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Showing posts with label greg walters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label greg walters. Show all posts

Sunday, January 22, 2023

ChatGPT: The Exciting and Alarming Capabilities of Artificial Intelligence


Joe Rogan transcript, through ChatGPT, Jan 16 2023.  Article in the style of NPR.

The Joe Rogan Experience, a popular podcast hosted by comedian Joe Rogan, recently delved into the topic of ChatGPT, a large language model trained by OpenAI. The conversation, which included guests from the tech industry, discussed the potential implications of the technology and its ability to generate written language that is often full of true information, but difficult to verify.

when something unexpected happens, like the pandemic, there is a broad-scale failure across entire disciplines where nobody seems to get it right. He added that in a world where ChatGPT is able to generate things in plain English

Friday, March 19, 2021

It's Time to Refresh Your Website, isn't it?


Q1, 2021.  Covid19 is magically fading and people are starting to break out of their homes and hunker-down mentality.

We don't know how the next 18 months will pan out.  Certainly, 2021 will be nothing like 2019.

The business to business realm is pivoting and re-aligning everything from employee work environments to remote customer engagement protocols.  Everyone, providers, and customers are considering the following aspects for the 'new way':
  • Remote work
  • Remote customer engagement
  • Social selling
  • Video
  • Omnichannel approach
  • Introvert vs. extravort
All dynamic issues.  The question arises, with everything that's changed in the last 18 months and all that will in the next, why is your website stuck in the year 2019?

Consider this:  prospects are going to the web daily, you understand this fact - most prospects know more about you BEFORE reaching out to you directly.

The bedrock of your web presence is your dot Com, you're website, and here's why you should consider and re-build your website:
  1. Business has changed
  2. Common and shared struggle 
  3. Changes in Facebook and Google
Changing times -

Before Covid19, your web presence supported the face-to-face customer experience, now it is reversed.  What you say and do online, drives how customers feel about you.  A screen does not convey the same emotion as "belly to belly", but emotion does get through and it is easier if your prospect feels confident BEFORE the Zoom session.

Common disaster - 

Covid19 was and still is a struggle.  The impact will be felt for the next couple of decades.  Unlike a hurricane, earthquake, or tsunami, EVERYONE experienced the Chinese flu.  We all went through the same struggle.  Your prospect might around the corner or on the other side of the globe, they went through this just like you have. 

This is a bonding experience like never before.  Tap into this energy with an authentic approach.

Facebook and Google Are Not Your Friends -

You are not their customer.  You are the product. One of the millions.  In 2021 both FB and Google are changing their algorithms and hiding end-users from potential sellers.  This is a move towards privacy much like Apple just implemented.  Apple is blocking user data from data collectors and marketers - it is going to be more difficult to reach prospects directly - you're going to need to ATTRACT new relationships.  Enter your circa 2018 website.  Ug.

Here's the deal.  Websites are considered primarily static; once created, they never really change that much.  Environments like Facebook, allow for up to the minute updates and announcements, but your audience is controlled.  Search results on Facebook may include your competition.  Also, customer relationships on Facebook are a bit shallow, which is fine for selling crafts and old sneakers.

I've always felt we never maximized the website experience.  I believe that a company website should be an immersive environment, not a billboard sign.  Of course, over the decades, this is exactly what has happened.  Most corporate websites are single dimension advertisements that brag and beg attention. 

The post-Covid19 era is the perfect time to reconsider your website and your overall web presence.  Reach out to me today and let's get started. Greg@grwalters.com 

Thursday, January 17, 2019

Three Ideas for #PersonalBranding on #LinkedIn and Beyond


Everyone is saying "develop your personal brand" - a notion I support.  I just have a simple question:

Who’s Brand is This Anyway?

Consider LinkedIN.  LinkedIN is free, but it will take you at least a couple of evenings at home to get your profile and page constructed. Next, you'll maintain your work history, contribute content, join groups, share experiences, etc. All this activity naturally builds your brand.

With this in mind, why would you agree to fly your employer's colors on your personal masthead?  I'm not saying you shouldn't be proud of where you work or the products and services your dealership provides.  I'm just saying promote yourself, not a copier, automobile, manufacturer, device, or dealership.

Here are three ideas:

1.  Curate - Be Relevant

Find information that your prospects and customers find relevant. Only you can determine what would be of interest to your clients. I can tell you this much your last big sale, contest win, BLI award or copier release ARE NOT RELEVANT to your prospects.

If you're focusing on the HVAC vertical, join a few industry groups and research industry challenges, find pertinent articles, and share with the group.

Important: don't simply repost an article, pull a sentence or two out of the piece, paste it above the link and add a word or two of your personal reflections.

2.  Be Who You Are - Human

No matter what you do, be yourself. The world is a stage, I'd rather lose some audience by being authentic than bad acting - be real. Go ahead and post an article you found interesting although it has nothing to do with your niche.  Be Human.

3.  Branding does not require LinkedIn - Buy "yourname.com"

LinkedIn is NOT the internet and may not be around forever.  Buying a .com and hosting a website/blog is not expensive so go out and get yours.  There are plenty of tools that will help you build a site and running in no time.  Nothing complicated, a simple page with your beliefs, core values, profile, and contact information. 

