Search This Blog

Thursday, December 31, 2009

Happy New Year, Good Riddance 2009, Let's Rock in 2010



So here we are - a year gone, one more trip around the sun. A nostalgic look back, the bright embrace of a future unknown. 

And how will we measure 2010, a mere 525,600 minutes away? In midnights, laughter, strife or cups of coffee? 

For your enjoyment; one reflective the other celebratory, enjoy and Happy New Year. 

 

Toast to many Good Nights!

My 2009 Favorite Posts: 11

While reviewing the past year's worth of posts, I stumbled on some of my favorites and a few that churned up some interest.

The Death of Managed Print Services : Photizo Identifies The Fourth Horseman

Copier & I.T. Sales People - Skip the Product or MPS Launch/Training - Get Business Training

MaNAgeD PRinT SerVIces - Does it Really Matter How WE Define It?

Killer Toner is Back: New Study Confirms Laser Printers release "tiny toxic particles" - But so does making Toast.

12 Things I Hate About Managed Print Services

Danger! Danger! Anyone Who Sells in Our Industry, The Copier Industry: Change or Die. I ain't kiddin either

The Demo From Hades: This Is What Happens When You Take Your Eye Off Your Opponent

Is Your Managed Print Services Practice Customer Centric or Process Centric? - Maybe We Should Ask Your Clients.

The Death of Managed Print Services : Photizo Identifies The Fourth Horseman

The "Hunters vs. Farmers" Sales Metephor - It's Dead: Let's Break Out of The Box

Today, I Had Drinks with a Hero...


Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Clouds of Misfortune Rolling in On The Winds of Change: Copier Industry Next to Fall?

12/2009 -

"It's the End of the World as We Know It."

"The Future Ain't What It Use to Be."

"Fail to study history, doomed to repeat it."

"See, I told you so."

"I shaved my legs for this?"

The other day, I read a post over at Callinan's blog, here. It's good, it's about changes in our industry.

And Ken Stewart has a pretty good grasp on the subject as well, go here, and see his newly re-minted theme - it's to die for!

I've run into a flurry of statements, lately, like these,

"...copier dealers need to change or die..."

"...MPS is not getting the return we expected..."

"...the best way to sell MPS is to start with changing people..."

"...how can we adopt MPS when one of the MPS goals is to reduce MIF..."

"...this will kill the industry..."

Monday, December 28, 2009

State of California Shuns HP in Favor of ACS - EDS Fallout?

At first the announcement by California Department of Health Care Services, stating it intends to award a $1.4 billion, 10-year contract to Dallas-based Affiliated Computer Services, may not seem to fall within the MPS wheelhouse.

Under terms of the proposed contract, Affiliated Computer Services would process claims for 7 million Medi-Cal beneficiaries, starting early next year.

What makes this interesting to me is the fact that Affiliated Computer Services, ACS, has recently been purchased by Xerox.

And the current provider, for the last 18 years, was not HP but EDS - HP inherited the account when it purchased EDS.

Get use to this battle - HP and Xerox fighting over a "service", not hardware.

Still think I'm crazy about the "Death of the Copier"??

This could possibly effect some 2,000 jobs here in California.

Besides all the Xerox vs. HP intrigue, why is it that my state officials can possibly justify risking thousand's of jobs by not utilizing a Californian company?

I guess MPS is not the only place where logic sometimes does not prevail.

More here.

And here.



Friday, December 25, 2009

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

NER to Sell Imaging Supplies and Printer Parts Business Units to Clover Technologies Group


So, let me get this straight.

HP reaches out to NER as a "toner provider" less than six months ago, and that ISN'T enough to save a Division?

NER is selling off it's toner and imagining supplies division to concentrate and focus on Managed Print Services and Data Center Infrastructure.

The toner and supplies division is being gobbled up by Clover Technologies.

From the Clover site:

"...Founded in 1996 and with annual revenue of over $300 million, Clover is the global leader in providing businesses with total environmental solutions, including the recycling and remanufacturing of imaging supplies. Clover is the world's largest collector and recycler of cell phones, inkjets and laser cartridges. The complete line of Clover's quality toner and ink is available through leading office products distributors and resellers and marketed under a variety of private label brands..."
-----

Dropping the overhead intensive to concentrate on services - interesting.

GLASSBORO, N.J., Dec. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- NER Data Products, Inc. (NER) announces the sale of the NER Imaging Supplies division and its wholly owned printer parts subsidiary Image1 to Clover Technologies Group Inc. (Clover). The agreement will transfer all imaging activates including compatible laser toner, inkjet, narrow and wide impact ribbon production, and printer parts to Clover.

Clover will assume responsibility for the NER Denver, Image1 Plano, and NER Glassboro supplies operations that support these business units. Customer and vendor relationships will be assumed by Clover and business will continue at all of these locations. In addition, NER is pleased to announce that over 80% of the NER employees at these locations will become employees of Clover as of the first of the year.

"The decision to sell off business units is not taken without great consideration," said Stephen Oatway, President of NER Data Products, Inc. "Approximately seven years ago, we began the process of strategically transitioning the company from offering commodity products to offering value-added solutions. As a result of our efforts, we have become a leader in both Managed Print Services and Data Center Infrastructure Solutions.

In reviewing the direction of the company it was determined that a concentrated focus on these divisions was in the best interest of the company, shareholders, and customers moving forward. This strategic move allows us to focus resources on those business units that are poised for the greatest growth in the future."

The sale will be finalized December 31, 2009 and terms of the transaction are not disclosed. The newly reorganized NER will be strongly positioned to continue providing industry-leading Managed Print Services and Data Center Infrastructure Solutions to their channel partners and their customers.

Current customers for Imaging Supplies and Image1 products can find information about the business transition on the NER website -- www.nerdata.com






Managed Print Services Survey Over at P4PHotel: Xerox Didn't Sponser It, So Gartner Won't Cover It.

Art at P4PHotel has had a poll running for around a month - interesting and not so surprising results.

I have cut and pasted his entire article. You can find it here.

To me, this is a timely reveal, for I have, at this very moment, two separate "doom and gloom" MPS articles almost ready for post as part of my "Decade's End" run of pontifications.

Enjoy this.

Managed Print Service Poll "Review"

We've had this poll running for about a month now, or is it more like three weeks.

Ah, can't remember it's the end of the month, the quarter and the year and I'm being hammered every day about sales!!!!

Ok, back to the poll. We asked: You're now selling Managed Print Services "Your thoughts now". Basically tell us, it is working for you or not!

Here's the choices that vendors had to choose from and the percentages:

It's been a great success for us 27%
It's been ok for us 26%
It's not reaping the profits we thought it would 37%
If we had to do it over, we would not have gotten into MPS 10%

Very interesting to say the least, it seems to me that 47% or almost 1 out of every two vendors are not happy with the move. I thought it would have been more like 80% would have agreed with "It's been a great success for us".

I'm a follower of MPS, I believe it has it's place, however if 47% are unhappy, why is that? It's obvious that I can't answer that question, so I reached out to a friend of mine Greg Walters with Death of the Copier in Southern Cal, here's what he had to say......check back here in a few hours for the response!!

Here's Greg's opine:

You5 study does not surprise me. I know of a few very successful MPS Practices. But I have been taking many, many questions in the past 5 months all around getting an MPS Practice "going".

It seems that most MPS practices are set up on the wrong premise. Whether MPS is thought of as a marketing ploy to move more equipment, a strategic motion to secure existing accounts or a way to capture ongoing, single function volumes, most attention has been focused on "programs" and internal tactics.

We are ignoring or missing the Client in all this.

And...

All the MPS momentum gained from MPS ideas and programs and goals and potential is being bled off before it gets to the Selling Professional. Either the MPS philosophy is so weak, the sales person ignores and continues as always or the MPS philosophy is so complicated and nebulous, the sales person ignores and continues as always.

Here's the secret - Your study does note reflect MANAGED PRINT SERVICES problems, your study reveals basic, selling problems.

