Walters & Shutwell Inc and Hendrix Business Systems Inc. Forge Joint Venture

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Walters & Shutwell Inc. and Hendrix Business Systems, Inc. joint venture brings managed services to Charlotte

Charlotte, NC, USA - April 12, 2013 –

Walters & Shutwell Inc. is pleased to announce that it has signed a joint venture agreement with Hendrix Business Systems, Inc. Walters & Shutwell Inc. and Hendrix Business Systems Inc. will jointly operate a managed services company named Hendrix Managed Services.

Hendrix Managed Services will provide state of the art, managed IT services to SMB and large organizations looking to reduce IT costs, enhance the end-user experience and focus on their day-to-day business.

Combining Hendrix’s superb customer service reputation, the solid performance and flexibility of Canon technology and the over 40 years of providing specialized business solutions knowledge of Walters & Shutwell Inc., Hendrix Managed Services will bring a portfolio of premier managed services to the Charlotte area.

“Technological advancements are changing the way we work and the way business gets done. The cloud, BYOD and paperless business processes present concerns and opportunities for companies of all sizes,” says Greg Walters, President, Walters & Shutwell Inc., “This joint venture, Hendrix Managed Services, will build upon Hendrix’s excellent reputation and solid managed print services practice to provide a complete IT services portfolio for the Charlotte metropolitan area.”

"This is a unique business venture," added Jennifer Shutwell, CEO, Walters & Shutwell Inc., "We are pleased to be partnering with Hendrix, an established business technology dealer with a reputation for going beyond the call of duty, yielding in excellent service for clients. Having a strong foundation built upon service makes Hendrix an ideal partner."

"We are proud and excited to be partnering with Walters & Shutwell Inc. in this joint business venture, " said Roger Hendrix, CEO, President of Hendrix Business Systems, "Their business acumen and industry knowledge will bring an enhanced level of expertise to our client base and the business community here in Charlotte."

This is a great opportunity for existing Hendrix Business Systems clients to take advantage of services typically available to large, global enterprises. Help desk, remote monitoring, NOC, backup, disaster recovery and cloud services are now affordable options for nearly every business.

ABOUT WALTERS & SHUTWELL INC.
Walters & Shutwell Inc. is a management advisory, technology services firm specializing in mobility, communication and transformation. Combining 40 years of industry knowledge with deep technology acumen, Walters & Shutwell Inc. collaborates with clients to help them become high-performance businesses.

Unparalleled real world experience, comprehensive capabilities across all facets of the imaging industry, Walters & Shutwell Inc. offers innovative business and technical solutions to enable companies to meet their business and technology goals.

Greg Walters, President
Walters & Shutwell Inc.
Greg@waltersshutwell.com
425 N. Main St., Suite B
Davidson, NC 28036

ABOUT HENDRIX BUSINESS SYSTEMS
Hendrix Business Systems, Inc. has been serving the greater Charlotte area for over 30 years. As an Authorized Canon Dealer, we provide document solutions for a variety of businesses throughout the Southeast region. In today’s fast paced environment, we understand speed is essential.

Hendrix Business Systems, Inc.
2040 Independence Commerce Dr, Matthews, NC
(704) 574-4800

013: "MpS in a Box", "Managed Services in a Box" and other Silly Things Marketing Comes up With

We can call this out, because we've been part of the movement.

I saw another services-in-a-box marketing statement the other day.  They were advertising a webinar about something or other - managed services in a box.

It struck me, weren't we just complaining about the commoditization of MpS?  Wasn't it a couple of years ago, when we started to see "MPS in a Box" offerings? And once we put ourselves in a box, are we not off to see our maker or worse, a commodity?

Why do we do this ?

Like you, we've been spoon fed the "...in a box..." value proposition time and time again.

From the word "solution" to the phrase "Professional Services", unique approaches to unique problems do not easily translate into predictable ROI.  So they box, barcode and ship creating commission gates forcing us to attach the latest software sku to our boxes in order to collect the pittance.