These are simple ideas, there are at least 100 others all over the internet.  My strongest recommendation goes back to it being YOUR brand, not your employer.  Show the world who you are, not who pays you.

Tuesday, July 3, 2018

Greg Walters Kicked Out of Sushi Restaurant for Stance on Paper: "No Paper, No Peace!"

"We serve paper users, only."

It was a calm and enjoyable evening as the chant of "no paper, no peace...no paper, no peace..." drifted over the swank dining area.  I knew before my guest that tonight was not going to be typical print/copier discussion over adult beverages.

That uncanny ability to discern the HP hum from the Lexmark rattle - an amusing parlor trick - was a curse "...no paper, no peace...no paper, no peace..." seeping into everyone's dinner conversation.

I knew what was coming.

"Chicken in the Coop!"
Nowadays, getting kicked out of a restaurant is a simple task. A contrarian view or disagreeable word, phrase, color, or micro-thought can trigger expulsion. Everybody is offended.

Print is Dead.

Say what you want about wedding invitations,  corrugated boxes, and meat-labels saving print - if companies are printing like it's 1999,  Xerox wouldn't be fighting for her life and Lexmark would still be an American company.

The chorus, "no paper...no peace..." grew in volume.  Spotting a nervous manager huddled up with her team, I was sure they were not discussing the future of sushi, or saki.



Origami & Haiku -

The gaggle stared at me in unison as the matron of the dining room floated over to my table.

"Hello..." I said.

"Good evening, Mr. Walters, " the standard retort, "I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you and your guest to leave our establishment. It has come to the attention of me and my staff, that you are a strong proponent of a paperless society. Indeed, you call for a violent end to copiers. This contrarian position is an affront to our collective morals. You must leave now."

I wasn't shocked. I was amused.
Best future use of paper.

"I'm sorry to hear this and hope our presence hasn't disturbed your other guests," I respond.

"My sister is in the paper business, she sells to the big carmakers and advertising companies. So you can understand how I cannot serve somebody with your moral standing. Please go." was the terse reply.

The short walk to the car was jeering, "You call for the death of copiers! NO PAPER, NO PEACE!", screamed a librarian-looking lady.

I expected a barrage of empty waste-toner bottles, instead,

"You can't hide! Wherever you go, we'll be there, with paper, in your face!  Napkins, shipping containers, meat labels, PAPER EVERYWHERE!"

Not a CNN reporter anywhere.

We left, without a Tweet, Snap, InstaGlam or Yelp!

No bother, Sushi can be found just about anywhere; even in Milwaukee.

There’s no paper
In the company future
Trees are digital!

###

Satire.

When a restaurant asks a person to leave because of who they work for, their political proclivity, or business model - isn't it THE SAME as enforcing "whites only" bubblers?

The world is upside down.  False prophets claim to support diversity as long as they define diversity.  They demand open discussions and viewpoints, as long as the viewpoint is theirs.

I've seen this first hand, from California to North Carolina.  Detroit to Oconomowoc.

The Auto Unions feigned defense of the working man, yet betrayed the companies employing members.

The open borders, sanctuary cities of SoCali, pose as immigrant advocates unknowingly promoting human trafficking, the drug trade, and child exploitation.  How many illegal immigrants, mothers, fathers, and children, perished in the desert chasing the hypnotic tone, "Come to America.  Land of opportunity.  Vote Democrat."  Sanctuary Cities equal Terminus.

Meanwhile, erudite, "non-violent" academics, sip wine, listen to Hungarian Christmas music, and scream, "I wish Bush was dead!" I saw it, I was there.

Nice haircut. Can he shave, yet?
Today, we walk among the entitled, frail, offended, sissified,  Generation of Whine.  There is no such thing as mental toughness.  There is no such thing as playing fair; it's a risk.

Everybody has the plan, everybody is an expert - kids with less than 20 trips around the sun are considered 'wise'.  But they are tools; being a victim does not an expert make.

So what is a (copier) salesperson to do in this crazy, mixed-up world?

I don't know how to say this, so I just will...you, the salesperson, the technology provider, we who reach out every day, experience loss, failure, and defeat yet get up each morning without a gripe are this century's greatest hope.

You know mental toughness, don't you?  Mom isn't asking prospects why they "didn't buy".  You're not blaming the NRA for your position in life.

We survived a childhood filled with treehouses, BB guns, riding in the back of pickups, bicycles without helmets, scraped knees, mud, dirt, germs and band-aids.

We stand alone.

The generational tsunami hitting our cultural shores have never been shown the destruction socialism leaves in its wake.  They've never reviewed eugenics and too easily cast their political rivals as "Hitler".  They grew up without conflict or competition. Coddled in mom's bosom past the age of 18 they are still scared of everything from peanuts to full-contact, youth football.

Politically, their mantra is "make everybody equal by making everybody poor".  Except them.

So it is up to you, up to Us.  Soak everything up.  Ask your clients real questions about business.  Do they feel confident in the economy?  How are they planning to grow the business over the next decade?

Distill these stories into your personal wisdom.  Invest more in this type of discussion over speeds and feeds - learn to have a proactive, business conversation around your prospect, not your OEM or dealership.

Tell people how you feel, what you've seen.

And when you finally get kicked out of a fancy restaurant, you'll know you've made it.



Sunday, May 13, 2018

Xerox & FX: A Good Old Fashion, American Scandal


Scandalous.