Put that on your whiteboard and gaze upon genius...

LOL!

Greg Walters
-=Good Selling=-




Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Coming at Turn of the Decade: DOTC DEFINES Managed Print Services, once and for all.

I know, you're breathless with suspense.


January 1, 2010.






Monday, December 14, 2009

2009 - "Copier Industry: Change or Die."



I was sitting in on a super-secret, MPS industry insider Webinar the other day.

I admit because I am all things MPS, little surprises me when discussing the MPS Ecosystem - except the freakin obvious and blatant issues that have been right in front of me all along.

I was half listening to the presenter answer the question, "how do we, as dealers, go from a Stage One MPS(equipment-centric) dealer to a Hybrid Dealer?"

Waiting for the inevitable, "you need Ownership buy-in" or the tried and true, "you need a strong infrastructure to support your MPS Team" and the ever popular, "retrain your Sales Staff", I was half paying attention.

Nope. Nadda, zip.

The answer was,

"CHANGE PEOPLE. It's too difficult to re-train from a transaction-based sell to consultative-based sell."

Shall I translate?

If you are selling copiers today, you had better change your ways and go with a company that still thinks they can train you into a consultative selling cycle before they figure out it's too difficult to teach old dogs new tricks.

But it's worse.

If the salespeople can't be changed then sales management can't be re-tooled, so they must go as well. Up the food chain, it goes until it ends with the King Bottle Washer himself, the Owner - on top, and all alone.

Granted, we should consider all factors. For instance, the fact that right now, there are likely 7,000 dealers, out of 15,000 or so, who have embraced MPS.

The old statistic (Photizo) stated that 50% of the folks who don't embrace MPS will be gone - but things have changed.



"CHANGE PEOPLE. It's too difficult to re-train from a transaction-based sell to consultative-based sell."


Now, if you aren't changing to the Hybrid Dealership model, not the iTex one, you will be gone.

That means that even if you do embrace MPS, if you aren't all in, you will be all out. Understand?

I know what you're thinking, "Sure, you big goof, copier sales are changing, but MPS is just the latest marketing scheme designed to sell more units. Everybody will need a copier, forever."

If you are a reader of mine, you may remember an article or two where I go off the deep end proclaiming that one day, HP won't sell printers. Yeah, right, I'm nuts.

A little History Lesson:

There once was a company, a global company, whose selling model included always sending at least 3 company representatives to every sales call. This company was the behemoth of technology. Large, foreboding, industry-defining - they told their customers what to order and how much to pay.

Nearly every person on the planet at one time or another had heard of this company. They were the barometer of American Technology - what was good for them, was good for the country.

America sent men to the moon and the back of this company's knowledge.

It seemed at times, that they would be around forever - selling bigger, faster, and more expensive devices. Devices are in high demand and built by only this company. Their equipment defined business processes and demanded their customers bend to the needs of the machines.

Who?

International Business Machines, Big Blue, Big Iron, IBM. In 1977, IBM had 300,000 employees.

The PS/2, ThinkPad, System 36, AS400 - OS/2, token ring...all gone. When IBM made the decision to move from the hardware business to business process and finally into Business Services - people thought they were nuts.

Manufacturing plants shut down. Divisions were sold off. Ten's of thousands of employees are gone.

How do you think those "big iron" salespeople responded?

Do you think the same people who sold these colossi one day just decided to offer business consulting?

No. No, they did not one day just decide to offer business consulting.

Sure, Big Blue tried to retrain. At the time, IBM's training regiment was known to be the best in the industry, the best anywhere; weeks were spent in Armonk, NY.

How do you think that went? Well, one day, somebody somewhere looked at this new business model, looked at all the training that had gone on, and then, glanced at the net new accounts list - it didn't add up.

So, did they redo their infrastructure or vamp up the marketing? Did IBM hire a bunch of consultants and try one more time to retrain the sales team?

Nope.

They CHANGED PEOPLE.

By the way, the one who let this cat out of the bag, was with IBM back then. Huh.

This has all happened before, in nearly every industry; technology, transportation, entertainment, hospitality, automobile...publishing, music...every niche...airports, filling stations, grocery stores, and retail.

Why should our little, 3 decades old, industry be any different?

I for one think we need to CHANGE PEOPLE. By CHANGE PEOPLE, I mean to change the way you are, not the members of the team.

Copier folks, anyone who sells in this crazy mixed-up world of output, are the most resilient and adaptive bunch out here, in the real world.

We can change. You can change.

Study history, or be doomed to repeat it.

12/14/2009

Saturday, December 12, 2009

IKON, a Ricoh Company, Could Rule the Managed Print Services Ecosystem - Who?


At the bottom of the page, you may have noticed two graphs.

One showing the number of Managed Print Services Jobs offered and another reflecting Copier Sales jobs postings.

These graphs have been here for a while now.

The other day, I decided to drill down into these numbers and ran a quick query for "managed print services specialists IKON".

Boom. Twenty eight returns, from all over the country, posted within the LAST 23 DAYS.

Managed Print Services Specialst - IKON.

It's no secret I feel and have always felt that, on paper, IKON is the best positioned entity to jump into MPS.


Before RICOH, their position would have been stronger.

But today, with IKON's Facilities Management history and expertise, coupled with an absolutely stunning collection of supported Electronic Document and Workflow Management software packages, all IKON needs is to be a bit more hardware agnostic and shazam, MPS up to the Fourth Stage.

Check out my article back in July, here.

I know that was history - but, lately, for no apparent reason, IKON is popping up on my radar more and more - My MPS'dar, not copier radar.

What gives?

Well, looking at the locations where MPSS are about to be hired, I would say a national wave of MPS is what "gives".


IKON is on the MPS prowl.

Check it out, here.





Friday, December 11, 2009

The Printer and Copier Sales Decline in UK is "Over": Hurd's Word Tempered

Just over 1 million multifunction printers and standalone printers and copiers shipped during the 3rd quarter, in the UK.

This is down 3% from a year ago, but is not as bad as the 22% and 30% tumbles in the German and French markets, Gartner said.

Tosh Prabhakar, senior analyst at Gartner, was downbeat about short-term growth prospects.

"I cannot see things dramatically improving in the next six to nine months. The hardware is very mature and there are no compelling technologies that will drive the market forward," he said.

Remember Hurd's Words during HP's fourth-quarter financials meeting; he forecast a significant rebound in sales as companies upgraded ageing technology.

Pent up demand may lead to a call to that 800 number,(have you tried flicking it?).

Indeed, if Hurd's word is true, the inventory challenges of the LAST FOUR MONTHS, may be behind us by February, releasing the flood gates and fulfilling months of backed up orders.

Thus, resulting in an apparent, yet manipulated, rebound.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Source article here.


By the way, if you get the reference to "flicking" it, drop me a line.


Chattanooga Court: Judge Implements Behavior Modification, Reduces Copier Cost by 50%



If you are pitching MPS to the Chattanooga Court, the Judges have gotten you beat.

Assessment? We don't need no stinkin Assessment!

Judge Bales said,

"Our copier was breaking down once every six weeks before we restricted it to judges and our staff.

Since then our copier has not broken down in more than a year and we have reduced our maintenance and paper cost by more than 50%..."
----------

MPS can help you maintain HIPPA compliance:

"...We found one attorney xeroxing(ack!) 148 pages of medical reports that was not even related to any case in our court..."
----------

Don't forget how MPS can enhance your output security:

"We were able to restructure the offices of our staff this year securing our equipment and giving them a little more privacy and security."

----------

MPS reduces hard coffee costs and improves your ethical appearance, too:

"...Judge Moon said, "There are also major fiscal concerns as well as ethical concerns in closing access to our kitchen.

We have five judges and three staff members in our General Sessions Court. Only three of the eight drink coffee and yet we have previously had the highest coffee expense in Hamilton County for any office our size.