Think I'm wrong?  How many faxservers, DocSends or ECopy did you sell?  Without a copier?

Here's the deal - we in the field do not place our expertise in a box.  We are unique as individuals and when we discuss opportunities with clients, our uniqueness shines through.

The only people who want to place expertise and acumen in a box are those who manufacture the box.  What are they making in those plants, anyway?

• Are they assembling business solutions? No.
• Are they putting together answers to complex business problems? Not really.
• Are the container ships unloading Workflow or Process Optimization? Nope.
• How about Business Acumen?  Oh heck no.

What leaves their shores and hits our docks is a box - glass, plastic and tin - that's all.  As long as the factories kick out machines, machine based quotas will continue down stream into the trenches - from the manufacturer, to the branch/dealer, to the sales manager, down to you my good friend.  Scrub your MIF, churn n burn, and call it ALL managed services in a box.

"On the first of the month we sell solutions, after the 15th, we sell boxes..."- Ikon, 2005ish.

Remember when "think outside of the box" was the mantra of the day?  What fools we were back then, buying into the whole think differently mind set which was only true as long as our different thinking on the 1st of the month brought in more boxes by the 28th.  Fact is, back then, we could of attached George Forman grills to our copiers and people would have signed 68 month leases anyway.

It just didn't matter.

Go here for the rest of the story...

The other day, Jennifer and I had the privilege of visiting one of the premier software companies in the world headquartered locally. The campus was impressive and facilities as opulent as the Wynn.

We were there as guests invited to check out something called Visual Analytics: a long way from the Ricoh Demo-Rama at IKON.

The rest of the story...

CompTIA Unveils New Name for IT Channel’s Premier Event: Welcome to CompTIA ChannelCon

Conference will build on Breakaway legacy with more education, training and networking opportunities

Downers Grove, Ill., March 6, 2013 – CompTIA, the non-profit association for the information technology (IT) industry, today unveiled CompTIA ChannelCon as the new name and identity for its premier annual event.

The inaugural CompTIA ChannelCon is scheduled for July 29-31 at the Peabody Orlando Hotel in Orlando, Fla.

“Our premier event, known for many years as Breakaway, now has a name that truly reflects its scope,” said Kelly Ricker, senior vice president, events and education, CompTIA. “The quality of the meetings, partnership opportunities, hot topic sessions and channel-neutral training make ChannelCon an unparalleled experience in the IT industry.”

The format and content of CompTIA’s Breakaway conference has changed significantly over the last several years, shifting from an event that emphasized lead generation to a conference centered on business education and networking opportunities.

In 2010, CompTIA shifted Breakaway from a hosted industry event to an un-hosted model, where attendees chose to make their own investments to participate. The following year, a vendor-neutral channel training and education platform was added to the conference.

The introduction of CompTIA’s member communities also raised the activity and engagement levels at the event, allowing vendors, distributors and solution providers to sit at the same table to discuss best practices, address issues facing their businesses and develop initiatives to grow the IT industry.

“We embrace our role as the gathering place where industry opportunities and challenges are addressed collaboratively by all channel professionals, regardless of company or category,” Ricker said. “CompTIA ChannelCon brings together the best cross section of the industry: solution providers, vendors, distributors, analysts, media, tech associations and other channel organizations.”

ChannelCon attendees can expect great education and training opportunities, a lively vendor fair and the unparalleled access to key channel executives.

Other planned activities include:

• Workshops on CompTIA trustmarks, the business-level credentials for IT businesses that adheres to the industry's best practices.
• CompTIA Executive Certificate programs, which provide busy IT professionals the opportunity to expand their knowledge and skill sets in areas such as cloud computing and mobile technologies.
• E-learning Capstone Sessions, the final piece to completing an e-learning Executive Certificate.
• Keynotes speeches and panel discussions featuring top leaders in the business and IT arenas.
• The “Unconference Lunch”, an opportunity for attendees to drive the conference agenda.
• Private events for exhibitors.
• Best of CompTIA ChannelCon Awards.

