass USD
- global cyber security managed services market size was valued at USD 14.48 billion in 2022
- projected to grow from USD 15.78 billion in 2023
- to USD 32.68 billion by 2030
- CAGR of 11% during the forecast period reported on globe newswire
This Week in the Copier Industry Twenty Years Ago
This Week in Copiers Twenty Years Ago
Last Week of August 2003
Real Copier Sales
No words of wisdom today, just swamped with things at home and things at work. Let's finish with a have an awesome August! Is it too early to talk about Section 179 with our clients?
Great threads from twenty years ago this week
This Week in the Copier Industry 15 Years Ago
This Week in Copiers Fifteen Years Ago
Last Week of August 2008
Real Copier Sales
August 28th, 2008 came the press release that Ricoh will purchase Ikon. Hard to believe it's been 15 years. Many good people were caught in the purge with many of the top Ikon people taking leadership roles within Ricoh. I thought that one of the covenants of the purchase was that many IKON people would stay on while many existing Ricoh employees suffered the loss of their positions. Many of the threads are below
Enjoy These awesome copiers threads from 15 Years Ago
In A World Full Of Sales Emptiness, Radical Authenticity Will Keep You Cemented At The Top.
"Integrity is congruence between what you know, what you profess, and what you do."
Nathaniel Branden
In a 2018 White Paper produced by the Dale Carnegie Research Institute titled,"Trust is Dead. Long Live Trust! Why Long-Term Customer Loyalty is Still Driven by Trusted Relationships".
They interviewed more than 1,600 customers around the world. They asked them how they would describe trust in their salesperson and the top two answers to the open-end question, “How would you define trust?” centered on two themes: “I can believe them, they are honest, credible and knowledgeable” (50%), and “They are looking out for my best interest and providing value” (25%).
Here's the mirror moment...
Are you truly being honest, credible and knowledgeable? Or just for deal's sake?
Do you truly have your client's best interest at heart and are you providing value? Or just for deal's sake?
Heavy stuff to reflect upon, isn't it?
When it comes to authenticity, Dr. Lance Secretan one of the world’s top authorities on inspirational leadership, a trailblazing teacher, advisor and expert on corporate culture, once said that authenticity is the “alignment of head, mouth, heart and feet – thinking, saying and doing the same thing consistently.”
A consummate sales professional consistently matches their words with their actions. In doing so, this process builds trust and earns them credibility. Trust is earned when they're able to both walk the walk and talk the talk.
We are all familiar with the old saying, "Talk is cheap." We can agree, you can say anything you want to, but your words become meaningless unless backed up by your actions.
It concerns me that we’ve become a society where truth is foreign and lies are normal.
Applied to sales, just because you say something really doesn’t mean anything at all. You see, any salesperson can talk, but it takes a sales professional of character, integrity and wholesomeness to follow through in their actions.
Sales professionals use language to communicate their vision, values and beliefs, however; it's their actions that ultimately determine the validity of their words.
You cannot consistently perform at a high level in sales without committing to doing the hard work of building trust, credibility and alignment.
In a post-trust world, when the walk doesn't match the talk, many in sales will revert to price discounting as their means of providing so-called value.
Check this out,
"71% of respondents said they would rather buy from a salesperson they completely trusted than one who gave them a lower price."
Dale Carnegie Research Institute
Let's pause for a moment to answer the following questions:
Does your walk consistently match your talk?
The way you carry yourself online, does it match the way you carry yourself offline?
The way you carry yourself out in the community, does it match the way you carry yourself with your clients?
Do I have you thinking a bit?
Are you carrying yourself in a congruent state to best serve your clients?" Most people will talk the talk, few will walk the walk; be amongst the few."
Dr. Steve Maraboli
I ask you to think about your client relationships. Does the walk consistently match the talk?
I believe trust can be earned or lost through your actions.
Think about this one... How many of your clients are watching your actions or for that matter your in-actions?
Please key in on this...
If your actions are not congruent with what you say, then how legitimate are you through the lens of your clients' eyes?
If your clients are massively important to you and you value building meaningful relationships with them, then you must spend quality time cementing those relationships.
Radical amounts of authenticity are simply about being congruent. It's not about the big actions, it's simply about the little things.
CONGRUENCY BECOMES THE TRUST BUILDER
"Be congruent, be authentic, be your true self."
Mahatma Gandhi
Derived from the Latin word “congruere”, which means ‘to meet’ or ‘to agree’, congruence is the point at which your principles and beliefs align with your thoughts and actions.
For a moment, let's apply congruency to how one carries themselves. This now becomes someone who acts in direct accordance with their dreams, desires, beliefs, values, mission and goals.
They do not let the thoughts of others affect their approach to the world. They forge their own unique path paved by their deep understanding of themselves.
There's a deep feeling of ingrained trust from someone who is congruent.
Congruency is a magnet. Clients will consistently buy more and more and more from congruent sales professionals.
I believe congruency leads to connection, deep conversation and attraction. I ask you to think about how salespeople are perceived, and where trust sits inside the sales world, now think about what it means to be congruent.
When you're your authentic self you have no competition.
To feel genuinely fulfilled, you must live with congruency.
To rise above the many empty suits out there, you must be willing to stand up above all others. This can only happen when you commit to leading a radically authentic lifestyle.
When it comes to standing up, I'm reminded of the old adage and a country song by Aaron Tippin (released in 1991), You've Got to Stand for Something
As he goes on to sing...
You've got to be your own man, not a puppet on a string
Never compromise what's right and uphold your family name
You've got to stand for something or you'll fall for anything
Sales professionals do not fall for anything.
You must...
Fully understand what is it that you stand for and what you're passionate about, and then start delivering this to the lives of your clients and future clients.