Our annual coffee bill was approximately $2,600 annually for only three people. After restricting our kitchen to judges and our staff and terminating a very expensive coffee service, the expenditure is now less than $500.

We have, therefore, saved taxpayers more than $2,100 annually..."

I am not making this up...here.






Thursday, December 10, 2009

Self Promotion - Big DeathOfTheCopier Style...

I was asked early on by Ken Stewart, "Why do you write your blog?".

My answer was simple and honest, "Because I like to read what I write."

It was and still is the truth.

Since starting this little hobby, I have met great people, been published more than a dozen times, interviewed and quoted often, elected MPSA Secretary, queried about everything from SOW's to RFP's to MPS SLA's - indeed I seem to have a following.

Some call me an "expert" - believe me, I know the term is relative.

People say I am opinionated (DUUH), readers have challenged my views(always welcomed) and I hope I have ruffled my share of old-skool feathers.

Along this journey, I have met and commiserated with fellow bloggers - we, my group, my cadre of colleagues, have been at this "Internet thing" for just about the same amount of time. We are diverse, pertinacious and customer-centric.

Yup, even the guys who "aren't in sales".

Some readers at first, mistake this blog to be a tool to increase sales, bash Xerox, promote HP and poo poo differing views.

More typical, most get a kick out of dropping in, reading something about their industry and taking a chuckle with them. And that to me, is the best anyone can ask.

So, when recognition comes my way, I tend to tout. Why not?

There is a firm out here on the Left coast, Gap Intelligence, a marketing intelligence organization.

Jake writes their blog.

His latest entry starts with,

"...It is no secret that blogs have become a go-to source for topical news and entertainment in recent years. As both print and online media outlets struggle to monetize their products, the targeted insight provided by some blogs has changed the way that many people, including myself, find their news. Below is a review of my favorite industry blogs..."

Of course he mentions DOTC, but what's interesting to me is that 3 out of the 7 he likes, and one of the honorable mentions, are acquaintances. Some are part of my cadre.

So good company, indeed.

This is an excerpt from his post about DeathOfTheCopier,

”...opinions of writer Greg Walters can range from being a visionary to being dangerous. Regardless of the various opinions, Greg should at least be commended for finding so many pictures of women with copiers or women with fish (why fish?) to go with each and every post. He’s got to run out some day.

Plus he starts posts in ways that always crack me up. This one is classic:

A couple weeks back, while off the grid, I had an epiphany of sorts.”

You can’t make that stuff up and I am sure he was serious. I’ve never spoken to Greg, but I can’t help reading that line in a Christopher Walken voice/cadence..."
------------
Well, Jake, my pic's HAVE indeed raised a few eyebrows. The source is limitless.

I have been compared to John the Baptist and called a Provocateur. Knowing how John found his end, I prefer the later.

The Fish Girls, some of the most popular Girls of DOTC, are window dressing for the Name the Fishie contest.

I give thought to the leads in my stories - the "epiphany" did happen, in the Sierra's, late at night, under the Milky Way, next to a fire, over a few Double Jacks, on the rocks.

Yes, there can always be more Cowbell.

And thank you, very much for mentioning this tome, this odyssey.

Also, I dedicate the above pic to you..."there's Gold in them-thar hills".

Ok, ok, you see, she's painted gold, like the Oscars and the Emmy's, get it?

Check out Jake's post here.




Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Gartner at the Print and Imaging Conference: Take Aways

"Companies are saying that managing print is one of the most effective ways to manage costs," - Frederico de Silva Leon, principal analyst at Gartner.

The Print and Imaging Conference was recently held here in LA and Gartner chimed in with some observations of the MPS Ecosystem.

Based on an article over at Channel Web, Gartner is illustrating information most of us have been living with for two years now.

For instance, Gartner reports,

"Customers are also looking for ways to improve their business processes. Up to half of a knowledge worker's time could be spent printing and looking for documents,...This is a an area where we could see significant improvements."

Huh, who woulda thunk...And welcome to the party!

Maybe I am a little, what's the word, jaded - but isn't this the third generation of "johnny come lately's"? Me being part of the second.

That's fine, the MPS boat has lots of room.

In a nutshell, according to the article, Gartner believes:

- Companies should move to a three year refresh rate on printers
- Employees could be spending up to 50% of their time printing documents
- It is better to purchase a color device if monthly volume is below 5,000
- Printing hardware cost is falling
- Color pricing is falling
- Purchasing color devices that emit 5,000 images a month could save $1,000.00 per year
- Less 11x17 and more A4 devices would be better
- Keep an eye out for "smart MFP's"

Additionally, another principal research ananlyst with Gartner defined MPS as,

"...as a series of steps for cutting print costs, including an assessment of a company's current fleet of devices and printing requirements, technology and processes to optimize the management of that fleet, break-fix and management services, management of the hardware and consumables, and training..."

- I guess we can finally put this little debate aside.

But why stop at defining MPS, why not endulge in creating, I mean describing, MPS best practices:

-Create a strong corporate governance environment
-Carefully manage the transition to managed print services
-Holistic management of the service

Huh, again, who woulda thunk...Yes, I am being very sarcastic.

To be serious, I only ask, "Hey Gartner, where ya been for the last two years? Getting wine'd and dine'd by all those Upper Right Quadrant dwellers?"





Gartner's Magical Quadrant and The Scales of Justice

On December 4, 2009, ZL Technologies filed an amended complaint against Gartner, Inc. in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.

The Court granted ZL the opportunity to clarify and augment our earlier allegations of defamation and trade libel.

In the first round of ZL's legal dispute with Gartner, Gartner argued to the Court that its rankings and other statements in the proprietary Magic Quadrant Reports are merely opinions that are not based upon fact, and that they are understood as such by the readers of those reports.

However, Gartner's past statements in marketing materials, white papers, blogs and even the Magic Quadrant Reports themselves, assert that their research and analysts' opinions are based on a body of facts compiled through what is asserted to be a rigorous process.

The amended complaint clarifies ZL's contentions about the inaccuracy of Gartner's reports, the inherent conflict of interest arising out of Gartner's voluminous business with the vendors it reviews, and its subsequent bias towards large and established vendors. The amended complaint also adds new detail about Gartner's repeated claims that its research is based on objective facts a position exactly opposite to the stance forwarded by Gartner in court.

While this case is focused on ZL's dispute with Gartner over the erroneous statements in Gartner's publications, the issues here also implicate Gartner's larger business model.

Gartner plainly admits that it attempts to leverage value from its largest clients, many of whom are also vendors covered in the company's research.

ZL's legal filings describe how that business model causes Gartner to favor those large companies at the expense of identifying the best technologies, thus misleading not just the vendors who are inaccurately reviewed by Gartner, but the consumers who base their IT purchasing decisions on Gartner's biased research.

ZL is seeking injunctive relief as well as compensatory and punitive damages from Gartner.

The amended complaint can be found here:

http://www.zlti.com/courtdocs/docs/First_Amended_Complaint.pdf





Monday, December 7, 2009

Today, I Had Drinks with a Hero...

April 1941, Pearl Harbor.

The newly wed couple fresh from the states live in a one bedroom house. They share the shower, and toilet with 2 other couples. He a Naval corpsmen, his beautiful young bride the homemaker.

After being married a few months and living with family in a small, cramped California house, they journey thousands of miles and half an ocean's distance to finally live together alone.

Together in Paradise.

This is Oahu, April of 1941. Cane fields surround the lazy, sleepy town of Honolulu. Soft, tropical breezes stir through the palms drying out remnants of morning showers. The island was home to 50,000 service men but it still had only one traffic light.

Hawaii is a US Territory, statehood nearly two decades away. The town has one road in and out; no skyscrapers, mega-resorts, or miles of lights, to wash out the stars of the night sky.

A time as foreign to us contemporaries as the surface of Mars.

