Tagged With "Monochrome A4"
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Re: Post-Virus We Must Defeat The Zombie Companies!
Although I am 60% on board with your move to A4 strategy, most of the rest of the stuff you are posting is "knocking it out of the park"! I would like to see a poll. As a business owner, during COVID-19 would you prefer? 1). No lease payments for 90 days 2). 1/2 price lease payments for one year The auto industry is pushing no payments for 90 days but I think business owners are more concerned about cash flow for the next year. I think the correct strategy is to offer as part of your...
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Re: Post-Virus We Must Defeat The Zombie Companies!
We generally do not build in prepaid copy/ print blocks into our leases. We do give away free copy prints up front but only intended as a short term bonus. We do normally charge a $25.00 minimum monthly maintenance fee but have waived that until the economy rebuilds momentum. I am in Canada, lease vendors are currently offering 90 day payment deferrals added back on at the end of term for those customers who request them. Leases expire every month and customers are happy with the equipment...
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Re: It’s The End Of The Day With Ray! 2020 Who Will Educate Endusers
HI Ray and Happy New Year! The A4 Revolution will not happen until those A4 manufacturers provide A4 print devices with the A3 cost per page model along with advanced scanning and finishing. You're right that's there's only a small percentage of users that need 11x17. However 11x17 is only part of the picture with end users needs. Larger document feeders, and stapling is still a requirement in many offices. As you know we could debate this until 2021 or longer, but the end game is advanced...
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Re: It’s The End Of The Day With Ray! 2020 Who Will Educate Endusers
Art, Thanks for comments it's conversation which starts change. There is way more applications for A4 MFPs than those few applications you suggest. The large disruption will be from those who can isolate the realities of the customers needs and sell based on those realities. Declining Marketplaces are disrupted when the old way continues delivering to all the market's customers the same way they did before the decline. The old way needs to focus on the realities of over 80% of the market...
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Re: 7 Deadly Topics from 7 Deadly Sinners at Top 100 Summit (Part One)
I will also add since you mentioned wanting to do this on copiers/MFPs: our industry also needs to get the idea that MPS only has to do with printers & A4 MFPs out of their heads. Output is output, & our clients don't see any difference so why should we? Properly deploy what systems meet the client's needs (or just get rid of them if that is best) & be of service in whatever way you can. Hell, our customers want all of this stuff to go away (just wait til the Millenials are in...
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Re: 7 Deadly Topics from 7 Deadly Sinners at Top 100 Summit (Part One)
Is it just me, it seems that the general rule of thumb for the copier industry to end users is "the take or leave approach". Meaning, come hell or high water we're not going to change the way we bill, the way we support, or the financial solutions that we offer. While I was at the Top 100 conference, a rep from Wells Fargo spoke about the billing options that they now have in their leases. One of the options was for seat billing for managed IT services. My thought is that if it's available...
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Re: 10 Ways to Close Net New Business #4 of #10
Just a short update in reference to the account I was speaking about. The IG came back with many additional questions today, asking if the cost per page could be lowered, the annual cost of the maintenance agreement, and the price of the system. I stated NO on all accounts. We had started with a 25ppm color A3 device and then moved to an A4 color device. They were not even happy with that price. In addition when they received all of the no's they asked about pre-owned or used. I then stated,...
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Re: Copier Parts & Accessories China Tariff Starts in 9 Working Days
More than a few copier/ printers are manufactured in Thailand and the Philippines due to low labor costs. I do not know but I think these products tend to be more low end A4 and printer products. I think most A3 product is made in China. I can only speak for Toshiba but I know the majority of North American toner is made in North Dakota. As I am from Canada, I am hoping with fingers crossed that this very likely US tariff war with China will not effect us.
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Re: Copier Parts & Accessories China Tariff Starts in 9 Working Days
All very good points. I'm guessing larger players might have more manufacturing site options. However, if their A3 are manufactured in say US and Korea but their A4 are largely China, there could be discrepency even within a single manufacturers ptoduct line. Another manufacturer could have the reverse.
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Re: Copier Parts & Accessories China Tariff Starts in 9 Working Days
"Tariffs have a way of redirecting business" Tesla announced yesterday plans to build a new car factory in Shanghai, China in part to escape potential US tariffs on auto parts and battery supplies. https://www.nytimes.com/aponli...-as-china-tesla.html I can only guess that it would take years and much capital and energy to start or relocate a new copier factory outside of China. The Philippines is currently an important manufacturing hub for A4 printers and MFPs due to low labor costs. Most...