When you're congruent, amazing things start to happen:
- Your confidence soars
- Your desire to make a difference dramatically increases
- You feel at peace
- Things just start to fall into place for you
Congruency means doing the work. It's about uncovering what makes you tick. You might call this unpacking your WHY and unpacking your purpose. You must be willing to do the work.
To make this happen, you must be willing to do two things...
- Understand what it is you stand for and are passionate about adding to this world.
- Set your life up so you can act in line with these beliefs on a daily consistent basis.
The more you know about yourself the more you grow with yourself... Allow congruency to become something that changes your life.
YOUR AUTHENTICITY AND CONGRUENCY WILL BE TESTED
Throughout life and especially in sales, your congruency will be tested.
Think about all the incongruent, mismatched and misaligned moments that happen or for that matter you observe in any given day, week or month.
Often, we do what we are told (think of all the sales meetings and misaligned sales training), and we continue these patterns repeatedly without giving it much thought. Doesn't this sound a lot like sales autopilot?
"Your life changes the moment you make a new, congruent, and committed decision."
Tony Robbins
What will you commit to?
Let's be real with each other, selling is an emotional rollercoaster. It will tug on your heart and wear on your mind. However, to be truly fulfilled in sales, you must act from a place of congruency.
To be congruent, who you are, what you say, and what you do must be aligned.
Hear me out on this one, spend any amount of time in sales and you will have been faced with scenario of "what is right versus what is wrong", actions and behaviors.
When you find your heart and mind being pulled in opposite directions, or when your deeds collide with your thoughts; your body senses it and you start to experience the effects of being incongruent.
Stress, inner conflict and disease thrive when congruence is threatened. I know you all get what I am cooking because everyone of us has experienced it.
Maintaining your congruency leads to a sense of integrity, authenticity, and trustworthiness. It's the foundational aspect of effective communication and building meaningful connections with your clients and future clients.
With trust and credibility constantly being challenged, I encourage you to practice congruency as you lead your life in an authentic manner.
E.E. Cummings wrote,
"To be nobody-but-yourself — in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else — means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting."
Never forget this... to know thyself is to value thyself.
IN A SEA OF EMPTINESS, CONGRUENCY IS WHAT MATTERS, WHAT WILL YOU DO?
“Each one of us was put on this planet to discover their own path, and we will never be happy if we follow someone else’s.”
James Van Praagh
Congruent people show themselves just as they are, without offering variation to how they currently feel.
Congruent sales professionals generate more trust.
Someone who lives with congruency carries themselves in direct accordance with their vision, dreams, values, mission, beliefs and goals.
What values, standards and rules are you leading your life by? Can these be applied to your sales career? I absolutely believe they can.
Will you commit to leading a congruent lifestyle?
Will you carve out your own unique path paved by a deep understanding of you?
The road to self-discovery will unlock a treasure trove of opportunities. This could be one of the single hardest things you do.
Simply put, congruent people are brave because we live in a society which hasn’t taught us to show our feelings or as salespeople in how to place these up onto the business table.
As we draw our time together to a close, please allow yourself a few moments to reflect on the following...
- What inspires you?
- What are your strengths?
- What is your personal mission statement?
- What are your core set of values?
In today's post-trust world, starting on the path of congruence is no laughing matter. It implies a pact of honesty with yourself, and this is very important.
It becomes hard to trust someone who acts in a way that’s different to how they think. It becomes difficult to trust someone who shows an image of themselves that is contrary to how they truly feel.
I will ask you again... Does your walk match your talk?
When your actions match your values, it gives your clients and future clients the confidence that you lead authentically and act with integrity. And isn't this what you want?
This my friends creates sales sustainability.
In this episode of Selling From the Heart, we are joined by Anthony Garcia to discuss the importance of setting meaningful and emotionally invested goals in sales. Anthony emphasizes the need to move away from a transactional mindset and focus on building genuine relationships with prospects. He shares his personal experience of setting goals that are emotionally invested and how it has driven his success. Anthony also provides practical tips on how sales professionals can start setting meaningful goals and plan for adversity.
Anthony Garcia is a sales expert with nearly two decades of experience in direct business-to-business and medical sales. He has achieved top accolades in his field and has trained and developed sales teams for various companies. Anthony is the author of "Catapulting Commissions" and the host of the "Catapulting Commissions" podcast.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Selling from the heart means genuinely caring about solving a problem for the prospect and being invested in the outcome after the sale.
Money is just a way to keep score; the real motivation comes from setting goals that are emotionally invested.
To shift from a transactional mindset to a meaningful goal-setting mindset, start by identifying the worst-case scenario if you fail and realize that it's not as bad as it seems.
Anticipate adversity and plan for it in your goal-setting process.
Create smarter goals that are emotionally invested and have a reward attached to them.
HIGHLIGHT QUOTES
"Selling from the heart is truly believing that the product or service I'm selling can solve a problem that I completely understand." - Anthony Garcia
"Money is just a way to keep the score at the end of the game. But the goal is what drives me." - Anthony Garcia
"If you hit your other goal, that opportunity will present itself." - Anthony Garcia
"What if you failed? What's the worst-case scenario? Usually, it's such a minute instance in your life." - Anthony Garcia
"Plan for adversity on a daily basis. It doesn't have to be catastrophic; it could be as simple as a product going on backorder." - Anthony Garcia
Learn more about Anthony Garcia:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthonyga...
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...)
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Please go to WORK BETTER NOW:
https://www.workbetternow.com/
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This Week in the Copier Industry 10 Years Ago
This Week in Copiers Ten Years Ago
Last Week of August 2013
Real Copier Sales
Recently stumbled upon your blog and think it's great. I'm brand new to the industry and have been given a sales territory with no existing customer base and have been asked to grow it. I'm about 3 months in the field and have had few wins so far. I was wondering if you had any tips for me that could help me get set on the path to success.