Registration for CompTIA ChannelCon will open in mid-March. Visit CompTIA Events for the latest information and updates.

About CompTIA

CompTIA is the voice of the world’s information technology (IT) industry. Its members are the companies at the forefront of innovation; and the professionals responsible for maximizing the benefits organizations receive from their investments in technology. CompTIA is dedicated to advancing industry growth through its educational programs, market research, networking events, professional certifications, and public policy advocacy. For more information, visit www.comptia.org, http://www.facebook.com/CompTIA and http://twitter.com/comptia.
Contact:
Steven Ostrowski
Director, Corporate Communications
CompTIA
630-678-8468
smostrowski@comptia.org

Is It Workflow? Or Is It Just a Tool?

Tool: “something (as an instrument or apparatus) used in performing an operation or necessary in the practice of a vocation or profession.” – Merriam-Webster.

Back in the good ol’ days, before MpS, a few smart folks started referring to scanning as the on-ramp to document management. Not a bad way to look at it, and not a bad way to turn an ancillary tool into more than what it is – that's called marketing. It’s akin to selling copiers as “document management engines,” when all they really do is put marks on paper. It’s selling an idea, not the machine.

Today the new dimension in managed print services – workflow – is undergoing the same marketing treatment. As the rush toward this niche intensifies, intrepid voyagers be aware: There is a difference between workflow tools and workflow.

Read the rest, here.

013: Wall Street Lets Up on HP: But Why?

From the Wall Street Journal,

"H-P’s numbers buy CEO Whitman some breathing room. Hewlett-Packard Co.‘s first-quarter earnings declined 16% as the technology giant continued to see weaker sales across all its divisions, including its core personal computer business, reports the WSJ’s Ben Worthen. Shares nevertheless soared in after-hours trading as H-P’s numbers beat Wall Street estimates..."

We listened to HP's earnings call (Feb. 21st) our 4th, and for the life of me, I can't find the 'silver-lining everyone else sees - but there is one.

HP is following the tried and true public formula for companies on the mend - 

1. Admit problems...
2. Clean house...
3. Blame economic headwinds, past leadership and bad deals of the past...
4. Make the future seem as though it is going to be very bad...
5. Report numbers that are "less bad" than the original thought/projected...
6. Get the street off your back..

There's a concept in military science called, "shaping the battlefield".  In HP's case this means setting expectations so incredibly low, feeding detractors fog and allowing media-allies, 'privileged access'.

When you hear, "...HP beats Wall Street analysts projections..." question what data these analysts utilized establishing their forecast.

For the rest of us, here are the numbers that hold relevance.  The largest technology company in the world, the company that grew from humble beginnings into the corporation we all work for, the entity that rode the output wave, encouraging over printing along the way, is fighting for her life:

See the rest here.

What if Nobody Buys MFD's ?

The day MemJet rolled out their program over at the MPSA was a good day. It seemed many years since there was something new and exciting to talk about that had anything to do with hardware.

Sure, all the standard OEMs have released new models and refreshed their offerings - but they are all more of the same - well, I guess in the case of A4 to A3, LESS of the same thing. Xerography has been around for a hundred years, melting plastic on paper is mundane and even a really cool technology like melting wax onto paper has lost its novelty.

I know, I know, MemJet is simply a fast inkjet.

 They're fresh and for now, their machine is smoking fast and like no other. One more thing about MemJet - they are opening a channel specifically for and exclusively of, managed print services providers. The good folks at Memjet feel they can negate the lack of brand recognition by pairing with more sophisticated and relationship based, MpS selling professionals; dare I say, 'trusted advisors'. Resellers who have honed their skill beyond the box, earned client trust and are comfortable presenting on value, not brand.

Genius.

A few days later, we listened to Xerox earnings call.

The rest here...

Why Don't You Pay Reps Residuals on Service Contracts?

"It is time to pay sales people commission on copier service agreements.  It is time to combine all volume under one agreement, on a single invoice and pay the sales person residuals for the life of the engagement."