On the morning of December 7th, eight months after arriving in Paradise, and a mere 30 minutes before "all hell breaks loose", this sailor gives his new bride a kiss on the cheek and heads of to another day doing whatever a corp man does. She expects to greet her husband at day's end, with a home cooked dinner.

At work, a line of gray battleships - the might and power of the United States Navy - are tied off - "Battleship Row". They carry names of honor; Nevada, California, Tennessee, Maryland, West Virginia, Oklahoma, Utah and Arizona.

This sailor will be late for dinner.

His name is Jack and her name is Mary. Jack is my wife's, mother's uncle and is one of the few remaining Pearl Harbor survivors. It is always an honor to share adult beverages (yes, plural) with him. Jack is 89 years young.

His life story includes witnessing and surviving the attacks of Peal Harbor, evacuating his new bride months later on a troopship.

From Pearl he was ordered to Southampton, England to setup a medical facility in preparation for a secret "big push" in Europe - D-Day. His facility receives the casualties from the beaches of Normandy.

Not long after, he is ordered aboard a "tin-can", hunting German U-boats in the North Atlantic. He has a most vivid memory of he and his destroyer shipmates rolling along in swells, seasick and miserable, looking over at the sailors on an carrier, playing ping-pong on the fight deck.

Now a days, he lunches with his pals at Denny's or Big Boys - his "pals" include WWII aces, test pilots, Medal of Honor recipients.

He belongs to organizations whose rosters include men with the names of Yeager, Lindberg, Hoover and Doolittle - Jimmy Doolittle's grand daughter has been to his house often researching her next book.

His life is full of experiences, ghastly visions and terrible smells:

Memories of the battleship Nevada beaching directly in front of him on Hospital Point.

Bremerton bay from the deck of a shattered Enterprise.

The rumble and flashes in the pre-dawn sky of June 6th.

Rolling seas, frigid, arctic salt air, under a gray, troubling sky in the North Atlantic - do those memories sustain him and give him pause? Of course.

Yet, I suspect that those 8 months on Oahu, from April to December, memories of two young lovers in Paradise - I think those memories sustain him to this day.

He is a Hero. He does not think of himself as a hero, they never do.

He offers us his memories, his history, to sustain us, not him.

Jack is a "Living History Speaker".

He and a group of survivors visit schools and tell kids about December 7th and the War - refreshing. Alas, I fear, more kids have been subject to Nobel Prize winning Enviro-mercial, "Inconvenient Truth" than Jack and his pals could ever reach.

Very unfortunate, when considering the biggest risk Al Gore ever took was operating his cherry-picker.

Paradise Lost.


Saturday, December 5, 2009

Clarion University Saving Money with The First Two Stages of Managed Print Services


Stage One and Stage Two of the MPS doctrine - but not Stage Three, yet.

The project was led by the university President. (C-Level sponsorship)

Purchasing and IT worked together.(prerequisite to moving forward)

A study conducted. (Assessment)

Machines removed. (Primary Goal of MPS)

CRD revamped. (CRD's can be included)

From 0.12/B&W to 0.035/B&W.(Quick Win, hard cost savings)

Six Million Images in the first year. (Baseline measurement)

Early in February 2010, Clarion University Purchasing, Computer Services, and IKON/Ricoh will be holding a demonstration of methods and equipment for the rest of campus. IKON/Ricoh will be training staff and faculty on the use of new equipment. (On going MPS Engagement)

Partnered with Ricoh/IKON(throw everything I said above, out. Its a CPC not MPS)


Printer changes saving Clarion University money

Clarion University is looking for budget savings one printer cartridge at a time.
President Joseph Grunenwald with the printers and ink
cartridges removed from offices in Carrier Hall.

Printer cartridges, the type used in all desktop printers appears to be a small budget item when purchasing decisions are being made. Clarion University discovered that on a large scale this commonly used product results in thousands of dollars in purchases each year, leading to an effort to curb this expense by moving to centralized print devices.

Led by President Joseph Grunenwald, the administrative offices in Carrier Hall are leading the way for campus. Most all of the desktop/personal printers, including those in the president's office, have been removed. A Ricoh central printer/copier/scanner, for use by the entire floor has replaced the personal printers. One centralized networked printer will serve as backup per department.

"Our intent is to look at how the entire campus copies and prints, and what to do on campus with copiers and printers," said Rein Pold, director of purchasing.

The analysis was eye opening. There were roughly 540 print devices (mostly Hewlett Packard) on campus, which used $60,000 a year in print cartridges. Clarion spends $12-15,000 per year to purchase printers and an additional $4-5,000 per year to maintain the devices. The cost to print from these devices is six to 12 cents per black and white copy and 15 to 32 cents per color copy.

During 2009, a switchover started. Ricoh Equipment installed 27 color/black and white and 44 black and white only copiers on campus. The copy volume during the first year for these 71 machines was almost six million black and white copies and 250,000 color copies. Factoring in the cost of toner, maintenance, and other supplies, the cost per copy was .03 to .035 cents per black and white copy and .08 to .09 cents per color copy.

"We didn't invent this process," said Pold. "Hewlett Packard removed all non-networked printers from its corporate headquarters in 2008 and they make $21 billion per year selling printer cartridges. Clarion is approaching this idea cooperatively so the employees understand going to the right place for the right job is the most cost effective approach. The Ricoh copiers became the default printers for all people working on a floor or in a department, with each employee having the ability to print directly to that copier through their personal computer. The machines can also be used as copiers and can scan printed items so it may be e-mailed or faxed.

"This has been a cooperative effort of purchasing and computer services," said Pold. "Steve Selker, and Scott Bauer from computing services led the efforts to set up the new equipment."

Pold also sees PAGES (Printing and Graphics Express Service), Clarion University's own full-service printing, copy and promotional center, being reintroduced as the shop where volume work for campus can be completed. PAGES will hold an open house early in 2010 to demonstrate new services and equipment.

Early in February 2010, Clarion University Purchasing, Computer Services, and PAGES; and IKON/Ricoh will be holding a demonstration of methods and equipment for the rest of campus. IKON/Ricoh will be training staff and faculty on the use of new equipment.

"What Clarion is doing is unique within the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education," said Pold. "No one else has the cost-per-copy program that Clarion has. President Grunenwald was on board early supporting this process, leading by giving up his own printer."

Clarion University is the high-achieving, nationally recognized, comprehensive university that delivers a personal and challenging academic experience.



Posted by University Relations on 12/4/2009 9:00:00 AM





Friday, December 4, 2009

Comcast Buys NBC or GE Sells NBC: Why does this matter to you?

Twenty years ago, Comcast was new to our area.

Back then, I remember over a few brews, discussing with a cadre of friends, of all things, how computers could bring the telephone, TV, and Cable all together.

At the time, it was called "convergence".

Well, as we see today with the smart phones, and connectivity to the Nth degree, the great Mash-Up is here, has been here, and will continue to expand into every facet of our lives.

This is a big move in many ways, not just about technology and business, its touches every corner of our life - Media.

Press Release:


The following is the full text of the press release regarding Comcast's acquisition of NBC Universal, sent Thursday at 6:16 a.m. Eastern.



PHILADELPHIA & FAIRFIELD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA, CMCSK) and General Electric (NYSE: GE) announced today that they have signed a definitive agreement to form a joint venture that will be 51 percent owned by Comcast, 49 percent owned by GE and managed by Comcast. The joint venture, which will consist of the NBC Universal (NBCU) businesses and Comcast’s cable networks, regional sports networks and certain digital properties and certain unconsolidated investments, will be well positioned to compete in an increasingly dynamic and competitive media and digital environment.

The combination of assets creates a leading media and entertainment company with the proven capability to provide some of the world’s most popular entertainment, news and sports content, movies and film libraries to consumers anytime, anywhere. The joint venture will provide consumers the broadest possible access to content, and support high-quality, award-winning content development across all platforms including film, television, and online. It will be anchored by an outstanding portfolio of cable networks and regional sports networks that will account for about 80 percent of its cash flow, including USA, Bravo, Syfy, E!, Versus, CNBC and MSNBC. The joint venture will be financially strong with a robust cash-flow-generation capability.