I'd also like to know that last resource from the article "Distance Yourself From the Pack"......more here
Check These Great Copier Threads from Ten Years Ago This Week
Who Makes the Best Multifunctional Copy Machine?
manufacturers for multifunctional copiers. Here they are in the tiers. Tier I: Canon (includes Oce), Ricoh (includes Savin and Lanier), Xerox and KonicaMinolta (all are equal in my eyes, it will come down what features work best for you) Tier II: Kyocera, Toshiba, Sharp (market share is lower than the above group) Tier III: Muratec, Samsung, Okidata, HP, Lexmark Did I leave anyone out?
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Kodak and Konica Minolta Debut Fully Integrated Workflow and Front-end Solutions at Print 13
For the first time in the industry, Kodak and Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A. (Konica Minolta) will demonstrate fully managed monochrome and color digital press solutions for commercial print and graphics communication professionals. From September 8-12, at Print ’13 Booth #518, the companies will showcase three new Kodak CREO Color Servers to drive the new and existing Konica Minolta bizhub PRESS digital presses that are connected to KODAK PRINERGY Workflow 6. The IC-309 CREO Color
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ITsavvy Announces Partnership with Toshiba for Multifunction Printers and Copiers
ADDISON, Ill. (PRWEB) August 28, 2013 ITsavvy just announced that it has partnered with Toshiba to provide the latest, most cost-effective multifunction printers (MFPs) and copiers . The collaboration will power the expansion of savvyPrint, ITsavvy’s trademarked managed print service and complement the world-class line of MFPs and copiers ITsavvy already has in place. This means a broader print product and service offering for the company’s clients. “This partnership will allow us to bring the
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Konica Minolta Rolls out its first Road show in Jaipur
New Delhi, 30thAugust, 2013: Konica Minolta Business Solutions India Pvt. Ltd., a world-class technology company, rolled out its first road show in Jaipur recently as a part of its channel engagement initiative. The first road show that kicked off from Hotel Orchid Central, Jaipur was organised by Konica Minolta’s distributor,Keertika Enterprises. The event was presided by Mr. Tadahiko SumitaniMD, Konica Minolta Business Solutions India Pvt. and Mr. Kuldeep Malhotra, EGM Sales. Konica Minolta
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Sharp Ends Talks with Samsung to Create Joint Copier Company
The following appears on nbcnews.com (Reuters) – Sharp Corp, Japan’s largest display maker, has called off talks with Samsung Electronics Co Ltd to jointly set up a copier sales company, the Kyodo said. Sharp’s decision came after other Japanese firms such as Canon Inc opposed the proposal expressing concern that key technology would fall into the hands of the South Korean technology giant, the newswire said. The global copier market is dominated by Japanese companies like Canon, Ricoh Co Ltd
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Xerox at Print 13 New Business Development Tools
Aug 29, 2013 (Menafn - M2 PRESSWIRE via COMTEX) --Learn how to sell personalized print to retailers, price appropriately and navigate uncharted software waters with new tools and resources from Xerox's ProfitAccelerator Digital Business Resources . At PRINT 13 , Xerox will showcase the following materials to help graphic communicators: - Expand customer base -- two new white papers, "Selling to Franchise Organizations: An Opportunity On Every Corner" and "Transactional Marketing: Making it
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Around the World with Konica Minolta
production and distribution of 600 forensic kits for up to five Africa rhino range states this year." Konica Minolta South Africa Konica Minolta South Africa, wholly owned by the Bidvest Group, stands at the forefront of business solution providers as the principal importer and distributor of the innovative and award-winning Konica Minolta range of bizhub digital multifunctional colour and black and white devices, laser printers, fax machines and business solutions, into South Africa as well as
Blog Post Premium
5 Tips for newbie Copier MFP Sales Reps
. 5. Join the Premium Print4Pay Hotel forums, and collaborate with other industry sales professionals and see what they are doing on a daily basis to keep their sales funnel full! If you're really serious about your sales career you should access the Premium Membership here. I also use my 5 Step Box approach, all of this works, even if it sounds corny, hard work will get results. Always keep this in mind, "the harder I work, the luckier I get". -=Good Selling=-
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REPEAT BUSINESS SYSTEMS BECOMES RICOH CERTIFIED SERVICES PROVIDER THROUGH CHAMPS PROGRAM
reputation for excellence. RBS is an authorized dealer for Ricoh, providing sales, solutions support, service, and supplies for multifunction and stand-alone copiers, fax machines, scanners, and printers. In addition, Repeat Business Systems offers network services, managed print/document services, workflow analysis, full IT and Professional Services and consultation in order to increase efficiency and provide a significant cost savings to their valued customers. For more information, visit
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All Covered Helps Businesses Leverage SharePoint 2013
including production print systems, digital presses, multi-functional products (MFPs), managed print services, vertical application solutions and related services and supplies. Konica Minolta has won numerous awards and recognition including being recognized as the #1 Brand for Customer Loyalty in the MFP Office Copier Market by Brand Keys for six years in a row. For the third consecutive year, Buyers Laboratory LLC (BLI) has named Konica Minolta as the winner of its “A3 MFP Line of the Year
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Kyocera Extends TASKalfa Technology to Seven New MFPs