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Re: A Halloween Tale of an A3 Copier’s Death
What is even more scary is how your commission cheques will fall in $ value if you only sell A4 copiers. The copier/printer market is not getting any larger and if a commission sales rep focuses on selling lower $ value A4 boxes, they are going to have to make a lot more sales calls and sell a lot more boxes to earn the same money.
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Re: A Halloween Tale of an A3 Copier’s Death
How true! And whats next? How long will it take before A4 will also be banned from the offices? My opinion; As soon as Generation Z enters the office-floors (A3 and A4) print will (sooner or later) ‘disappear’. Who's already preparing his business for this future?
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Re: New Ricoh MP C501SP "A4 or A3 or a New Hybrid MFP?"
Hopefully there are more A3 style components that will allow it to become an option for A4 customers printing on heavier stocks and media.
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Re: The A4 Challenge or Opportunity
Nice job Ray I've been touting A4 for many years, give the client what they want and educate them that A3 is not way to go. "If I'm not selling A4, then my competition is". Funny, when I mentioned this to a DSM, that DSM replied that we'll subsidize the A3's so you can place them
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Re: The A4 Challenge or Opportunity
In my experience A4 machines are as much or even more hassle than an A3 machine to install and train which I do myself for the customer but my income off of the sale of the A4 device is a fraction of what it would have been had I sold an A3. Beyond that most A4 machines lack a document feeder built to handle the page volumes of walk up copying and scanning my customers do. At the end of the day I have to make a living so I spend my time on A3 opportunities.
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Re: The A4 Challenge or Opportunity
Does Ricoh have an A4 that will shift sort or rotate sort?
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Re: The A4 Challenge or Opportunity
The Ricoh color A4 devices have a one bin tray, they may do what you are looking for.
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Re: The A4 Challenge or Opportunity
No, they do not The one bin is only an extra output tray, originally ment for seperating faxes
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Re: Can I Copy Mixed Sized Documents on a Copier?
I disagree. Most law firms and many insurance companies still have a commonly re-ocurring need for mixed size originals. I am currently working with one European shipping company based in NA that wants to do do mixed size originals with a mix of A3 and A4 documents. I say it cannot be done as the paper is all of different widths. I am hoping that my unscrupoulous competitive vendors will admit to the same..... not likely!!! They want the sale today! Please advise.
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Re: Can I Copy Mixed Sized Documents on a Copier?
A3 (11 x 17) and A4 (8 1/2 x 11) can be run at the same time with auto paper select making what you put in what you get out using mixed-originals and the mixed originals setting. The sizes you mention are European, but I'm sure they will work. As long as it's a standard document size it should work.
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Re: Can I Copy Mixed Sized Documents on a Copier?
Sorry, I meant to say a mix of A4 and Legal size documents. I agree most copiers should be able to do mixed size originals with a combo of A3/A4 and Letter-R/Legal. The problem I am having and I do not think it can be done is one of a mix of A4 and legal mixing North American and European sized paper in the same document. This is because the two paper sizes are of different widths.
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Re: 5 Questions for HP about the Acquisition of Samsung Printer Business Unit
PRINTING BUSINESS UNIT DIVESTMENT GUIDANCE Following is communications guidance on the Samsung Printer Business Unit Divestment includes: The Samsung Electronics Press Release Q&A for Samsung Employees and Partners Samsung Printing Business Unit Divestment Statement “Samsung Electronics has reached an agreement to sell the entire global operations and assets of its printing business to HP Inc. This transaction is part of the Company’s efforts to concentrate on its core business areas.
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Re: 5 Questions for HP about the Acquisition of Samsung Printer Business Unit
I hope HP (Hardly Profitable)'s idea of market innovation is not to make the whole industry hardly profitable. Outside sales reps need to make a buck and will not flock to a new product that dramatically reduces their commission on every sale. Kind of like the A3 to A4 transition of a few years ago. Sales reps do not want to be forced to try and sell a lot more boxes to earn the same income regardless of how great the technology might be. Did that, been there.
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Re: 5 Questions for HP about the Acquisition of Samsung Printer Business Unit
I'm not sure......will be interesting to see how the industry responds. I think it may be time for HaaS or Seat Based Billing for MFP's. Get ahead of the curve and tie up your accounts now!