Under the terms of the transaction, GE will contribute to the joint venture NBCU’s businesses valued at $30 billion, including its cable networks, filmed entertainment, televised entertainment, theme parks, and unconsolidated investments, subject to $9.1 billion in debt to third party lenders. Comcast will contribute its cable networks including E!, Versus and the Golf Channel, its ten regional sports networks, and certain digital media properties, collectively valued at $7.25 billion, and make a payment to GE of approximately $6.5 billion of cash subject to certain adjustments based on various events between signing and closing.

Comcast Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Brian Roberts said, “This deal is a perfect fit for Comcast and will allow us to become a leader in the development and distribution of multiplatform ‘anytime, anywhere’ media that American consumers are demanding. In particular, NBCU’s fast-growing, highly profitable cable networks are a great complement to our industry-leading distribution business. Today’s announced transaction will increase our capabilities in content and cable networks. At the same time, it will enhance consumer choice and accelerate the development of new digital products and services. GE has provided NBCU with a great home and has dramatically and positively transformed the business. We are honored that under this agreement Comcast would take over the stewardship of this important collection of assets and are absolutely committed to investing in NBCU and ensuring that it is a vibrant, financially strong company able to thrive in a rapidly evolving marketplace by delivering innovative programming. We are particularly pleased to be creating this new joint venture with GE and Jeff Immelt and to have their continued involvement.

“For Comcast, this transaction is strategically compelling and will generate attractive financial returns and build shareholder value,” continued Roberts. “It is also expected to be immediately accretive and will also allow us to maintain our strong commitment to returning capital to shareholders– all while increasing the scale, capabilities and value of our cable distribution, content and digital assets.

See the rest here.




Fishies Name Number Three: "Dar"

As in Darwin. Another Red Fish named.

Named by Daniel Ruymann from SIGMAnet, out here on the West Coast.

Daniel is one of those Selling Professionals whose skills come naturally, because he is a natural.

He is a detail-oriented, high energy professional with 21 years of experience in Information Technology; proficient in various disciplines including technical consulting, project management and business development.

An entrepreneurial thinker with master communication, presentation and leadership skills; competent in complex negotiations and a proven talent managing a diverse work force in a collaborative team environment comprised of associates, vendors and clients.
----

All that aside, I have worked with Daniel a great guy.

Thanks for the name.

I believe there is one more name awarded - announced next Friday.


Thursday, December 3, 2009

Photizo Group Announces Call for Speakers for 2010 Managed Print



2009

If you don't know by now, Photizo is the leader in MPS related research and stuff; it's all they do.

I doubt very much they will be buying a knitting or supply chain research company in the very near future.

I shall be in Austin, attending, and speaking at the MPS Conference.

Of course, just like all other conferences, the best conversations and discussions occur "after hours" over "adult beverages" but the day-walker sessions are very informative.

If you have something to contribute to the MPS Ecosystem, drop them a line and get behind the podium.

Otherwise, make sure you reserve a spot and a hotel room early - and don't worry, the river isn't that deep should you fall in, you can walk to the shore.
----------

Opportunity to contribute thought leadership in billion dollar MPS
market

Lexington, KY – December 3, 2009 – Managed Print Services end users and channel partners are invited to share their best practices and successful case studies at the 2010 North American MPS Conference May 3-5 in San Antonio, TX. The Photizo Group is accepting proposals for panels and sessions at this premier industry event. The deadline for speaker submissions is January 15, 2010.

The conference is designed for all types of MPS experience and interest. MPS decision makers, vendors and channel partners benefit from the rich agenda of relevant topics. CIOs, CFOs, IT managers, facilities managers and purchasing departments who have implemented MPS or are considering it can learn from best practices, case studies and how-to guides. Vendors, resellers and infrastructure providers gain information on the emerging hybrid channel, infrastructure, best practices, research and market projections.

The 2010 MPS Conference will also include the popular pre-conference workshops for end users and channel partners having limited MPS background and experience. The pre-conference sessions focus on establishing a solid foundation of MPS knowledge.

“We welcome session ideas from anyone in the MPS marketplace. Given the wide range of topics that can be accommodated by the two track format and the pre-conference workshops, we expect an enthusiastic response from speakers who would like to share their knowledge with this audience,” said Ed Crowley, Founder and Senior Partner of the Photizo Group.

The Photizo Group hosts the annual MPS Conference.

The MPS Conferences address the urgent need for information about the fast-growing managed print services market. The Photizo Group estimates the MPS market is now worth over $25 billion globally and projects a $60 billion industry by 2013. Signaling strong market support for the second annual North American MPS Conference, industry leaders OKI Printing Solutions and Ricoh have already signed on as
Platinum Sponsors for the 2010 event. Print Audit has joined as a Silver Sponsor for the event.

Speaker forms and topic information can be found at Http://www.mpsconference.com/forms/2010NA_speaker_app.html.

Applications for speakers must be submitted by January 15, 2010. For information about MPS 2010 sponsorship and exhibiting opportunities, agendas and registration, visit www.mpsconference.com.

# # #

Media contact:
Misty Hamel
+1-617-921-5725
mhamel@photizogroup.com





Paper industry looks to copier segment for growth - India

An article from The Hindu Business Line, states,

"...for every candidate an IT company takes on, paper manufacturers sell over five reams, about 2,500 sheets, of copier paper directly related to the recruitment process in the form of letters, instructions and training manuals..."

Wow - so every time an IT organization hires an employee, we use five reams of paper?!!

WHAT?

We've talked about this before - India is a fast growing MPS, target rich environment and HP knows it.

More

"...HP sells over 70,000 machines a month and the numbers are growing, says a paper marketing execute..."

Huh.




Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Gartner to Acquire AMR Research, Inc.


The Magic Quadrant may be looking to encompass more than IT concerns.

AMR conducts research for supply chain and IT Executives.

See, I told you IT Executives were identical to Purchasing Agents.
--------------------

STAMFORD, Conn. - Gartner, Inc. (NYSE: IT), the leading provider of research and analysis on the global information technology industry, today announced that it has agreed to acquire AMR Research, Inc. for approximately $64 million in cash, subject to certain closing adjustments. With projected full year 2009 revenues of approximately $40 million, AMR Research is a leading research and advisory services firm serving supply chain management and IT professionals. The firm is recognized for its research focused on the intersection of business processes and technology for the supply chain professional.

The acquisition of AMR Research is expected to expand Gartner’s suite of research offerings and also complement its consulting and events businesses. Moreover, the addition of AMR Research’s experienced sales team should enhance Gartner’s ability to further penetrate the vast market opportunity for syndicated research. The combination is also expected to drive operational efficiencies and cost savings.

Xerox Scammed out of Supplies - Customers Buy From Shell Companies


From the City of Brotherly Love - Three guys and some wax.

Three men are accused of ordering supplies from Xerox, through shell companies, and paying for said supplies with false bank accounts.

What do you bet these guys were on the other end of the phone, requesting "serial number and current volumes" from your clients?

Tsk, tsk, tsk...

These three stooges, allegedly ran companies named B&N Group and Huntingdon Valley School of Graphics out of the same office.

They also had a company named Digital Express Graphics authorities reported.

The bootie?

Boxes of ink sticks, $90,000 worth, for the Phaser 7500 color printer - the sticks have not been recovered, police said.

Detectives arrested the men Monday night on several theft-related felonies.

The accused are Nathan Allen Kriegler, 42, of Michael Road in Northampton; Ryan Allan Pollack, 33, of Glen Place in Elkins Park and Evan F. Appel, 33, of Valley Glen Road in Elkins Park.

Each defendant faces six third-degree felonies, which are punishable by up to seven years in prison.

Article Here.

Ricoh Develops the World’s First Biomass Toner

More green Ricoh.