print quality.” TASKalfa: Advanced Engineering for Quality Products TASKalfa MFPs are engineered to optimize performance and maximize uptime. They boast vibrant color and crisp black-and-white printing, color scanning and copying, and optional Super G3 fax/network fax and dual fax for high-speed document delivery. Other features include: Common technology, design, and accessories across the series of products; Up to 7,650 sheet paper capacity with optional paper-feed units on specific models
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Samsung unveils Printer ProXpress and Multifunction ProXpress series for users seeking high performance and cost efficiency
, and M3320ND printers and the M4070FR, M3870FW and M3370FD MFPs offer an all-in-one integrated toner system, robust eco features and duplex printing for lower operating costs and higher efficiency. “Small to medium-sized businesses and professionals who work at home are increasingly seeking lower operating costs for maximum profitability without sacrificing on high performance,” said Mr. Raj Varma, General Manager – IT Sales Group at Samsung Gulf Electronics, said, “The Printer ProXpress and the
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Kyocera Extends Award-Winning TASKalfa Technology Into Seven New Multifunctional Products
course, superior print quality.” TASKalfa: Advanced Engineering for Quality Products TASKalfa MFPs are engineered to optimize performance and maximize uptime. They boast vibrant color and crisp black-and-white printing, color scanning and copying, and optional Super G3 fax/network fax and dual fax for high-speed document delivery. Other features include: Common technology, design, and accessories across the series of products; Up to 7,650 sheet paper capacity with optional paper-feed units on
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Mutoh America, Inc. to Introduce G7-enabled Process Control at PRINT 2013
tracking and multi-segment registration for long run cut job accuracy. Printing With the new ValueJet 1617H, Mutoh will also be presenting printing demonstrations on the ValueJet 1624 - 64" and 1324 - 54" printers. With blazing print speeds up to 600 sq ft/hr (VJ1624), the VJ1624 and VJ1324 include a two-year warranty, SA International FlexiPrint software and take-up system. Both printers have Smart Printing features including: Intelligent Interweave print technique that virtually eliminates banding
Blog Post
The Most Interesting Woman in the Copier Industry!
do. The Most Interesting Woman in the Copier Industry was working her magic with one of my accounts.She had been keeping me in the loop with this current customer about two systems, and since she was already engaged with the customer on another front I was ok with her helping me out. The end result was that her efforts helped me close to additional sales for the month! So, when all seemed it was lost, an awesome co-worked helped me out and also helped the company out. I would hope that most of
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EFI Gives Xerox Color 560/570 Customers Added Performance and Image Quality with Fiery Print Servers
Tuesday, August 27, 2013 Press release from the issuing company FOSTER CITY, California- EFI™, a world leader in customer-focused digital printing innovation, today announced two new EFI Fiery® print servers for Xerox Color 560/570 printers that give print professionals the ability to create superior quality finished documents while growing their print volumes. The Fiery EX and EXi print servers deliver outstanding performance, including three times faster processing speed than the previous
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Re: ITsavvy Announces Partnership with Toshiba for Multifunction Printers and Copiers
So, one of the first IT companies that I know of to sell MFP's. They have offices in the Mid West, and California with many distribution centers. Does this mean that they will be selling copiers in all of these locations??
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Sagemcom Recognizes Xerox as their Top Multifunction Devices ...
Montreal, Quebec (PRWEB) August 26, 2013 Sagemcom, a global leader in advanced fax server solutions for IP networks, is proud to announce Xerox Corporation as the winner of their Partner of the Year Award, in the Multifunction Devices (MFDs) category. This award recognizes partners and resellers that have demonstrated expertise in the XMediusFAX software and commitment to Sagemcom. Strong partnerships are based on common business goals, close collaboration and the people that hold these values
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Vendors bid for expired printing leases on campus; no decisions made - vendors-bid-for-expired-printing-leases-on-campus-no-decisions-made
Vendors bid for expired printing leases on campus; no decisions made Talya Flowers , News Writer August 27, 2013 Filed under News Several major companies have begun bidding to offer their services to replace expired printing equipment leases on the campus—a project that could possibly save Wright State University an estimated $400,000 a year and $2 million over the course of 5 years, according to Director of Printing Services Patrick Bruchs. The leases for the Fleet Printers and Xerox equipment
Blog Post
Selling "When is the Right Time to Take A Vacation"
If you asked my sales manager, he would probably say NEVER! Many of us know that only the strong (tough minded) will survive more than three years when it comes to selling copiers, printers, and managed print services. Those whosurvive more than 20 years of selling (not managing) to commercial accounts should be viewed as Olympians and those of us that have been selling 30 plus years should be viewed as Titans . So,every year I struggle with when to take my vacation time. Do I take the time in
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Canon Business Process Services Wins eDiscovery, Document Management and Litigation Support Renewal Contracts Valued at more than $48 Million
improvement in print/copy and mail operations. Additionally, Canon upgraded the firm’s print/copy fleet to digital and networked multifunctional devices (MFDs) that combine print, copy, fax and scan-to-email capabilities in one unit. The result has been significantly improved operational efficiency. Canon provides outsourced document management and electronic discovery services to 64 of the Am Law 200 firms. This includes four of the top 10 firms and eight of the top 20 firms. Besides working