Hold me baby, hold me like you ain’t mine to hold
Oh kiss me baby kiss me, like you don’t care who knows
Oh love me baby love me like Kennedy and Monroe

Hushed smiles across the table, clandestine meetings.  There's something exhilarating about sharing a secret in front of the entire world.  Just the two of you. Food's better, the Sun warmer, nights longer.

But affairs have no future.

In the tightly bound world of third-party toner manufacturers, evaporating equipment placements, Monday morning sales meetings, earnings reports, tumbling clicks, and Sunday afternoon barbecues, the copier life is almost too much to bear.

Scandal and intrigue.
"I'd sell Xerox. That's a house of pain." - Cramer

The Xerox affair is a reflection of the industry; Mixed up, ruled by The house of Boys; Desperate.

"As Xerox goes, so goes the industry" or is it "As the industry goes, so go we all."?

  • Remember when Ricoh bought Ikon?  Remember when Panasonic exited?
  • How about when HP split?
  • The assimilation of Muratec or the bifurcation of Xerox?
  • Don't forget the Chinese purchase of Lexmark.
  • And now, the Xerox, Fuji-Xerox, six billion dollar escapade.
X will fade.  The moniker might remain (Lanier, anyone?) but the greatness that was, will be no more.
"The new board - the majority now consisting of directors backed by Icahn and Deason - will begin evaluating strategic alternatives; Icahn and Deason have said XRX could be sold to a competitor or private-equity firm."
"Sold to a competitor..."  HP?
"...or private-equity firm..." Blue Horseshoe loves Anacott Steel?

So what will be the next shoe to drop? Will Ricoh succumb?

Will Sharp or Toshiba bail?  Can K/M survive? Canon?  Truly, everyone(except one) is circling the drain.

Those are negative operating profit figures.
For now, sit back and enjoy yet another, delicious scandal.

From one of many articles:

 -‘Sleepless Nights’ and 'Project Juice'

"... Dec. 7, 2017, letter written by Xerox director Cheryl Krongard to the company’s chairman Robert Keegan, titled “4 sleepless nights”. In that letter, Krongard called Jacobson a “rogue executive” who disobeyed the board to secretly negotiate a deal with Fujifilm.

In the letter -- purportedly sent less than two months before Xerox agreed to the deal -- Krongard also writes: “This board exhausted every ounce of patience and coaching to make our current CEO a success. We then decided, unanimously, for a variety of reasons, he was not the leader we need.” Krongard adds that the company had identified a CEO replacement who, she says, Keegan had said was “head and shoulders better than Jeff”.

The letter continues: “Jeff was told by you, as directed and supported by the board, that the board was disappointed by his performance and would likely look at outside talent. Additionally, you told him in no uncertain terms, that he was to discontinue any and all conversations with FX and F regarding Juice. He blatantly violated a clear directive”.

Project Juice was the code name given to deal discussions, while F and FX refer to Fujifilm and the Fuji-Xerox joint venture, respectively.

Latest Update, 5/13 -

Xerox (NYSE:XRX) says it has reached a settlement agreement with investors Carl Icahn and Darwin Deason and will end its merger deal with Fujifilm (OTCPK:FUJIF, OTCPK:FUJIY).

XRX says CEO Jeff Jacobson has resigned and John Visentin, a former tech executive who had been working with the activists, will become the new CEO.

XRX appointed five new members to the board, including Icahn Enterprises (NYSE:IEP) CEO Keith Cozza as Chairman, and five existing members resigned in addition to Jacobson.

The new board - the majority now consisting of directors backed by Icahn and Deason - will begin evaluating strategic alternatives; Icahn and Deason have said XRX could be sold to a competitor or private-equity firm.


Monday, February 26, 2018

A Decade of #TheDeathofTheCopier: Really?




Long ago, a decade seemed like forever; "1999" was a far-off party, and 2001 was so distant, that it was science fiction.

When I was young, I couldn't imagine where'd I be beyond 2008.  Today, decades fade away, "like tears in the rain..."

Ten revolutions around the Sun
120 Months
521.4 Weeks
3,650 Days
87,000 Hours

At its peak, The Death of the Copier was coveted; worth stealing. Not for the plain talk, but for the audience.

In 2008, we were busy back-slapping and congratulating ourselves for selling machines like popcorn.  The future was bright; it was never going to end.
  • Ikon was a huge channel of 'independent' dealers.
  • Xerox was like Kleenex.
  • Ricoh and Canon punched it out for the second and third position.
  • HP was on the edge with Edgeline.
  • The rest of the pack was just that, a pack.
Back then, few were 'blogging' about copiers. Out here on the inter-webs, nobody was talking about workflow, managed print services, IT, or business acumen.  Newsletters, magazines, and trade shows were the vehicles of delivery.

On this 10th year anniversary, I've traveled back to the future, re-visiting stories of the love, toner, blood, and tragedy that is DOTC.


I've dug up a few nuggets:

From a DOTC post, "Top 12 of 2008":

"5. LinkedIn - MySpace is all grown up. Much more mature than Facebook with real contacts and real business and NO high school moms pretending to be CEOs...well, maybe. Quite by chance, I fell into LinkedIn. Early, I joined MySpace, Facebook, Plaxo, etc. - but LinkedIn, for some reason has held my attention and gets most of my input when it comes to "social networking"."-  2008.