One of the first rules of managed print services is consolidating the decision making process for printers with the process for copiers, bringing IT and Purchasing(or facilities) together.  This usually meant getting the copier decision out of the hands of purchasing or facilities and into the realm of IT.

It was a big deal at the time and a qualification of a real managed print services opportunity - if we can't speak to the person in charge of both copiers and printers, we did not move forward.  On the other hand, once we befriend an IT director, one of our guiding principles was to shift the copier decision process into IT.  If the device was connected to the network, it should fall under management of the IT department.

It was a good idea and contributed to most every successful managed print services engagement.

But a funny thing happened on the way to managed print services nirvana - in an effort to fully understand managed print services, we, on the provider side,  chopped up all the elements of the ecosystem. We saw managed network services as separate from managed services(?).  We decided to propose MpS for printers and continue writing separate service agreements for copiers.

We dumbed down managed print services offering "advanced toner delivery services" in its stead. The printer & toner guys laid claim to MpS defining it as "printer service and supplies on a cost per image billing" sliding right into their existing model.

And the copier folks were just fine with this approach, they didn't want to change either. They didn't need to adjust the way they leased and serviced copiers, or tamper with decades old billing and invoicing policies.  No need to upset the apple cart here - service departments have been running just fine - fueled by 36 to 72 months of predictable and untouchable service revenue.

It doesn't stop here.

Read the rest...

Managed print Services: Choking on Our Own Words...

Unknown source: "I'm glad this happened..."

Think about it - in terms of the imaging, printing and copying industry...and now throw in the Information Technology (IT) industry...

How many technology webinars...are you invited to?  Do 1900 dealers need 500 webinars?

How many managed print services training classes...even come close to connecting with your reality in the field?

How many managed print services programs...teach their views, contradicting or repeating what you already know and may even do already? 

How many conferences, shows...Blah, blah to the blah....does an industry need?  Check out the VAR Guys top 100 shows for 2013:  Technology Event Calendar: Top 100 Channel Partner Conferences

Those who are able to see beyond the shadows and lies of their culture will never be understood, let alone believed, by the masses.  - Plato

Yes, we at Walters & Shutwell Inc. are guilty of contributing to the cacophony of webinars and classes, and of course, our noise is better than their noise...yeah, right.  Now it's time to eat our own dog food.  Walk the walk, not just talk the talk.  Here's a summary of our time the first six months:

Get the rest here...

HP is Not IBM

This isn't to say that Gerstner couldn't save HP - what he accomplished back in the 90's is a case study in turnarounds.  It's simply not the same environment today as it was in 1993.

There are, however, some spooky similarities between HP of today, and the IBM Gerstner inherited.

When Gerstner took over, IBM had just experienced an 8 Billion dollar loss - at that point, this was the largest corporate loss in history - their stock was down 6%.  Many pundits strongly recommended breaking IBM up into  "Baby Blues" - the breaking up of Big Blue, into little divisions and selling them off - being the only way IBM could survive.

IBM was the largest, most profitable computer hardware manufacturer of the day enjoying 40% margin on hardware. At the time, selling services was completely alien and new not just to IBM, but to an industry.

And that industry was dying.   These words from Business Week, 1992 -

"As the monolithic mainframe gives way, the industry breaks into leaner, faster, smaller parts...

It sure looks like an industry on the skids. The signs are everywhere and grow more painful every day: Worldwide leader IBM Corp. is shedding 40,000 workers this year, for a total of 100,000 since 1985. No. 2 Digital Equipment Corp. ousts its founder, after taking $3.1 billion in charges over two years to cut 18,000 jobs and vacate 165 facilities. Wang Laboratories Inc. files for Chapter 11 protection. France's Groupe Bull lays off 8,000 workers and closes 8 of 13 factories; Italy's Olivetti downsizes by 20%; Siemens Nixdorf plans to lose 6,000 workers. And the list goes on."

Gerstner incorporated a great deal of strategies, most remember and point to a few key unusual approaches that, today, are part of every company's 'come-back plan':

Get the rest on Walters & Shutwell...