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Xanté to Dish Up a Digital Buffet for the Senses, Including New Excelagraphix and iQueue Technologies, at PRINT ’13
inside out, effectively upping the ante on every function that matters, beginning with truly blazing speed.” “Also,” Ross continues, “in addition to having more color power than should be legal in a Workflow as affordable as iQueue, we will be announcing a major development on the iQueue front.” As always, PRINT ’13 attendees who visit will enjoy live demonstrations of XantÉ products. NEW! Excelagraphix 4200 P Series The Excelagraphix 4200 P Series wide format inkjet printing system changes
Blog Post
BTA EAST Event "5 Reasons Why You Gotta Attend"
impact on what's new, what's changed, and what's happening in our industry! Personally, I'm looking forward to see the many vendors, many Print4Pay Hotel members and writing about some of the new products and services! BTA East will host its annual district event, open to BTA members and non-members from across the country, on Sept. 26-27, 2013, at the Hyatt Regency Baltimore in Baltimore, Md. This event will be a great setting to learn from industry leaders, gather new ideas and network with your
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Copiers needed in Georgia
LEGAL NOTICE ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS COPIER SERVICES FOR CLARKE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT, RFP # 13-0904 Clarke County School District Sealed proposals from qualified bidders will be received by the Clarke County School District in the Office of Purchasing Contracts located at 240 Mitchell Bridge Road, Athens, Georgia, 30606, until 2:00 PM (EDT) on September 4, 2013, for the contract known as COPIER SERVICES FOR CLARKE COUNTY SCHOOLS. At the time and place noted above. The scope of work includes
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Copiers needed in Texas
BID NOTICE Harris County Department of Education (HCDE)/Choice Partners (CP), a national cooperative Newspaper: houstonchronicle.com | Date: 08/24/13 BID NOTICE Harris County Department of Education (HCDE)/Choice Partners (CP), a national cooperative, will be accepting the following Request for Proposals (RFP) Proposals must be submitted in the eBid System online for: • RFP #13/070DG for Rental, Lease, or Purchase of Copiers and Related Items. Proposals are due September 12, 2013 at 2:00pm
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Copiers needed in Texas v2
The Region 7 Educational Service Center is soliciting The Region 7 Educational Service Center is soliciting bids on behalf of one hundred and thirty-three (133) education entities & two (2) education service centers in the Region 7 Purchasing Cooperative. Bids are solicited for the following category: CATEGORY/OPENING DATE/TIME Paint & Painting Supplies/September 24, 2013/1:30 p.m. Copy Machines /September 26, 2013/1:30 p.m. Vehicles: All Types; New/Pre-owned; Buy/Lease/October 2,...
Member
Lawesy
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Kodak: Bye Bye Cameras, We’re Focusing on Printing Now
been selling printers to consumers for years now, a lot of them with a focus on printing digital photographs, but that’s still not going to be its focus. Instead, it wants to put a renewed push on the enterprise for printers that will be used in the corporate landscape, Bloomberg said. It will also sell parts that will be used in touch screens deployed in tablets and smartphones, Bloomberg explained.The company doesn’t really have much of a choice to even look back at its old days as a
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Fax Consolidation is the Low Hanging Fruit of IT Cost
systems, enterprise applications and multifunction printers it completely eliminates the need for fax machines and the manual processing of faxes.
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Print Audit’s Remotely Monitored Devices Growing Twice as Fast as its Competitors
...stems_Case_Study.pdf http://www.printaudit.com/down...emier_Case_Study.pdf About Print Audit®: Established in 1999 and headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Print Audit is the fastest growing print management company in the world. By providing businesses with innovative and practical print tracking solutions, the company has helped customers recapture over $200 million in printing and photocopying expenses while saving an estimated 190,000 trees a year. Print Audit is the most comprehensive provider of
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Mutoh America Exhibits at PRINT 13 in Partnership with Fellers and 3M Graphics
accuracy. Printing With the new ValueJet 1617H, Mutoh will also be presenting printing demonstrations on the ValueJet 1624 - 64" and 1324 - 54" printers. With blazing print speeds up to 600 sqft/hr (VJ1624), the VJ1624 and VJ1324 include a two year warranty, SA International FlexiPrint software and take-up system. Both printers have Smart Printing features including: Intelligent Interweave print technique that virtually eliminates banding, ValueJet Status Monitor app for remote printer monitoring
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EFI and Intec Sign Global Agreement Launching
improved workflow capabilities with color and quality enhancements. The combination of the Fiery digital front end and color management workflow and Intec’s range of digital color printing solutions ensures graphic arts professionals and print companies receive a unique print solution offering razor sharp imaging and exact color through a fully customizable user interface and workflow onto a broad spectrum of media creating a total ‘out of the box’ experience. Intec printers are ideal for a wide
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Re: Android-Based MFPs & Copiers to the Rescue
We are already selling a biometric solution here in the UK that works with PaperCut. I'm pretty sure that it would be easy enough to implement in the US. http://www.papercut.com/kb/Mai...ionwideRetailSystems
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Re: Kyocera Extends Award-Winning TASKalfa Technology Into Seven New Multifunctional Products
I get giddy when I see the previous generation in the field. I haven't come across a single account that is happy with the performance or reliability of the Kyocera color series.