I talked about Managed Print Services, how copier reps won't naturally progress into the niche, how real MpS requires IT and copier knowledge, and something called Business Acumen.  It was like speaking Latin.

The second post, February 2008: Managed Print Services - That "Hot, New, Thing..."


"A copier salesperson does not directly translate into an MPS specialist.

Nor does an IT Services salesperson translate into an MPS Specialist. It takes both IT experience and copier experience and a great deal of general, C-level, business experience. 


That holy grail of Professional Selling, "Business Acumen". Someone with the "Big Picture" insight and manage the details of a solution."

Honestly, the more things change, the more they stay the same. It's been ten years and we're still struggling to find managed print nirvana.


We still sell copiers.

 How about this one from 2011?  Inspired by the movie Jerry McGuire -

"MPS isn't the end-all, it isn't the only reason to exist - it never has been. Still, with everybody getting in and as many as 50% failing, what now?

With all the OEMs defining MPS ... and reclassifying direct accounts, how can we continue?

Touch More.

More Human Touch. Less PowerPoint. No WebEx meetings, toss the 50 slide business summaries. Instead, press the flesh. Draw on a napkin.

Do that thing we do as sales professionals, look him in the eye and say "thank you, what more can we do, today?"

"Oddest, most unexpected thing..."

Success and change aren't always a result of design. Innovation encroaches from another direction; from the left as we look right, from behind as we look ahead.  Few ever see it coming.

So it is today. As some deny the paperless revolution is near, companies like Alaska Air outfit their 1,400 pilots with iPads.  Apple is making the textbook obsolete and banks accept pictures of checks for deposits. Your kids, don't call each other anymore, they use their thumbs.

From social media to MpS, everything is new and unpredicted - there are no experts - the world moves faster than ever before. No benchmarks, no 'metrics', no comparison, no rules.

Waiting for the revolution? It's already here.

"The Me I always wanted to be" - Trust

Trust. It is a big word and one of the first MPS Conference keynote speaker attempted to rally behind stating, 
"..Trust is something this industry has got to reclaim."

He is new. He doesn't understand to reclaim something, one must have first possessed it.

"I had lost the ability to bullshit, ..."

Our journey continues.

The path is less bumpy when we build partnerships. Partnerships are easier to forge over a foundation of truth. Can you be true?

Can you lose the ability to bullshit? If not to your prospects, at least with yourself. Or are you just another shark in a suit?

Can you see the entire ecosystem?

How about instead of optimizing a smidgen of hardware and some toner, you envision Optimizing Everything?

That's right, everything. Managed Optimization Services.


"That's how you become great, man. Hang your balls out there."

Good Stuff.

What have WE, learned over the past ten years?
  1. The Copier is nearly gone
  2. Old ways die-hard
  3. Situations rarely change, people do
My nostalgic jaunt inspired me to seek out memories from the pioneers of the copier-industry social media world.

Before Twitter.  Before Instaglam. Before LI took off...there was Ken Stewart, Nathan Dube, Jim Lyons, and Art Post.

I asked them for a tidbit of reflection:

From Ken Stewart -

Wow, it's been that long?!?  What I've learned:
  1. Trust God more
  2. Forgive mankind often
  3. Relish the little things
  4. Let people be accountable for their actions
  5. Just because the folks in the hot tub look like they're having a blast, their secrets are hiding under the bubbles!
Nathan Dube -

Things I have learned:
  1. Don’t trust the hype
  2. Disruptive technologies sometimes aren’t and those that are, often take time to produce real change
  3. If the paperless office is coming, I am not seeing it much/at all in New England across most verticals
  4. Storytelling is the best way to market
  5. Everybody hates their printer eventually
  6. The future of marketing IMO lies in gamification and interactive content that is more about entertainment than the product you are trying to sell.
Jim Lyons -

Can't remember EXACTLY how Greg and I became friends, but as what seemed like the only two bloggers in the industry back then it was inevitable we'd become friends as well as colleagues. 

A particular fond memory is when Greg had accepted an invitation to the Lyra Conference (Symposium) - where I'd gone from client to contributor. 

Greg and I had been in touch quite a bit but had never met face-to-face and several of the team (including Photizo folks in attendance, though this was before the merger) were excited to meet Mr. Death of the Copier. As we anticipated his arrival I remember enthusing that this was a very much-needed "young guy" we were welcomed into the fold!!!

Art Post

Nothing stays the same, change is constant.
There is nothing new in sales even though there are thousands of sales gurus on LinkedIn promoting their success when they haven't sold shit in years.

There are many stubborn copier manufacturers that refuse to exit the channel. No one copies anymore.

I've learned that life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer you get to the end of the roll, the faster it goes.

Thanks, guys, for reading DOTC and staying true.

Personally:
  1. 2008, I was married and living in the mountains of Southern California.  5,000 feet above sea level, an hour from the beach - "...things that have comforted me, I drive away..."
  2. Since 2008, I've moved from SoCali to Charlotte to Oconomowoc, Wisconsin - "...this place that is my home, I cannot stay..."
  3. Over 10 years, I've seen small businesses grow and flourish.  I've met the best of the best and the worst of the worst - "...I come and stand at every door..."
  4. I've Failed - "...If you've ever seen a one-legged dog then you've seen me..."
  5. I've Succeeded - "...I always leave with less than I had before..."
  6. I've become an expert at Starting Over - "...tell me, can you ask for anything more..."
Over the long haul, I've seen the extinction of the typewriter, witnessed the evaporation of the mini and mainframe, and bobbed along the turbulent manual-to-PC-to-network-to-internet-to-cloud waters.