Arnold.  1993 Movie -

013: Walters&Shutwell Inc: Tips on starting your Consultancy.

Those once vaulted 'cruise ships' of our industry are shedding employees by the ten's of thousands. Indeed, the channel is shrinking as well.

Some think of this as a sad occurrence. Indeed, the passing of any institution is a time for reflection.  But we look at this as a great emancipation: the release of so many from bondage.

A great majority, will head back into the nearest stockade in search of comfort and "stability" others will venture out, adventurous and filled with wonderlust.  Nationally, one of every 15 employees, or 6.5 percent of the nation's work force, are self-employed.

So here you are - anxious, excited and ready to call all your ex-clients.

But what now?  Do you use the old laptop or spring for a new device?  What about a CRM, presentation tools or web presentations?  Email?

In the old days, all one needed was business cards, a phone number and some shoe leather - not today.

Never before have there...read the rest here.

How Do We Monetize Workflow?

As far back as 1999, assessments and workflow studies were performed as a way to determine exactly where our machines fit best. They were part of a hardware play. The “study” – or assessment – became embedded into all of our sales cycles. Indeed, some sales managers used "number of assessments" as a funnel metric.

OEM training courses included feature benefits, product specification and demo scripts. The more advanced selling courses incorporated a needs assessment and cost/benefit proposal training, and for the time, those courses were pretty well received.

We attended class after class, espousing various pain points, exposing methods and techniques designed to increase your share of their wallet. Because the assessments were nothing more than a component of the selling process, we never expected to be paid for those efforts. If walking around for a few days, interviewing workers, jotting down serial numbers and printing usage reports falls under the normal responsibilities of a copier rep, why would we charge for this service?

Why? Because it is the future

I think points about volumes falling, machine installs stalling and OEMs suffering don't need to be made here. Facts are stubborn things. Print is going to fade, and if...

Read the rest here...

525,600 Minutes...How do you Measure a Year...

Walters & Shutwell Inc. and Caskey: See Your Future

There isn't much we can add to this video intro, except maybe our faces and voices.

Bill lays it out pretty well. This selling seminar will be unlike any other in the imaging industry.

Would you like to learn more? Go here.

Join us.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Walters & Shutwell Inc. Brings Enlightening Professional Selling Seminars to Managed Print Services and Managed Services Industry

Walters & Shutwell Inc.’s new seminar is focused on teaching business developers and sales professionals in the technology industry how to transform from selling independent technology products to creating long-term relationships and partnerships with “solutions” and services.

Original equipment manufacturers (OEM), channel providers and value added resellers are all facing the same issue - the changing buyer/seller relationship. This course goes beyond product selling skills, covering advanced concepts and personal development inside the new selling model.

Davidson, NC, USA - December 11, 2012 –

Walters & Shutwell Inc. announces their new seminar designed to specifically towards business to business (B2B) selling professionals in the transformation from price centric, transactional sales to consultative and collaborative business partnerships.

This seminar combines decades of B2B sales training knowledge of Caskey Achievement Strategies with real world, in the trenches copier and managed print services expertise of Walters & Shutwell Inc.

The two-day seminar, "How to Sell Premium Solutions to Price Conscious Buyers," will be held Wednesday, January 16, 2013 at 1:00 PM - Thursday, January 17, 2013 at 12:00 PM (EST) in Chicago (Downers Grove), United States.

Attendees have the opportunity to learn:

• How to reposition as an expert
• How to prosper in managed services
• How to work within the “Seek, Avoid and Remedy mentality”
• The Rules, Tools and Attitude for personal acceleration within the transformation

Additionally, case studies, open discussions and pre and post web sessions provide an immersive experience.


“Together, Jennifer and I have over 40 years field experience selling complex solutions, workflow, EDM, managed services and managed print services. Our partnership with Caskey is a perfect blend of professional sales training with real-world insights. We’re happy to be working with Caskey and look forward to helping our imaging and printing peers and colleagues transform and thrive," Greg Walters, president for Walters & Shutwell Inc.