This Week in the Copier Industry 5 Years Ago
This Week in the Copier Industry 5 Years Ago
Last Week of August 2018
Real Copier Sales
I remember when plain paper copiers used rolls of paper and not sheets. I remember when the glass on the copiers had to move back and forth. I remember when copiers used liquid ink (toner) to produce an image. I remember when you used a dial to set how many copies you wanted to make.....more here
Enjoy These Awesome Copier Threads from 5 Years Ago
This Week in the Copier Industry 15 Years Ago, The Last Week in August 2003
Below is probably one of the most mis-understood printers (well not actually a printer) of our time. The Seri Print 25 was a really cool in-line attachment to the Ricoh duplicators. You would replace the Ricoh ink with Seri Ink, and then you'd be able to print on any gloss coatings. The Seri printer used a UV light to cure the ink on the gloss coat. Alas the Seri is no more and Ricoh is just about out of the duplicator industry now. Enjoy the threads from ten years ago this week! Konica Minolta
Blog Post
This Week in the Copier Industry 5 Years Ago, The Last Week in August 2013
Topic How do I print a document that is stored in our Advanced Box on my canon copier Art Post · 8/25/134:26 PM Topic Konica Minolta INFO-Palette - Design Usability Art Post · 8/25/139:19 AM Topic Km1024i Konica Minolta Art Post · 8/25/139:24 AM Topic Konica Minolta bizhub app integration Art Post · 8/25/139:22 AM Topic ITsavvy Announces Partnership with Toshiba for Multifunction Printers and Copiers Art Post · 8/28/139:31 PM ADDISON, Ill. (PRWEB) August 28, 2013 ITsavvy just announced that
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This Week in the Copier Industry 10 Years Ago, The Last Week in August 2008
from a photo printer . One is that volume sales of small photo printers are dropping, "meaning that customers were voting that they would rather go some place and have their photos printed rather than trying to print them at home". Secondly, getting almost perfect quality printing in a very small format proved a tough challenge with a nascent technology, so the company decided to go first of Reply Re: Ricoh to purchase IKON Office Solutions 8/27/0810:48 PM oh, thats funny!! Kudos.... I
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Sharp Introduces New Desktop Printers For The Advanced Office
MONTVALE, N.J. , Aug. 24, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America (SIICA), a division of Sharp Electronics Corporation (SEC) announces four new additions to its desktop multifunction printer line, which include two monochrome desktop printers and two monochrome desktop copiers. The new MX-B350P and MX-B450P desktop printers offer speeds up to 35 and 45 pages per minute respectively, with easy integration with the leading mobile technologies, allowing for easy
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Loffler Companies wins Xerox Technology Partner of the Year Award
, Canon , Konica Minolta . "Congratulations to our winners for their tremendous achievements in 2017 and exemplifying what it means to be a great Xerox dealer," said Jim Morrissey, Vice President, Sales Document Technology Partners, Xerox Corporation. Morissey also mentions a strong market reputation, a customer first priority, and the client benefits of the combination of Xerox products with Loffler's service and support. About Loffler Companies: Loffler's over 500 employees support clients in
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11th Kyocera Document Solutions South Africa Service Awards shows high standard for technicians
," concludes Wendlandt. Kyocera Document Solutions South Africa Headquartered in Midrand, Kyocera Document Solutions South Africa is a country level subsidiary of Kyocera Document Solutions and is responsible for the sales and marketing of Kyocera printers and document solutions throughout southern Africa. Kyocera Document Solutions South Africa is renowned for its tailor-made document solutions that provide a perfect blend of premium products, software solutions and professional services that increase
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Lead for 2 Digital Black and White Production Printers in North Carolina
see attached file
Blog Post
6 Reasons Why Flat Rate Service Program Will Change the Copier Industry
I remember when plain paper copiers used rolls of paper and not sheets. I remember when the glass on the copiers had to move back and forth. I remember when copiers used liquid ink (toner) to produce an image. I remember when you used a dial to set how many copies you wanted to make. Yup, it's been a pretty incredible journey to see the industry evolve over the last 38 years! Back in the early eighties their was only one plan for a copier maintenance agreement. We included "x" amount of pages
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Kyocera Receives Mexico’s Highest Environmental Award for Third Consecutive Year
headquarters of the Kyocera Group, was founded in 1959 as a producer of fine ceramics (also known as “advanced ceramics”). By combining these engineered materials with metals and integrating them with other technologies, Kyocera has become a leading supplier of semiconductor packages, industrial and automotive components, electronic devices, solar power generating systems, printers, copiers and mobile phones. During the year ended March 31, 2018, the company’s consolidated net sales totaled 1.58
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In Partnership With ARKEOS Group, Canon, Debuts the All New Océ Colorado 1640 Printer at Its Casablanca Showroom On Thursday, July 19, 2018
turnaround times demanded by clients. The game-changing UVgel technology developed by Canon aims to deliver unprecedented productivity on a broad range of applications. This technology offers low-heat productivity and uniform, post-print UV curing that further contributes to print speed and print quality (wide color gamut and homogeneous colors). Canon also leverages its well-established skill in printing technologies at the service of Océ Colorado, which was developed to enable businesses to seize
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Epson launches new T-Series large format wireless technical printers
, education, corporate, home and small office users. The unique auto-switching functionality enables the printers to swap between large format roll paper and A4/A3 size paper, without users having to touch the printer, ideal for small companies that have multi-purpose print requirements in a limited workspace. The SureColor T3160 The SureColor T5160 Epson Australia’s GM sales marketing of their business division Craig Heckenberg said, “The SureColor T3160 and T5160 are designed specifically for the
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Re: Your Copier
thousands of copiers in the field and have come to conclusion that if we charge "x" amount per month for "x" model of MFP that we're going to make the margin of profit that we need. Even if a certain percentage of the MIF goes over the monthly volume. Pages printed in the office is declining and not increasing. If you don't believe me just ask some of my friends at Print Audit. In fact, when the next recession hits, which it will, office printed pages could decline by another 6% (I remember this from a
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Canon announces conclusion of toner cartridge patent lawsuit in U.S.
TOKYO, August 31, 2018-Canon Inc. today announced the conclusion of a patent infringement dispute with Ink Technologies Printer Supplies, LLC in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, concerning toner cartridges sold for use in various models of HP laser beam printers. In May 2018, Canon sued Ink Technologies for infringement of Canon's U.S. Patent No. 9,581,958 B2 based on Ink Technologies' sales of infringing toner cartridges, including sales made through its website
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Embattled Fuji Xerox cuts NZ losses, rebuilds after financial scandal
Fuji Xerox's New Zealand business recorded a reduced loss before tax of $12.4 million in its 2018 financial year compared with $14.9 million in 2017. In New Zealand, Fuji Xerox operates as two legal entities – Fuji Xerox New Zealand Limited and Fuji Xerox Finance Limited. The embattled vendor, which remains excluded from some government contracts after a $450 million sales and accounting scandal that originated in New Zealand, reported positive operating cash flows and an improved working
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Re: Fax vulnerability in HP all-in-one printers
One of my large medical accounts contacted me about this one. They were totally freaked out over this potential threat even though they had no machines in their fleet with the vulnerability. Meanwhile you could walk to almost any fax machine in any of their locations and grab patient info from the fax trays.