I am fortunate to have a place to express myself.  I'm blessed to be able to write what I would read and humbled others to find something, interesting and possibly entertaining.

10 Years. How about you?

On what field did you stand?  Today, do you still stand?  

Where will you be in 2028?






Two, three, four

Have you ever seen a one trick pony in the field so happy and free?
If you've ever seen a one trick pony then you've seen me
Have you ever seen a one-legged dog making his way down the street?
If you've ever seen a one-legged dog then you've seen me
Then you've seen me, I come and stand at every door

Then you've seen me, I always leave with less than I had before
Then you've seen me, bet I can make you smile when the blood, it hits the floor
Tell me, friend, can you ask for anything more?
Tell me can you ask for anything more?

Have you ever seen a scarecrow filled with nothing but dust and wheat?
If you've ever seen that scarecrow then you've seen me
Have you ever seen a one-armed man punching at nothing but the breeze?
If you've ever seen a one-armed man then you've seen me

Then you've seen me, I come and stand at every door
Then you've seen me, I always leave with less than I had before
Then you've seen me, bet I can make you smile when the blood, it hits the floor
Tell me, friend, can you ask for anything more?
Tell me can you ask for anything more?

These things that have comforted me, I drive away
This place that is my home I cannot stay
My only faith's in the broken bones and bruises I display
Have you ever seen a one-legged man trying to dance his way free?
If you've ever seen a one-legged man then you've seen me

Saturday, February 24, 2018

Today, I spoke with an MpS God - she was just fired. #managedprintservices #sales


I’ve said it many times, “ the path to MpS nirvana is littered with the skeleton frames of burnt out MpS Managers, Directors and Sales People”.

No sour grapes -

I’m sure there are dozens of good reasons for termination and every separation has at least two stories.  In the past decade I've been a Practice Manager, advisor and support specialist. I’ve thrived, struggled and witnessed good people churned under the seven step, "xerographic process".

And that’s exactly what I mean - the copier niche can destroy vision, creativity, and dumb down every business solution into 30 day segments.  Managed print Services is the latest victim, with managed IT services right behind.

Some of our industry leaders are no more than box movers - they confuse ‘applications’ with business solutions and project hubris as wisdom.  Take a trip through the LinkedIN community and notice how many times we compliment each other or brag about the latest sale, certification, trip or baseball team we're associated.

It is one big, circle-jerk.

These are observations not complaints. We all get what we deserve and this industry deserves its decent into obscurity.

But not just yet.

I've seen this before, from above and below and can list cautionary red-flags for the folks still selling MpS.

Here are some signs indicating you should give my friend Steve Spencer(MpS recruiter) a call:
  • lie
  • lack of vision
  • too many rules
  • change the rules
  • filter out all creativity
  • do not see beyond 30 day cycles
  • incentivize for equipment sales only
  • promote month/qtr/year end specials
  • narrow-minded C-Level management
  • put MpS under the service department
  • dependent on hardware/service revenue
  • refuse to integrate MpS and Managed IT services
  • bad, complicated or non-existent compensation plans
  • a corporate culture centered around past copier success
  • focus on leasing and linking equipment inside MpS deals
  • install a C-level executive with little or no experience beyond the box
  • enforce identical activity expectations for support specialists and down the street copier sales people
  • say "X is a major part of the business", yet majority of revenue is copier generated
  • utilize a foggy compensation plan & do not enforce gates on sales teams
Here's a big one: Does your leadership yell? Do your C-Level meetings include loud voices, hands slapping desks and belligerent attitudes?
“You’ve got to be tough out there”
“This industry isn’t for the thin skinned”
“If you can’t take this, you’ll never make it in sales”
I’m no snowflake. This type of behavior says leagues about the yeller and the enabling organization.  At the very least this is unprofessional - would management slam desks or scream at prospects?

When people communicate in this manner, the organization is:
Insecure
Afraid
Negative
This is not normal behavior - Leave. Now.  Call Steve.

Not every organization operates like this, I bet not many at all.  But if you're in one, in any industry, consider your self-worth and get the hell out.  It's a big world. No matter your current skill set or personal/professional goals, there are companies and positions out here for you.

You're Notbroken.


Friday, February 23, 2018

The Genesis, Evolution and De-evolution of #ManagedPrintServices


2/2018
I remember the first time somebody said to me, "We've been doing managed print services for 20 years..." that was ITEX, 2008.  Which of course meant this person had been optimizing, assessing, rightsizing, and billing service and supplies on a cost-per-image basis - back in 1988.

"What? Did you bill for re-inked ribbons?"  He was not amused.

Back then, there was a bunch of talk about how MPS was nothing new; the facilities folks had been assessing fleets and selling bodies for years.  The Electronic Document Management guys had been selling scan-to-file for at least a decade and the toner re-manufacturers were old hats at dumpster diving for cores.

Revolution.