I have been to the Ricoh plant here in Costa Mesa, Southern California.

At the time, the plant had a "zero to landfill" designation.

This was years ago, and impressive. I forget which devices are produced there, it doesn't matter.

Ricoh is another company that walks the walk as well as talks the talk when it comes to green.

The Green Movement may be more puff than fact, but if you believe, you should live by those beliefs.

Enjoy.

Sustainability is crucial to society’s survival.

Ricoh believes that a company must take responsibility for all the materials used in its products. Ricoh does this while focusing on two points: minimizing the amount of resources extracted from the natural world, and finding alternatives to resources at risk of depletion.

Toward this end, Ricoh is actively converting the materials it uses from non-renewable petroleum resources to reproducible biomass as well as recycling its products. Biomass plastic has already being used in some Ricoh products.

In a recent highlight, Ricoh developed the world’s first(*) biomass toner as a genuine manufacturer’s supply item, and released machines that utilize this toner in the Japanese market. About 80% of conventional toner is petroleum-based resin. Our new “for E toner” however, has a biomass content of 25% of the entire mass including the resin.

The “for E toner” will help reduce environmental impact in the following two ways:

1) Suppressing CO2 emissions from burning the toner printed on used paper.
(Including toner elements separated from the paper in the paper recycling process.)

2) Reducing the use of depletable petroleum resources

Ricoh got an early start in using biomass toner in actual products. We will continue accumulating technologies and know-how on the biomass toner, with the goal of preserving the environment.

Please refer to Biomass Toner Technology and Development of alternative materials using biomass resins for detail.

Press Release here.




Tuesday, December 1, 2009

UK's Printing Practices Are Worst In Europe

In the note of international-ism, here's a little article slamming the United Kingdom's printing practices.

Before we all start painting rooftops and all, it should be noted that the research supporting this less then "green", black mark, was conducted by Ricoh.

Could this be an applicaiton of the classic, "create the problem, then solve the problem" approach?

You be the judge.


November 30, 2009
By Sophie Curtis


The UK is the worst country in Europe for sustainable printing, with companies wasting up to five percent of their turnover in printout, according to research by Ricoh.

The UK's adoption of sustainable document strategies is the worst in Europe, according to new research by printing specialist Ricoh, suggesting that British enterprises are unaware of the potential to use green practices to cut costs.
Ricoh's Document Governance Index – which assigns a numerical value to environmental aspects of document governance such as recycling, setting targets, auditing and employee behaviours – placed the UK in seventh place out of seven, scoring only 38.5 out of a possible 100.

France came top the league with 43.5 percent, followed by Italy (42.7 percent) and Germany (41.7 percent). However, none of the countries surveyed scored more than 50 percent of the total, suggesting that there is still significant room for improvement in sustainable printing strategies across Europe.

According to the report, most European organisations are failing to centralise their document governance, with only 33 percent of companies claiming to have implemented a fully developed strategy to deal with paper and energy wastage. This means that many companies are overlooking tactical actions they can take, not only to improve sustainability but to reduce costs as well.

Paper wastage is one of the highest costs to businesses, with the total spend on document management in Europe currently exceeding 14 billion euros per year – up to five percent of annual turnover. Despite this, 32 percent of business leaders allow employees to do what they like with regard to duplex printing (printing on both sides of the paper) and 19 percent are either still in the planning stages or have no plans to implement a duplex printing policy. Only 18 percent have implemented a such a policy company-wide.

One of the main obstacles for companies attempting to develop a green printing strategy is a lack of awareness among employees. The report found that almost half (47 percent) of European business leaders are unfamiliar with their company's recycling policy and 40 percent with their toner recycling policy.

“Despite sustainability being an important fixture on the business agenda, and documents making up an essential part of day-to-day business operations, there remains a lack of awareness of the role that document governance can play in driving both environmental and business efficiencies,” said Tom Wagland, manager of Ricoh's Environmental Management Group. “Businesses need to act now by taking some simple steps to improve the way they are managing and controlling their document workflows.”

One of the ways that Ricoh proposes to combat this problem is with its Pay Per Page Green consultancy service, which it claims can limit the environmental impact of its products by shifting the emphasis to the cost of output, and charging a fixed fee, agreed up front.

“We take a cradle-to-cradle approach to sustainable innovation; offering products and services that contribute to environmental preservation from design to recycling,” said Shun Sato, vice president of Ricoh Europe in a statement in February.

Efforts to sell green printing strategies generally rely on having fewer printers, under tighter central control, with some sort of "pull-printing" service so users can't get their output without a security token, reducing the dangers of a shared output tray. “We must constantly be rethinking current practices in the light of new technologies and sustainability issues,” Lexmark's director of sustainable affairs Béatrice Marneffe told eWEEK Europe in June.

Although printer manufacturers' motives are arguably mixed, since they profit from extra output, they say customer demand is helping the sustainable approach: “It's not in our interest for customers to print less, but it is our business to make a profit from what the customers want,” Graham Long, vice president of Samsung’s European printing operation, told eWEEK Europe in July.

Earlier this year, HP launched a similar service to that of Ricoh, which it says will cut enterprise printing costs by over 15 percent, and reduce carbon footprints, if companies sign up to a total print service managed by HP.



Monday, November 30, 2009

The Word From Hurd: IPG Growth Includes Wal and K*Mart

One word kid, one word..."Kiosk...Kiosk...Kiosk..."

Ok, that's three words.

I have seen the future of Edgeline and it is at K*Mart.

HP's notorious inventory challenges are reportedly behind them, and 2010 looks to be a year of "recovery...and attack..."

IPG is leaner, meaner and looks "...to drive further share in installed base gains with double digit printer unit growth in Q1..."

Hurd's remark about IPG expansion around "100's of photo kiosks..." piqued my interest.

Somebody, somewhere, somehow, is manufacturing EDGELINE engines. The Final Destination just isn't a department in your corporate accounts, it's underneath a blinking, blue light, in isle 13.

Hurd-

"...IPG is poised for recovery and is getting on the attack. As we enter fiscal year 2010, the headwinds in channel inventory are behind us. We expect supplies growth to improve with economic trends, and employment levels and project a flattish result in Q1.

Demand is also improving for our printers.

We gained share sequentially and we expect to drive further share in installed base gains with double digit printer unit growth in Q1. Due to improvements in our cost structure we can do this while remaining within the 15 to 17% operating margin that we laid out at our analyst meeting in September.

IPG is also gaining significant traction with its growth initiatives. We deployed hundreds of photo kiosks this quarter at Wal-Mart and look forward to further expansion in 2010.

Recent studies released by market analysts highlight HPs leadership in managed print services with more signings than any of our competitors. We're encouraged by our Managed Print Services funnel, which is at record levels, these deals are generally for multiple years and have a high attach rate of supplies.

In commercial print the analog to digital page shift is occurring and we are leveraging our technology to accelerate the transition. Partnerships with industry leaders like Pitney Bowes, RR Donnelly, and web press purchases from communication leaders, Omnicom demonstrate the power of our portfolio and capabilities. We expect you will hear more partnerships from us shortly.With our significant market leadership and broad patent portfolio, we are well positioned to capture this significant page opportunity..."

For a good re-cap, check out Jim's blog, here.






Your Managed Print Services Association International Board Member Election: It's Your Association - Globalized


As part of the MPSA, it is my duty to promote the MPSA and it's events.

I have never considered this a "duty" - and it is was great pride, I cut and paste this announcement from the site.

In less than eight months, the MPSA has now expanded international, with seven candidates vying for two international board member openings.

A listing of complete bio's here.

Hakam Abu-Risheh: Gulf Commercial Group

Mr. Hakam Abu Risheh has been at the helm of GCG since 2003 and has played a pivotal role in establishing the position of market leader that GCG enjoys today. He was previously with El Ajou group in Saudi Arabia as General Manager for its Canon operations, and also had additional responsibilities for the Unisys and Pitney Bowes product lines. He holds a Bachelor Degree in Electronics from the University of Manchester in the UK.