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AIS Launches Free Printer Contest for Local Businesses & Nonprofits
believe that supporting our local community is just as important as the specialized product and IT knowledge we provide,” says Gary Harouff, president of Advanced Imaging Solutions. About Advanced Imaging Solutions, Inc. (AIS) Founded in 2002, Advanced Imaging Solutions, Inc. (AIS) provides copiers, printers, managed IT services, 3D printing, document and process management, copier and printer repair and maintenance contracts, telephone services throughout Southern Nevada and Southern
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Canon U.S.A. Aims to Help Automate the Future of Work at BoxWorks 2018
. uniFLOW Online and Canon ScanFront Solutions The MFP is the backbone of a modern-day enterprise and it will retain this role in the Office of the Future so long as it integrates with solutions that can help promote communication among workers that extends beyond the confines of the office walls. With Scan to Box functions available through Canon's uniFLOW Online content management platform, along with Scan to Box functionality using Quick Scan on Canon's ScanFront desktop scanning solutions, workers
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Lead for 4 Hi-Speed Copiers in Illinois
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Lead for 2 Copiers in Missouri
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Re: KM 1 Rate aka Flat Rate (unlimited clicks)
We dealers make our revenue off of service contracts and their profitability. 1st, an unlimited clicks program seriously jeopardizes a dealer's ability to make enough profit to fuel the desired growth. 2nd, This is not the first "End-All" gimmick in the industry. Remember when Xerox came out in the late 80's thu the 90's with 3-year warranties? Well, the fine print mentioned that you needed to purchase genuine Xerox Print cartridges to get the "Free Service". The Print Cartridges were about
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Re: PrintCopy_Tool_Brochure
So riddle me this one Batman, if I use Ricoh PrintCopyTool with a new Ricoh wide format can I then send the job via batch to the inkjet plotter and a non-Ricoh A3 MFP?
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ACDI and PSIGEN Software Inc. Announce Distribution Partnership
document lifecycle. Through channel distribution and development partnerships with the most prominent copier and printer manufacturers across the globe, ACDI solutions drive efficiency and productivity for thousands of organizations in education, healthcare, government and beyond. For more information, visit http://www.acd-inc.com . About PSIGEN Software, Inc. PSIGEN Software, Inc. is an innovative developer of document capture, cloud, business process automation and document management solutions
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Henderson Legal Services Retains Greg Mazares to Expand National Sales Team
ARLINGTON, Va. , Aug. 28, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --Henderson Legal Services, Inc., a leading global provider of deposition and related services to corporations, law firms, and government entities, today announced that Gregory J. Mazares has been retained as Executive Vice President of Sales to expand, train, and manage the company's national sales team. In this capacity, Mazares will provide experienced senior leadership of sales. He is based in Los Angeles , CA. Over the past 30 years, Mazares
Blog Post
Sales Professionals: Develop The Courage To Ask YOUR Clients For Feedback!
doing is working? How do you know if your clients are happy with their experiences or with your company? What do they like and dislike? How are you keeping up with what's going on inside their company? You might be saying to yourself, "Feedback for breakfast?" but yes, feedback is the breakfast for sales champions. The best thing you can do is to go to your clients and get feedback. "Forget the Wheaties, oatmeal, or the All American Grand Slam, Selling From the Heart Champions eat feedback for
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Enhance Engineering Document Management for imagePROGRAF TX Series Devices through eQuorum Software
operators to decide how to process print jobs and where to send them. Canon's imagePROGRAF TX Series, dubbed the "next standard of engineering" by Canon, has been completely redesigned to feature a recently developed five-Color LUCIA TD pigment ink set, print head, and a high-precision mechanical platform for fast printing for the TX Series. With an option for a second roll unit and robust security features, these printers combine the productivity, usability and document access control sought in
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Re: KM 1 Rate aka Flat Rate (unlimited clicks)
@brandi_regan - Then post up the T's C's so all may read the fine print. Xerox said the same thing, but there is always "The fine print." If there is no fine print, then posting it should not be a problem.
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Re: KM 1 Rate aka Flat Rate (unlimited clicks)
Frank Vasquez posted: @brandi_regan - Then post up the T's C's so all may read the fine print. Xerox said the same thing, but there is always "The fine print." If there is no fine print, then posting it should not be a problem. Frank, I have them if you need them, we are also having a webinar on the 14th if you are interested
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BTA Service Success Training Begins Oct. 1
Using Service Metrics • Service Role in the Dealership This course is the prerequisite for the BTA Advanced Service Management training program, which will be available in the spring of 2019. For nearly 16 years, Edmonds served at Sharp Electronics Corp. and then at Konica Minolta Business Solutions as a problem solver for both technical and service management issues. In early 2018, he retired from Konica Minolta as a district service manager. Before that, Edmonds had an extensive background in
Survey
KM 1 Rate aka Flat Rate (unlimited clicks)
With all of the hubbub about unlimited clicks with KonicaMinolta and now a few dealers. We'd like to hear your thoughts with our new survey. How Long Do You Think the Entire Industry will Make the Change to unlimited clicks?
Member
Duke Thompson
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Re: 6 Reasons Why Flat Rate Service Program Will Change the Copier Industry
Art, a terrific take on the changing forces in the business model of the industry. Moneyball has arrived in the imaging business.
