"Staples Enters Managed Services With New Division......Includes Printer Management"

"Staples Enters Managed Services With New Division......Includes Printer Management"



Staples Dives Into Managed Services With New Division
Feb 16, 2010

Staples announced today that it has launched a technology unit to deliver everything from data center hosting to printer management to network services.
The division, Staples Technology Solutions, is the combination of two acquisitions by the retailer in recent years. In 2008, Staples acquired Corporate Express’ imaging and computer graphics supply business. In 2006, Staples acquired Thrive Networks.
Until now, those IT services were lumped under the Staples Advantage division, the business-to-business unit. Staples revenue is split fairly even between its retail and B2B units.
Under the Staples flag, the company will have a more coherent message to deliver to small and mid-sized businesses and Fortune 1,000 companies, said Jim Lippie, vice president of Staples Network Services.
“We are the IT department for many customers on the small end. Our sweet spot is companies with 40 to 50 employees,” said Lippie in an interview. However, Staples also provides labor to augment existing IT departments.
Lippie said that Staples Technology Solutions has about 400 employees focused on managed services, network administration and other IT tasks. In the field, Staples Technology Solutions competes with CDW and local and regional resellers.
Staples Technology Solutions has the following services:
Managed services and on-site and remote server and desktop support
Printer fleet management
Data center assessments and supplies
Procurement software that leverages Staples e-commerce
Competitive Takeaway:
While details are still vague, Staple describes its "Print Management Service Offerings" to include bundled services and flexible payment options. Additional research is underway to determine the extent of its MPS capabilities, targeted customers, third party providers, etc....
A potential threat to Ricoh dealers
Staples claims there is no overlap between promoting Staples Technology Solutions and its retail stores and that the two sides of the business focus on entirely different markets. (stores are focused on micro-businesses.....one to five workers, while the new STS offering is expected to target mostly mid-market opportunities)