Ravi Balaguragi: Mustafa Sultan Office Technology Co LLC

Johan Kosters: DOCplus

Mr. J. Kosters has been an industry expert and ‘docaholic’ for more than 20 years. Since 2002 he is an independent consultant in the imaging, print and mail industry. Before this he has held several positions within Océ's research, sales, training and business services. In 2004 he founded DOCplus Consultancy, supporting clients with improving their document infrastructure and processes. DOCplus Consultancy has built an independent leadership position for document output management strategy development, purchasing support and ongoing end-user service level management of MDS/MPS engagements.

Graham Mann: The Danwood Group

In standing for election to the MPSA board I have put together the following profile with highlights of my industry background, significant accomplishments and what I can offer the MPSA and its members.

My name is Graham V Mann. I was born in London in 1959 and currently hold the position of corporate accounts director working for Europe’s largest independent print management services company – The Danwood Group. http://www.danwood.co.uk/. My background is mostly sales, however I am trained in marketing with Institute of Marketing Qualifications. More recently I have learned an appreciation for project management skills and understand the value this brings to a successful MPS offering. Outside of work I enjoy spending time with my family and am actively involved with local community cricket and football clubs.

Robert Newry: NewField IT

This is an exciting time to be in the industry as we transform from a box led proposition to a service led one. There are many choices and challenges to address and the Managed Print Services Association (MPSA) provides a much needed independent source of advice, discussion and standardization. My experience at NewField IT where we have been involved in 100+ MPS type projects in 31 countries is why I feel I can bring a knowledgeable and independent view to this diverse and fast evolving area.

Uwe-Jens Nonnsen: Self employed Consultant

My experience in this industry goes back to the 70’s. As Managing Director of the German subsidiary of Nashua Corporation, Nashua, N.H. I established mid of the 80`s the foundation for an ever growing and prospering organization. I stayed Managing Director throughout the acquisitions and mergers performed by Gestetner in 1990 and followed by Ricoh in 1995. In 1991-1993 I also was as MD in charge for Gestetner Denmark and Sweden. 1995 was the start of NRG Group Plc. (Nashuatec/Rex Rotary/Gestetner) – a 100 % owned subsidiary of Ricoh Tokyo. All subsidiaries of NRG operated parallel and competed with Ricoh’s own subsidiaries.

Peter Strohkorb: PS Consulting

Peter is a hands-on Consulting, Sales & Marketing professional with over 20 years senior management experience in B2B Solutions. He enjoys coming into organizations to either start new lines of business, or to take existing businesses to the next level.

Peter is a specialist in Managed Print Services. He recently joined CSC Australia to build the Enterprise Print Solutions business. Previously, he spent seven years at Canon where he started and built the Solutions and Managed Document Services business from zero.

---------------------
Become a member, vote here.








Friday, November 27, 2009

Obama Taps Ursula: Go Science!

President Barack Obama today named Ursula Burns , chief executive officer of Xerox Corporation (NYSE: XRX), to help lead a national program aimed at honing students’ skills in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

The education initiative is expected to help the country sharpen its competitive edge in innovation and regain dominance in the technological revolution sweeping the globe.

The project will be led by Burns; Craig Barrett, former chief executive officer and chairman of Intel Corporation; Glenn Britt, chief executive officer of Time Warner Cable and Sally Ride, former astronaut and president and chief operating officer of Sally Ride Science, in conjunction with the Carnegie Corporation of New York, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

"Companies like Xerox succeed through innovation, collaboration and the fresh ideas of our people. If we inspire young people today, we secure our ability to innovate tomorrow. Innovation is central to our nation’s overall growth, to our quality of life and to our success in the global marketplace" said Burns, whose own personal journey from the classroom to the C-suite reflects the benefits and opportunities of a STEM education. Burns is a mechanical engineer who joined Xerox as student intern nearly 30 years ago and progressed through the company in a variety of engineering, product development and management roles. She was named president of Xerox in 2007 and became chief executive officer of the company on July 1.

An important first national step to improve math and science achievement, the initiative plans to broaden job opportunities and quality of life for more Americans. The team is expected to work at a rapid pace similar to the space race 50 years ago and focus on mobilizing the resources needed to raise the level of math and science learning for all students. The program will explore how new technologies, social networks and other resources can be used to connect teachers with professionals and companies and improve student performance in science, technology, engineering and math education.

Burns serves on the board and works with a number of institutions and organizations that are advancing STEM initiatives. Among them are the National Academy Foundation, MIT, and the University of Rochester. Burns is also a member of the advisory board for FIRST - (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), an organization that, through robotic competitions, fosters student interest in innovation and engineering. Xerox was a founding member of FIRST and continues to support the organization today.

In addition to FIRST, Xerox traces a 50-year commitment to the power of education, investing in a number of programs. The Xerox Science Consultant Program is one of the longest running industry-education partnerships in the country. For the past 40 years, Xerox scientists and engineers have worked in the class room to make science fun for hundreds of thousands of elementary students.

Xerox has also invested several hundred million dollars in educational grants to fund programs and scholarships at universities and science centers throughout North America. Thousands of students have received educational assistance through Xerox’s Technical Minority Scholarship Program.








Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving: Here's The Waiver Your Guests Should Sign.


Happy Turkey Day.

Be thankful.

And have your guests sign off on this document, before they enter your abode.




Click to email me.

The Game Continues - Big Copier Players Battle for 3 Point Business: Sign on To Be Premier Purchasing Partners' Whipping Boy


You're perched in a crowded lobby waiting for the appointment you landed two weeks ago.

Next to you is your Sales Manager, on your lap, your Pitch Book.

Across the lobby, a large, disheveled man is torturing the circa 1950's plastic chair; a desperate example of the ultimate carpet sales person.

Next to him, a hot little number with what appears to be floor covering samples by her side.(resilient)

A thought flashes through your mind as the receptionist calls your name, "thank goodness I sell output solutions and not floor wax..."

The dirty secret?

You are all waiting to pitch the same person.

Good Luck with that.

Announcements, from the "wire":

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - (Business Wire) Premier Purchasing Partners, LP, today announced new agreements for flooring carpet and resilient.

New agreements for carpet have been awarded to J+J/Invision of Dalton, Ga.; Mannington Commercial of Calhoun, Ga.; Masland Commercial Inc. of Mobile, Ala.; Mohawk Industries of Marietta, Ga.; Shaw Industries Inc. of Dalton, Ga.; and Tandus US Inc. of Dalton, Ga.

New agreements for resilient have been awarded to Amtico International of Atlanta; Armstrong World Industries Inc. of Lancaster, Pa.; Mannington Commercial of Calhoun, Ga.; Mohawk Industries of Marietta, Ga.; and Shaw Industries Inc. of Dalton, Ga.

Premier Purchasing Partners has signed supply contracts with Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A. Inc. and Ricoh Americas Corp., both of New Jersey, and Connecticut-based Xerox Corp.

Under the agreements, the companies will supply printers, copiers and facsimile machines to members of the Premier health-care alliance.

Premier Purchasing Partners is a unit of Premier Inc., the largest health-care purchasing alliance in the United States. The parent company recently announced it would make Charlotte its corporate home, moving its headquarters from San Diego and adding 300 jobs here over the next five years.

Premier currently employs 750 in Charlotte.

The company represents 2,200 nonprofit hospitals, including Carolinas HealthCare System, Gaston Memorial Hospital and Stanly Regional Medical Cente.

Go Copiers!
----------------------

You and I both know that somewhere in the bowels of Konica Minolta, Ricoh or Xerox, some poor schmoe is "high five'n" another schmoe, congratulating each other on "landing the Premier deal" - you just know it.


Pity the newbie-rep who gets to respond to the RFP.