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Re: Will H.P. Uber the Imaging Channel
This is a great article! One point that I disagree on is that HP will be entering the SMB market with this acquisition. What's the point? Dealers own the SMB market, and most dealers will sell whatever their customers already have. Where HP has the advantage is going into their national and global accounts where they dominate with MPS contracts on A4 devices. Finally, they can go back to the banks/governments/etc and kick out the Canon/Ricoh/Xerox A3 devices that are in there. And because HP...
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Re: Konica Minolta Acquires More Than Just Copier Dealers
Attached is the letter I received from Muratec Marketing
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Re: Top Ten Copier & Imaging Industry Predictions for 2018
11a. For 2018 the total A4/A3 print volume (compared to 2017) will reduce with 10% 11b. For the coming 10 years the total A4/A3 print volume will reduce with 10% per year and will (in 2027) only be 35% of the current volume
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Re: Canon Business Systems Pulling a Ricoh
I call complete bull **** on that. I am dealing with a customer right now whose quote from csa is 20% less than we can buy it for with all programs etc. the directs are blaming the dealers for running the industry into the ground? That's hilarious And I've heard that from Ricoh direct as well. Let's not forget who decided to bring out the A4 machines and drive the hardware revenues down to nothing and then start doing service at cost so the factory could continue to run. Those branches are...
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Re: Canon Business Systems Pulling a Ricoh
I would add a solid A4 lineup from Lexmark or Samsung. They're aggressively priced, & Ricoh would likely still consider you a single source dealer. A3 placements are on the decline, & A4 is the only growing segment, plus the aftermarket revenues and profits are higher.
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Re: Canon Business Systems Pulling a Ricoh
Yes Keith has a branch in our area but we don't run into them that much. Yes we stuck it out with Ricoh for as long as we could. We really took a hard look at the dealer/manufacturer relationship when the ikon merger happened and we saw pricing in our area that was worse than we see now. What broke the camels back was when we asked for support from Ricoh to gain some of the canon accounts that we had engaged and Ricoh told us point blank to walk away from the deals because we would never win...
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Re: Canon Business Systems Pulling a Ricoh
This has been a great thread so far! We're a mid size dealer in central pa and have most of the directs knocking around in our area. TABS, KMBS, RBS, CSA, Xerox and now Global just bought a small dealership. In addition we have quite a few other Indy dealers like us. I whole heartedly agree with what some one said before about selling the value of your company, service and the relationships. I've also told customers point blank I cannot compete with the directs price so if that's all that...
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Re: "MFP Wars" Hi Speed A3 MFP's vs A4 MFP's
Art, one of the problems is dealers servicing a machine for $30.00 a month. however, the reality is the industry has allowed the sales engine to destroy the service model. selling full service on A3 for .006 or less in volumes of 5k a month. Dealers were chasing sales revenue as they sacrificed service profits. As volumes continue declining so will margins. Dealers will begin realizing that all the A3 service they gave away is too costly to manage and the shift will begin. The A4...
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Re: "MFP Wars" Hi Speed A3 MFP's vs A4 MFP's
Hi Ray I agree with the silliness of the low cost per page for A3. However most dealers have escalators that can raise the price as much as 10-15% per year whether it's A4 or A3. AS far as the $30 per month, almost no one will send out and invoice for $30 It's either billed quarterly or annually. One thing the A4 manufacturers won't due is too sacrifice the consumables. I also believe that dealers will always find a way to make their profit, whether it's Daas, flat rate, or seat based. I...
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Re: "MFP Wars" Hi Speed A3 MFP's vs A4 MFP's
Art, another piece of the equation is that monthly units placed are 45% to 74% mono A4 in the segment 3 and segment 4 speed range. Online retail is $170 to $600 where used A3’s are three times that amount. The real question here is what these placements are doing to the service department revenue and eventually to staffing.
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Re: "MFP Wars" Hi Speed A3 MFP's vs A4 MFP's
I've always sold A4 machines where they are a fit. There are very few A4 devices that offer a low CPC. Some carry CPCs that are very high. A bigger issue in many placements is that the Automatic Document Feeders on most A4 machines are not robust enough to meet the copy scan and fax demand. Many are complete garbage. In fact I've seen the quality of the Domument Feeders on A4 units go backwards in the last couple of years as if the document feeder is an afterthought or it is where the...