The copier-heads saw MpS as a scam; nothing more than a marketing ploy effectively duplicating what they had been doing since 1970.  They laid claim to managed print services.

The move into managed print services took a few years, as OEM after OEM assembled and rolled out their unique program.  Back then, most programs supported a homogenous fleet meaning the "best" MpS solution was one that included the brand "I SELL" versus the brands customers currently utilized - "Rip And Replace" took on a significant meaning.

Months passed. Iterations of software like PrintAudi, FM-Audit, and PrintFleet.  WebJet Admin was HP's software - the most expensive free software you could ever want.  Still, monitoring software was in its infancy.

The MpS world struggled to move away from faxed and manually collected meter reads.  Billing was half the challenge, managing toner shipments incorrectly morphed profitable contracts into nightmare losses.

Shipping costs, undefined commission structures, premature exchanges of toner, and blown motherboards killed many MpS endeavors.  The smart guys looked at meter reads and toner usage data as possible predictors.  Algorithms were developed and applied to create predictive models of toner usage down to the device.

Golden Age of MpS.

As MpS matured, the advanced players moved from 'hardware agnostic' to 'hardware neutral' covering multiple vendors' devices.

Toner fillers and re-manufacturers got into the game as well, assembling and providing managed print services programs complete with data collection agents, mapping software bundled with sales training, and marketing deliverables.

Everybody, even traditional IT VARs, jumped into the MpS ocean.  MpS was full of possibilities, a departure from copiers toward IT and beyond.  ITEX stacked the floor with MpS providers and training sessions - we even had a Managed Print Services Conference.

But a funny thing happened on the way to MpS nirvana. By 2015 MpS had come full circle - the pioneers of the MPS rarely appear, MPS consulting firms fade away leaving MpS training to the "drill and fills".  Manufacturers release dozens of A4 devices like it was always their idea.  In an interesting twist of irony, the biggest critics of managed print services find themselves leading MpS organizations.

Everyone ignored the Signs.  Small OEDs slipped into history or glommed on to bigger dealers - circling the wagons and selling out.  Dawn of The Planet of the Mega Dealer

The Late, Great MpS

Today, 2018 dealers, full of hubris and dripping with chunk-watches, brag about 30% cost reductions, all the while installing A3 for end users who've forgotten what tabloid paper looks like. Prospects implement print policies on their own, realizing the folly of letting companies that derive revenue from prints help them reduce print.

Founding members of the industry transform: 

Lexmark, once an American darling, sells out to an arch enemy.  Xerox, a one-time American, corporate icon, begs her neighbor for shelter.  HP, Lady Blue, suffers through Edgeline, TouchPad and Leo, breaks in two and emerges stronger.

This has happened before, industries rise and fall.  Weaving machines displace textile workers. Horsepower replaces manpower.  Automobiles supplant horses.   One day soon, managed print services will be the buggy-whip of the once prevalent, Copier Industry.

And that's okay - it is the Way of Things.





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Tuesday, February 13, 2018

New to Copier Sales? What Are You, Nuts?

“When I grow up, I want to sell copiers and printers,” said nobody, ever.

"If two years ago you told me I would be selling copiers, I would have slugged you in the head,” said new reps everywhere.

An aunt to her nephew over Thanksgiving dinner: “What do you do for a living now that you’ve graduated, Johnny?”

“I help companies manage and reduce the costs associated with documents!”

“Oh. You sell copiers. That’s nice. Could you pass the potatoes?"

For those of you who have been in the business for more than a couple of years, you may find the above statements apropos, if not a bit painful. I wanted to be an astronaut once, but the closest thing I’ve gotten to Star Trek is my iPad. I do know the seven steps of the xerographic process, however, so I’ve got that going for me.

Regardless, let’s say you’re a fresh-out-of-school, new copier sales representative. Perhaps you’ve taken a sales class in college, worked retail over the summer, or your friends and family tell you, “You’re such a people person, you should be in sales." Congratulations, you are more than qualified.

As a newbie, your target market is going to be what we love to call “down the street” copier sales. Everybody starts here; many stay. Down the street (DTS) selling is just that; your prospects are located up and down the street and, like the Fuller Brush man, you’re expected to prospect to these small businesses — funeral homes, real estate offices, insurance agents, auto dealers and shops, HVAC, construction, electrical subcontractors, trucking companies, churches and the ever popular print-for-pay businesses.

But the best way to approach this segment is not through a precise email campaign, massive research or a cute social media program. The proven method is a combination of door-knocking and over-the-phone cold calling. That’s it. It’s hard work, no doubt, and the first step in the journey to major and strategic accounts management.

Here’s how these DTS accounts behave:

Read the rest, here.

Thursday, February 1, 2018

Today's 3D Printers are Like the Apple IIe of 1987

A recent article on America’s dying industries on the website 24/7 Wall St. included industries such as “curtain and linen mills,” “formal wear and costume rental” and “professional employer organizations.” To perhaps no one’s surprise it also included industries including “bookstores and news dealers,” “newspaper publishers,” “other publishers” and, coming in last on the list, “office supplies, except paper, manufacturing.”

Following on to the last item, the site goes on to explain, “Office supplies manufacturing is one of many industries in the United States negatively affected by the increasing digitization of the workplace ... The increasing ability to store documents and other data virtually has rendered fax machines and photocopiers less necessary and reduced demand for office supplies manufacturing. Employment in the industry has fallen by 42.1 percent since 2007, among the most of any sector.”