For more information or to register go to www.waltersshutwell.com or email ws@waltersshutwell.com.

About Walters & Shutwell Inc.

Walters & Shutwell is a fresh consultancy specializing in mobility, communication and transformation. Our perspectives are unique, insightful and encompass a wide range of real world experience in the imaging and technology industries. We help clients discover new ways of actively manage the processes and resources associated with communications, mobility and transformation.

About Caskey Training

Over two decades ago, Bill Caskey set out to build a company, which focused solely on developing B2B sales, and leadership teams. From the start, his number one goal has been to educate customers worldwide. Today, our team consists of Bill Caskey, Bryan Neale, Brooke Green and Jillian Vanarsdall. We strive not only to increase your sales and improve company leadership, but also to help personal and business lives thrive.

###

Greg Walters, President
Walters & Shutwell Inc.
www.waltersshutwell.com
Greg@waltersshutwell.com, 909.239.7894
425 N. Main St., Suite B
Davidson, NC 28036

Walters & Shutwell Inc. Brings Bold, New Sales Transformation to Imaging

Do your clients consider you a vendor?

Walters & Shutwell Inc., has partnered with Caskey Training bringing a fresh approach in professional selling to the imaging and managed services industry.

How to Sell Premium Solutions to Price Conscious Buyers

One challenging aspect of selling managed services is shifting from price/transactional sales to complex/solution selling and Caskey has a solid approach to help you transform from an order taker to a selling professional or better yet, a partner.

I've listened and followed Bill for years, often recommending his material to colleagues and friends.

...there's more, go here...

January 16th and 17th: 1st Major B2B Sales Transformation Event

The time has arrived, registration is open!

Attend the first major sales transformation event of the year for all B2B sales professionals.

Why Walters & Shutwell with Bill Caskey?

Recognized B2B sales leaders coming together to deliver a seminar designed to give deeper insights to current transitions with B2B consultative selling.

Are you wanting to change your ways?

Are you wanting to improve and move ... more from transactional sales to consultative solutions selling?

Regardless of what you’re selling, we’re going inside the “how” with a new you for 2013. Join us January

...there's more...go here...

An Open Letter to the Mis-Guided in the Imaging and Printing Services Industry

Dear Mis-Guided:

May I speak to that part of your company where common sense lives? May I compel you to cease and desist in your quest to sell more, purely for the sake of selling more, feeding off the unknowing to satisfy an insatiable appetite?

You have fostered an illusion that has no basis in reality and it is destructive. If your business is to thrive, then step away from your high horse and insidious behavior, for you were never meant to be above your clients, but ...

Get the rest of the story here...

The Rising Tide of MPS Clients, Lifts All MpS Ships

Earlier this week, I overheard Greg on a phone consultation. The call was with a client from overseas. He was discussing recommendations for a global company who is deciding whether or not to renew services with their existing provider, or put together a Request for Proposal (RFP) for managed print services (MPS). The client is global, has had MPS with a provider for 6 years and is not happy.

Their goals are still not being met. We won't share names, but we'll use our experience to share our philosophy of...

"the rising tide of MPS clients, lifts all MPS Ships."

Increasingly, we are finding clients and providers of MPS seeking fresh perspectives and third party consultation to help improve their trusted advisory status. This overseas client is debating whether or not to:

(1) renegotiate with the existing MPS provider;
(2) create an RFP;
(3) bring management of print (back) inside; or
(4) evaluate MPS providers "ways/intentions/motivations", and then partner for a more trusted collaborative experience.

We work with buyers and sellers of Managed Print Services to communicate, transform and become more mobile in an increasingly transformative world.

Analyzing the nature of the relationships, intentions, responsibilities,

To Read The Rest, go Here...

Xerox and Lexmark report Qrtly. Results: We'll report and reflect

Join us October 23, 2012 at Noon, EST - just hours after each report their earnings for a quick response, reflection and opinion.

The last Lexmark announcement included an exit from the inkjet market - what next.?