Monday, November 23, 2009

HP Profits UP 14%, IPG Revenues Decline 15% but Profit Remains Steady

Fresh after last weeks stunning numbers, Canon Down 54%, Ricoh Down 69%, Xerox Down 50% - Profits? We Don't Need No Stinkin Profits..., HP and IPG, make the scene in a relatively rosey manner.

If by "rosey", you mean a 15% decline in revenue...


From the transcript, Catherine A. Lesjak - HP Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer:

"...Turning to imaging and printing, IPG continues to deliver over $4 billion in operating profit annually with Q4 operating profit totalling $1.2 billion or 18.1% of revenue. In Q4, revenue improved 14% sequentially to $6.5 billion as printer demand begins to pick up. We are reinvigorating the core business by driving adoption in high page output areas such as wireless printing, office jet pro, and multi-function printers.

In addition, we are driving growth in long-term, high value annuity businesses such as managed print services and retail publishing. We have been expanding our retail publishing pilot with Walmart. We have begun to deploy our self-service photo kiosks at Walmart and this win, coupled with other major retail publishing wins such as Kesko, Duane Reid and K-Mart Australia represents a significant proof point in IPG's scaling of its contractual businesses.

Operationally, IPG is in much shape as it enters 2010.

It has made significant progress in its cost structure, inventory management, and overall operational rigor. These improvements give us capacity to invest in unit placements while maintaining industry leading profitability. Going forward into Q1, we expect to have double-digit unit growth while at the same time delivering operating profit in the range of 15% to 17% as we outlined at our analyst meeting in September..."
-------

Imaging and Printing Group (IPG) revenue declined 15% to $6.5 billion.

Supplies revenue was down 8% while Commercial hardware revenue and Consumer hardware revenue declined 32% and 17%, respectively.

Printer unit shipments decreased 20%, with Commercial printer hardware units down 38%and Consumer printer hardware units down 14%.

Operating profit was $1.2 billion, or 18.1% of revenue, versus $1.2 billion, or 15.3%of revenue, in the prior-year period.

So, it looks like even with a 32% decrease in revenu(Commercial hardware), Operating profit remained steady at $1.2b compared to $1.2b last year.

Further investigation reveals that HP experienced a 8% increase in services revenue and HP Financial increased 5%.


Good review here.






Friday, November 20, 2009

DeathOfTheCopier Name the Fishies, First winner: Gazpacho


Ok, now honestly, we really do have too much time on our hands, don't we?

"Gazpacho" - a red, Spanish soup. Perfect!

The fishies are red, the name fits.

Nathan Dube thank you for your participation and continued patronage.

Expert Laser Services provides the full range of office imaging solutions from single laser printer repair through comprehensive printer fleet management for clients all across southeastern New England. From Nashua, NH south to Springfield, MA and Providence, RI over to Hartford and the Northeast corner of Connecticut, from metropolitan Boston west and across Worcester County we offer...


Expert printer service with a fleet of fully equipped technician vans on the road daily to provide on-site convenience as well as F-A-S-T response! Laser printer repair and copier service requests can be submitted 24-7 via our printer service page.

Digital black & white and full color copiers from Konica Minolta.

Top-of-the-line laser printers from Hewlett-Packard, Konica Minolta Printing Solutions ( Formerly QMS ) and Xante.

Cutting-edge Muratec fax and multifuntional.

Entry-level and enterprise-wide document management and document capture software.






Thursday, November 19, 2009

Copier Crime Update: John Buonomo jailed for stealing coins from copiers


This guy ran for Mayor of a small town. Twice.

I first talked about this back in August of 2008. The cops got him stealing coins from copiers on video - 18 times.

He has been sentenced to 30 months behind bars.

Buonomo will be eligible for parole in 15 months and could 10 years of prohibition.


Article here.









Wednesday, November 18, 2009

MPS Conference 2010: Oki In The House. Print Audit in The House. RICOH in the House.


And by Ricoh, do I mean IKON?

The list of sponsors continues to grow for the 2010 MPS Conference in San Antonio, May 3-5, 2010.

Mirroring the European version, this session will hold a pre-conference workshop providing the basics of Managed Print Services for folks who have less background in the Managed Print Services Ecosystem.

These tracks are golden.

One track is dedicated to decision makers responsible for implementing MPS engagements in their companies. The other track is specifically for dealers who are developing MPS offerings for their companies.

This conference is specifically geared toward Managed Print Services - the MPS that goes beyond CPC, assessments, Scope documents, etc.

Last year's conference was full of exuberance and mirth, most the advice and back room chatter rolled along the "this is what you SHOULD do" talk track.

This year, I image there will be more of the "this is what you SHOULD NOT DO, because I tried and it didn't work..." conversations; over adult beverages, served up by scantily clad, college coeds, at Coyote Ugly.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.



Lexington, KY – November 18, 2009 – Signaling strong interest in the second annual North American MPS Conference, industry leaders OKI Printing Solutions and Ricoh have signed on as Platinum Sponsors for the 2010 event. Print Audit has joined as a Silver Sponsor for the conference scheduled for May 3-5 in San Antonio, TX.

“The MPS market has only begun to take off, and as the opportunity grows, so does the need for real information and ideas to make the most of it. The success of the inaugural 2009 conference in San Antonio and the European MPS Conference in Amsterdam validated the need for ongoing educational forums dedicated to the MPS marketplace. The early commitment of these high-profile sponsors shows the industry is ready to support professional learning venues like the MPS Conference,” said Ed Crowley, founder and president of the Photizo Group.

Photizo Group, leading research firm specializing in the analysis of the printing and imaging industry, hosts the series of MPS Conferences dedicated to decision makers and providers.

About 150 MPS decision makers and providers from as far away as Dubai and India attended the 2009 North American conference to gain insight to the developing trends in managed print services and document output management as strategies for sustainable business practices and organizational cost reduction.

“We are proud to be a Platinum Sponsor and view this conference as a substantial opportunity to listen, learn and enhance our services to meet the needs of MPS Customers world-wide,” said Mark Boelhouwer, Vice President of Strategic Marketing, Ricoh Americas Corporation.

Return of Popular Pre-Conference Workshop for MPS Novices

The 2010 MPS Conference will feature the popular pre-conference workshop providing the basics of Managed Print Services for decision makers and dealers who have less background in the world of managed print.

These sessions will concentrate on providing a solid foundation of the subject and offering practical strategies when selecting an appropriate MPS partner or provider for first-time MPS engagements. A two-track format offers targeted educational opportunities for MPS professionals. One track is dedicated to decision makers responsible for implementing MPS engagements in their companies. The other track is specifically for dealers who are developing MPS offerings for their companies.

The conference also features two tracks, with the first for end users (CIOs, CFOs, IT Managers, Facilities Managers and Purchasing Departments) who have implemented MPS or are looking to implement MPS in the future. This track offers best practices, case studies, how-to guides and more. The second track is targeted at vendors, resellers and infrastructure providers, with information on the emerging hybrid channel, guides on infrastructure, best practices, research data supporting MPS beyond typical anecdotal evidence, projections about the market and more.

“We are delighted to take part in the conference again this year,” said Dena Bernard, Director, Customer Satisfaction and Services for OKI Data Americas. “As a Platinum sponsor, we are able to contribute to a valuable, informative event that will continue to have a positive impact on the MPS industry now and in the future.”

Conference Focused on MPS Success

The Photizo Group estimates that the MPS market is worth over $25 billion globally this year and projects it will be a $60 billion market by 2013. The MPS Conferences address the urgent need for information about this fast-growing managed print services market. Conference content features case studies, panels, exhibitions and interactive sessions that highlight successful approaches and practical ideas from actual MPS engagements. MPS decision makers, vendors and channel partners benefit from a rich agenda of relevant topics.

Registrants can take advantage of the Early Bird rate, with special discounts off the pre-conference workshop and conference, as well as a package price for both events. Details and other conference information are available at http://www.mpsconference.com.




Contact Me

Greg Walters, Incorporated
greg@grwalters.com
262.370.4193