Tell us something we don’t know.

The search for new revenue streams continues.  Read the rest, here.

Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Xerox: It Was a Heck of a Ride...


1/2018

NORWALK, Conn. and TOKYO — 
  • Xerox shareholders to receive a $2.5 billion special cash dividend, or approximately $9.80 per share1, and 49.9% of the combined company; Fujifilm to own 50.1%
  • Combined company to deliver at least $1.7 billion in total cost savings, with $1.2 billion to be achieved by 2020
  • Accelerates path to revenue growth through global reach, industry-leading scale and enhanced innovation capabilities
  • Well-positioned to lead in growing business areas such as high-speed inkjet, industrial print and workplace solutions, while leveraging Fujifilm's extensive technologies
  • Combined company will have enhanced financial flexibility for future growth investments and capital returns
  • Combined company will have dual headquarters in Norwalk, CT, U.S. and Minato, Tokyo, Japan, and will maintain the iconic “Xerox” and “Fuji Xerox” brands within its respective operating regions
FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation (“Fujifilm”) (TSE: 4901) and Xerox Corporation (“Xerox”) (NYSE: XRX) today announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement to combine Xerox and their longstanding Fuji Xerox joint venture.

Wednesday, January 24, 2018

Who Helps You Reduce Costs? Copier sales people, managed IT folks, or Advisors?

Who will give you a leg up?


"You will never print another document ever again.”

I know you still have printers and copiers. But I know you’re not printing or copying like you had three years ago. If you’ve made business process optimization an initiative, then you know what I mean. I’ve also found that companies with no ‘green’ or digitization plan, have naturally reduced print. Some telling me, ‘we just don’t print anymore’. I also know players like Xerox, Ricoh, and Lexmark are experiencing great consolidation, and paper plants have shuttered across country. Indeed, from the WSJ, 1/2018-

"One of Xerox’s problems is that it has been broken into two pieces. A year ago, Conduent Inc. (NYSE: CNDT) was spun out. It describes itself as a “business process services” company, which makes it more of a consultancy than a seller of hardware. Xerox retained the hardware business, which sells products that may have been useful to businesses a decade ago but are no longer.”

Customers around the world, are organically reducing devices, copies and prints needed to conduct business- this has been going on for years. For companies like Xerox and Ricoh, whose primary revenue stream is generated with each sheet of marked paper, this is a formidable challenge. And like every shrinking industry before it, the copier niche is not going quietly into the night. For those of you left looking for a copier, it might the best time to work your provider for better pricing - just wait until the 25th of the month - everyone is scrambling and competing for a slice of a shrinking pie.

In the face of this turbulence, photocopier manufacturers and independent dealers are responding in one of three ways -

1. Selling themselves as a "document consultant” and trusted advisor, promising to help you manage your decreased reliance on print.
2. Selling to a larger dealer or manufacturer in an effort to cash out and retire.
3. Shifting away from copiers and printers to markets like IT services, water or energy management.

As you explore new ways to eliminate cost, you may fall within one of these stages:

1. You’ve implemented cost reduction program successfully and want to expand
2. You’ve implemented a failed program
3. You have no visibility into total costs

In each case, starting a study, correcting a misaligned program or continuing to reduce costs, you have three sources of partners:

1. IT providers(including your internal IT)- primarily supporting IT infrastructure
2. Copier/Print supplier & MpS Providers - hardware and software vendor within the copier/printer industry either through direct or indirect channels
3. Professional IT advisors - organizations who derive revenue through sharing subject matter expertise and managing change

No matter who you choose to partner, you should consider three important aspects of each:

* Agenda vs. intent
* Knowledge vs. Wisdom
* Neutrality vs. Bias

Let’s take a look at each:

IT Provider -

Agenda: To support organizational technology infrastructure
Intent: To transform with as little negative impact to end user environment

Knowledge: Deep ‘specification’ knowledge.
Wisdom: Experience and a varied history of supporting IT infrastructure in different types of organizations may give rise to wisdom or business acumen, but this is rare.

Neutrality: Not very. Comfortable with manufacturers they have a history with; CISCO, IBM, DELL and HP, etc.
Bias: To what’s been proven in the past or passes a proof-of-concept.

Copier/Printer supplier -

Agenda: to move opportunities to a close and their intent is to sell more devices/clicks.
Intent: Transform with as little negative impact to end user environment.

Knowledge: Deep ‘specification/machine’ knowledge. May posses basic scanning and onboard application knowledge.
Wisdom: Very little business acumen. Fresh sales professionals lack experience in varied customer, business models. Seasoned profess

Neutrality: Claimed yet impossible, therefore a lie.
Bias: Toward a solution that include's hardware sold.

Professional Advisor -

Agenda: Help client achieve business goals.
Intent: Establish an ongoing relationship.

Knowledge: Business acumen and technical prowess beyond the scope of the project.
Wisdom: Experience over time with many environments and business models.

Neutrality: Completely neutral and open to continuous evaluation of new solutions.
Bias: Toward a solution that supports the client business goals.