Xerox continues to show more revenue from service, will this continue?

Will either mention Managed Print Services?  Tablets?

How will this affect you, if at all?

Join us for an open discussion of first impressions and exploratory predictions.

Event Registration Online for Walters&Shutwell Lexmark & Xerox Q3 Earnings Analyst Review powered by Eventbrite

The First Managed Print Services Selling Professional Survey

Are you satisfied with the current state of managed print services sales training?

Take this simple, 10 question survey about Selling MPS and MPS Sales training.  Just the beginning of our research.

I don't really believe in industry surveys as they tend to be either slanted into the sponsoring parties favor, or designed to rationalize existing clients' position  - just sayin.

But give this one a chance.  Let's see what comes out.

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey, the world's leading questionnaire tool.

Or Click here to take survey.

A "Rain Dance" for Companies

While driving through the Midwest this summer, it was  apparent they were in the midst of a drought.  Dry crops, dry grass, and smaller gardens.  The year before, some of the same areas had been destroyed by flood.

We could see where farmers had been irrigating, and where others had given up.  There was a mix of both, living and dead crops. 

Seeing the drought was affirming that water is essential, not optional for living.  If we don't have enough water, we suffer, wither and die.  If we have too much water, we are smothered and drown.  If we have the "right" amount of water, we thrive. 

Metaphorically, water communicates loudly. 

A way of looking at the health of a business is through the  theory of yin/yang (balance) and the philosophy of the five elements including fire, earth, metal, water and wood.

First, Yin and Yang are "Two forces in the universe, according to a Chinese theory:  yin is the passive, negative force, and yang the active, positive force. According to this theory, wise people will detect these forces...and will regulate...accordingly.**

For the rest, go here.

Online event registration for Introduction to the Five Elements powered by Eventbrite

Top Secret Sales Technique: Lie

This past week, I ran across two separate examples of the EvilsOfSales.

One is the implementation of the classic bait and switch scam.  From mattress sales to office products, the act is still alive and kicking.

The other comes to us from the IT side of selling.  Specifically, a 'top secret' technique proven to get you around a 'gatekeeper' and into the wanting bosom of the 'decision maker'.

If your mouth is watering just thinking about getting a super-secret way around that gatekeeper - stop reading and leave now.  If you see nothing wrong with 'stretching the truth' in order to create a target rich environment of prospects, leave and take your carpetbag full of yesteryear's sales mysticism with you.

That these activities occur, shouldn't surprise anyone.  Especially those of us who sell - and everybody sells. How many sales training courses have you been through that are nothing more than process and machinery?

What sticks in my craw is that these practices and I am sure others like them, are implemented and recommended institutionally.  Slight of hand are considered legitimate selling functions - sales people are expected to cheat customers and maneuver around people. This is old-fashioned, phony baloney, plastic banana, carpet-bagging swill.

Read the Rest, Here...

911 - Never Forget

Embracing Transformation: How to Go it Alone.

You are never really alone.

Never.

But what do you do now?

After years of loyalty, your corporate benefactor decides you're nothing more than a liability.

To them, you represent a 'cost', not revenue or profit.  Sad thing is, it was always this way - its just that the company phone, car, health benefits made the dull meetings and useless feeling in life, more comfortable - like lubrication.

Welcome to the real world.

Dust off the resume and look for another employer, which of course will mean more of the same, maybe the next company will be different.  You enjoy that...

I know you want to get another corporate job - your parents will be so proud - so while you are interviewing, working all the LinkedIn groups, why not take a look at opening your own business?

Going it alone, without the corporate support of telephones,

...the rest is here...

Hewlett-Packard will NOT "Turnaround", We Hope

Using powerful words to communicate direction is critical for large companies.  If this is true, then why is Hewlett-Packard adhering quarter after quarter to using the word  "turnaround" as a key strategic initiative?

The other day I was listening to an interview on Bloomberg with Gigaom Founder Om Malik.  He quoted a strategist friend as saying "Turnarounds never really turn."  It dawned on me that they don't turn, because that isn't the meaning of the word.   