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Re: "MFP Wars" Hi Speed A3 MFP's vs A4 MFP's
Amen @fisher doc feeders are inept on most A4's
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Re: HP should Buy Xerox
I am deeply concerned about the race to the bottom with A4 product. A4 product certainly gets better everyday and some salespeople say it is just as good as A3...maybe true... except for your commissions. If you like Kraft dinner or Ramen noodles, downgrade your customers from A3 to A4. Let us not forget one of the largest A4 players out there is Lexmark. Lexmark is a 100% Chinese owned company called NineStar based in Guangdong, China. If you cheer MAGA, you cannot cheer Lexmark. God knows...
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Re: HP should Buy Xerox
Appreciate the comments. However, your arguments regarding A4 vs. A3 pertain to what’s good for you. Industries which are going through disruption or when an industry’s particular product or its services become less valuable to those once dependent on them. The disease of Product-Centric thinking will infect those with a stubbornness to modify. It is not up to those who sell a product or service to determine its value. Its value is determined by those who buy the product or service.
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Re: HP should Buy Xerox
There is little to no margin in A4. Folks who want those products are just going to buy on-line. Let them. Best bet is focus on areas where you can still make money. Let other people chase the race to the bottom stuff.
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Re: The End of The Day With Ray!With Leadership We Will get Through This
Ray makes a lot of great points here! I have to break this video down, write notes and make a plan with my team. Sales could be on the downward trend through to at least Sept so it will be a good time for sales training and analyzing/ optimizing internal processes. Ray says "What is the message you are sending to your internal and external customers about how to navigate through this Corona Virus" ... I am not sure myself what that message is or should be? What is an internal customer? For...
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Re: HP should Buy Xerox
I am beginning to realize that one of the best tools to use when offering a customer both an A3/ A4 proposal is a longer term lease. Many A4 devices begin to require expensive major parts replacements somewhere around 150k to 200k prints. An A4 product could be a great solution for a customer who on average will never make more than 2,500 colour or 3,500 black pages per month x60. To sell a more expensive A3 product into that same space consider offering a 72 month lease so as to get to a...
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Re: HP should Buy Xerox
It’s about the realities of data. Over 80% of the current A3 placements fit into the volumes you discuss. The facts in the data also show that A3 equipment takes three service interactions to only one service interaction on A4 running comparable volumes. All dealers need to reach out to BEI Services and understand the realities of the total service cost, especially as DaaS becomes the new billing model. In the near future, the customers will have new options more than likely which will come...
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Re: HP should Buy Xerox
I do understand where you are coming from in terms of your data that A4 MFPs are destined to displace A3 copiers at an accelerating rate. I also agree that A3 copiers vendors need to step up their game in terms of IT support and capabilities. A3 vendors still hold a couple of cards that IT centric print resellers do not have. 1). Feet on the street, experienced outside sales reps who can make 20 cold calls a day. We are in the B2B business which to some people means belly to belly 2).
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Re: HP should Buy Xerox
Fisher give them a call I am sure they would welcome you to the team. A4 will be the future for an extremely large portion of the current A3 population.
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Re: Imaging Channel, 2019 the year of DaaS - My suggestions to help you Implement.
Anders good questions. Flat Rate billing is simply a billing method. The most vital component is understanding cost. Our industry has known customer volumes for decades. We also know it’s declining. Customers’ will not change printing behaviors based on billing. Obviously, each dealer will determine their T&C. The smart ones will focus on controlling cost of labor and increase their FCE, they will sell the right equipment in the right volume band, and they will understand the importance...
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Re: Ten Things You Need To Know Before you Lease or Buy a New Ricoh MP C3004 & MP C3504
Good machines, if you need 11x17 size paper, but I would go a different route if the customer does not need it, cheaper and reliable A4 machine like the Kyocera CS356
Blog Post
This Week in the Copier Industry 10 Years Ago, The First Week in January 2009
Ten years ago this week and what was on our minds? It was the Great Recession. I remember it all too well. Many of my accounts were in the AEC market, remember losing almost 30% of that business because of bankruptcies, companies closing and companies just buying their device once they came to the end of the lease. Hope I never have to go through that again! Enjoy the threads from ten year ago this week! Weekend Copier Notes from 1/4/09 Neal · 1/5/097:19 AM According to survey of printshops...