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Re: 6 Reasons Why Flat Rate Service Program Will Change the Copier Industry
Thank you Tom, writing it brought back some awesome memories
Member
Mark Power
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Re: KM 1 Rate aka Flat Rate (unlimited clicks)
I see the tide has shifted a bit. 60% states it will never become the industry norm. Interesting to the say the least. Me, I don't want to have to sell against it. It's a program that clients want. No client wants overages and click charges. Clients want predictable costs.
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New SpringCM Study Reveals #1 Roadblock to Faster Contract Management Processes
reducing the time spent managing critical business documents. Intelligent, automated workflows enable document collaboration across an organization from any desktop or mobile device. Delivered through a secure, scalable cloud platform, SpringCM document and contract management solutions seamlessly integrate with Salesforce, or work as a standalone solution. Every day, more than 600 companies use SpringCM to improve customer experience and get more done, faster. For more information about SpringCM
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OCE PlotWave 345
Can someone tell me what the MSRP is for the PlotWave 345 with print scan and dual roll feeder?
-=Good Selling=-
Lead for 10 Color A3 MFPs
see attached file
The Office Print Industry, A Platform Economy Service?
The Office Print Industry, A Platform Economy Service?
Do you remember when a platform was a place from which you caught a train, subway, or bus? Of course, today’s growing digital economy has since co-opted the word. But, deep down, the meaning remains the same – a location from which you connect to another person or place. Now, however, those connections exist in cyberspace.
The new digital platform is an environment in which a piece of software is executed. Today’s most common platforms are a set of stable components that allow for various other functionality and connections with other components. For instance, an operating system like Windows 10 and web browsers like Chrome or Microsoft Edge are platforms. So are Zoom, Skype, eBay, and Etsy. Or, more simply, a platform is a system that makes it easier for you to do other things.
At the end of the day, platforms are disrupting nearly every industry across the globe, and as you will see, that includes the office printing space as well! Are you prepared for the digital disruption that is occurring within managed print?
How Software Platforms Began
Disk Operating System, or DOS, is the program without which a personal computer cannot run. Though the terms “platform” and “platform economy” may be new, digital platforms have been around since the development of the computer. As personal computers picked up popularity, more user-friendly operating systems such as Microsoft Windows, Mac OS, and Linux were developed. From there, we began to see word processing, finance, and artistic platforms such as Microsoft Word, Quicken, and Adobe Photoshop.
The development of the worldwide web saw an even more comprehensive array of software platforms. Things like America Online (AOL) and CompuServe allowed people to access and interact with other internet users and rudimentary website pages. Then came the early nineties. Referred to as the “DotCom” era, this period was a hotbed of digital platform development. The nineties brought Prodigy, a CompuServe competitor, along with chat service competitors such as AIM, Yahoo Messenger, and ICQ. In 1995 the first internet search system, AltaVista, was launched, followed by the first social media platform, GeoCities.
While most platforms and websites developed during the DotCom boom have fallen by the wayside, some of these ventures now claim spots among the top five largest US companies. Giants such as Google and Amazon were created during this era. And with them, the age of the platform economy was born.
Platforms Disrupting Industries
As internet software has progressed, platforms have begun to shift into distinctive categories. The most common are also the most disruptive, those providing retail and services. Popular retail platforms include the likes of Amazon, eBay, and Etsy. These popular online retailers have pushed larger physical stores such as Walmart and Target to create their own robust online offerings. But they have also destroyed many smaller retailers who have difficulty maintaining the inventory on internet clout to attract digital customers and sell online.
Similarly, service platforms have shaken up several major industries. Perhaps the most notable are taxis, public transportation, and hotels. Where once a taxi, bus, or commuter train were primary ways to get places, now it is common to “call” an Uber or Lyft. Hotels have suffered a similar fate as Airbnb allows smaller, independent owners to rent out rooms, condos, and homes to travelers at rates that often rival those found for the typical inn.
Today these platforms have gone beyond traditional disruption. In their bid for continued growth, they have begun to cannibalize portions of other industries – including Managed Printer Services. Big names in the printer industry, like HP, are already working to offer online service and maintenance scheduling. Other unrelated businesses such as Amazon and eBay offer a variety of inks, toners, and parts at often ridiculously low prices.
But industries like retail, service, and even managed print services (MPS) don’t need to sit by and watch their businesses get gobbled up. Because the platform economy has grown so much, there are now programs that provide online tools and support to help companies create their own platforms — services like PowerMPS.
Competing At The Platform Level
Becoming a platform changes the rules of engagement, even in the printing industry. For MPS providers, it often means changing the game on how your company conducts business. Some companies may continue to prefer the brick-and-mortar store and in-person or over-the-phone sales and service relationship. But a growing number of businesses are beginning to prefer browsing online inventories, as-needed or predictive subscription ordering, and online chat and scheduling for service and maintenance. Group these robust interactions with in-depth office printer and copier use and consumables volume reports, and regular platform users have an experience they will grow to love. In fact, they will rely on it!
MPS providers using services like PowerMPS can couple retail and service platforms into one customized e-commerce storefront and service platform. With such a powerful tool, it is easy to keep up with current clients while leveraging the platform to help increase reach to new, more digitally-focused customers.
The platform economy has been steadily expanding and disrupting traditional retail and service spaces for over three decades. Fortunately, new technologies allow even those unfamiliar with e-commerce to build their businesses into online platforms. Tools such as reporting, service scheduling, email marketing, digital storefronts, and more will be the foundation that can support current business while giving these companies a digital mooring for growth well into the future.
Learn more about how PowerMPS can help your Dealership increase profits and services