Turnaround ultimately means reversal.  And worse, synonyms of turnaround include words such as: U-turn, annulment, backpedaling, cancellation, change in direction, doubleback, inversion, repeal, rescinding, retraction, switch, transposition, turnabout, volte-face.

   

This is not semantics!

Read the rest, here. This is Good.

Don't Tell Me The Sky is The Limit, When there Are Footprints on the Moon

July, 1969.

I was seven years old and like the rest of the world, glued to the TV.

Those summer days we watched that huge Saturn V rocket lift off then counted down the days before mankind would finally step onto a alien landscape.

Our tour guide was Walter Cronkite - arguably the last newscaster who understood the story wasn't about him, it was about us.

Neil Armstrong and crew landed on the moon July 25.  A few weeks earlier, June 3 to be exact, the last episode of Star Trek aired on NBC.

Read More --

Go Ahead...Pull My MpS Finger...

I gotta plug this - the picture alone is worth it!

Over at the Business Transformation Center, on CRN and sponsored by Xerox, I have a little column going.

"AskGreg" - It's like the old "Dear Abby" columns only not.

Sure, I'll answer Managed print Services questions - I can and HAVE talked MpS in my sleep.

But what I would really like to discuss is how MpS has changed lives.  How mobility print is non-existent or why MpS won't matter in 10 years.

I'd love to answer those burning sales questions like, "Why do my prospects hang up on me?" and "How come my sales manger doesn't know how to sell?" or "Do I really sell solutions on the 1st and boxes on the 25th of the month?"

Oh yes, the fun we could have.

So go here and ask to your heart's content...ask me anything about MpS, technology or remote control nano-bots - if I don't know the answer, I'll make one up.

Cheers!

HP to Report Biggest Loss in it's History...Setting the Stage for the Greatest Show Ever

Huge losses, massive layoffs, transformation on a global scale - and yet is seems more is needed.

How about creating a Mobility Practice and doubling, no tripling, no quadrupling down on a the consumer play and go after the BYOD crowd? With a tablet?  Knowingly competing with the iPad, iPhone, iWhatever?

Goodness.

Not my words, from Venturebeat:

"...It(the Q3 loss) is likely to be the worst loss since HP started in 1939. Chief executive Meg Whitman is still coming up with plans to turn around the company, after a year on the job. One of her initiatives is to cut HP’s staff by as much as 27,000 over a couple of years, recording a charge of $1.5 billion to $1.7 billion.

HP is banking on a revival for its PC business as Microsoft launches its Windows 8 operating system on Oct. 26..."

HP plays to the street, always has. So Meg is rolling a bunch of bad news into one announcement, a cleansing of sorts, the loss from EDS as well as the hit generated by layoffs and early retirement offerings presented for all to see. (Who gets to retire, with full benies nowadays at the age of 47?!!)

I am rooting for Old Blue.  I see a future for HP, there just isn't any printing involved; 3D or otherwise.

Read More...

HP Into A Perfect Storm? No. More Like Galactic Meatgrinder

I guess when others say it, it must be true.  I mean, if some guy with a blog and a leopard headband spouts off about "ignore this" and "Hawk" that, he's just a lone voice in the darkness, right?

Sure.

In a recent All Things D article, Arik Hesseldahl reflects upon analyst Chris Whitmore of Deutsche Bank Securities review of sales trends over the last 10 quarters at printer companies including Canon, Epson, Lexmark, Xerox and Hewlett-Packard.

Deutsche Bank calls the combined sales for equipment and supplies down 6 percent year on year.

Huh.


Let me outline a few of the high-points from Arik's retelling of the Deutsche Bank report:

Credit: Deutsche Bank

Supplies and equipment sales are down 6%, year to year

Six percent is significant

Sales of printer paper, A3/A4, fell 6% in the
2nd quarter to levels that are 20 percent below the 2006 peak

Interesting how paper sales peaked a year before the copier/MFP revenue peak of 2007(Lyra).

Read the rest ...