Conclusion -

Economic pressures on providers of equipment is severe. Machines are becoming more self-sufficient and easier to manage remotely, business requirements are changing from paper flow to digital flow. Even if your printing less than 500 images a week, you are a prime prospect for the remaining copier vendors - your company is guaranteed to be on some copier rep’s cold call list. There is no shortage of cost reducing value propositions, white papers and marketing material.

Continuously reducing costs associated with output is an internal function - asking teams of folks motivated to sell more devices to help you reduce the number of devices is counter intuitive - a provider with show rooms full of equipment pitching themselves as an “agnostic, trusted advisor” is disingenuous.

So who do you turn to? There are a thousand copier dealerships, hundreds of MSP’s and maybe a dozen proven, reliable and seasoned advisors. Of course, if you can find a good advisor, with an open calendar, I recommend engaging - but the odds are forever in the copier companies favor - it is simply math.

Here’s a quick recommendation:

If you currently support 1-20 devices, copier dealer and MSP
If you currently support 50-100 devices, MSP with Advisor
If you currently support over 100 devices, exclusively work with an Advisor who manages an optimized portfolio of suppliers and software providers.

Thursday, January 11, 2018

Of Blockchain, IoT and Scan-Once-Print-Many


What does "scan once, print many" mean? Anyone? Bueller ... ? Back in the good old days of analog copiers, pagers and dinosaurs, the scanner on copiers needed to take a “picture” for every copy made: When 10 copies were requested, the scanner moved across the original 10 times. You can imagine how this added to the wear and tear of a device and repeated, on-site service.

Once devices became digital, the need to scan for each copy ended. Instead, one picture was taken, digitized and available to print for each image requested.

It was a common demo technique to place an original on the glass, touch 10 copies, and while the batch was being output, raise the ADF. In the analog world, this act would result in copies of open lids and black space. Prospects were known to gasp because the digital photocopier kept churning out copies of the original, even with the lid raised.

Digital devices carried another cool quality;

-- Read the Rest, Here --

Thursday, January 4, 2018

Industry Consolidation: A Bruce or Caitlyn Jenner Moment?

On July 30, 1976, American Bruce Jenner wins gold in the decathlon at the Montreal Olympics. His 8,617 points set a world record in the event.

Previously identifying publicly as male, Jenner revealed her identity as a trans woman in April 2015, publicly announcing her name change from Bruce to Caitlyn in a July 2015 Vanity Fair cover story.

Everything changes, baby that's a fact - when we refuse to see the impact of the shift, we call it 'disruption'. Worse, if we misread the writing on the wall, becoming overly optimistic, expectations do not meet reality. Disappointment ensues.
There's so much to say about the consolidation movement going on in our little niche but if you ask me, the future is neither bright nor dark - it is simply the way it was always meant to be.

For years Xerox has been buying up dealerships.  Lexmark sold out to a communist country. The toner-dudes jumped to one big ship. Ricoh assimilated Ikon, Canon did Oce, Konica Minolta ate Muratec and ECi is forming the Galactic Empire, collecting software like so many green M&M's.

How will all this impact the everyday salesperson?  How about contracts, sales, and service managers?  Perhaps a radical makeover is in around the corner?

See Your Future in the Past - 

When automotive robots started painting vehicles, some saw this as the end of labor.  The machine possessed advantages over their human predecessors - no vacation, no sick time, or union squabbles with consistent performance.  Formidable, but we survived.

When the PC/Word processor began to erode typewriter sales, receptionists around the globe disappeared within a decade, and we survived.

When Bruce turned into Jennifer, we survived.

We envision the future as we see ourselves: perhaps through the lens of July 1976, or from the perspective of April 2015.  Which is better? Time will tell.

When the world looks back on the Age of Paper, protests, and pontifications lamenting its passing will be nothing more than a footnote.

All I can suggest is in a turbulent world,  knowing who you are, is paramount.


Tuesday, January 2, 2018

Take The Snowflake Test. My Answers.



This has been floating around LI for months now. 

Kyle Reyes, CEO, The Silent Partner Marketing, has filtered out about 60% of candidates with this simple set of questions.



I like the idea and love that he's been able to create a huge buzz, promoting this simple questionnaire.

Enjoy.

Monday, December 18, 2017

22 Suggestions To Save Your Managed Print Services Practice


Kill it.
Chop it up.
Let it dry out.
Use as fertilizer.
Deja Vu: 
a : the illusion of remembering scenes and events when experienced for the first timeb : a feeling that one has seen or heard something before 
You're not fooled, are you? You've heard the talking heads. Like those who claimed Trump "would never, ever occupy the White House" - the copier industry has similar know-it-alls.

The establishment talking points are pretty clear:
  • "Talk about the decrease in images only when necessary and in most cases quote decades-old data."
  • "Say anything to make your machines relevant - fabricate rationalizations."
  • "Keep the same processes and 1970's business plan while promoting your new and different business model. "
I know, I know the above doesn't apply to YOUR dealership, does it?  You've been expanding while the rest of the industry tanks.  You're on a 'growth through acquisition' trajectory and your culture is second to nobody's.
  1. Then why do you still consider A3 and A4 different?
  2. Why don't you commission service contracts?
  3. If you're so cutting edge and ahead of the curve, why do you sell MNS or MIT instead of Managed Services?
They're just questions.  

If you're looking to resurrect your MpS, the good news is you recognize a problem - you're not ignorant.

The bad news is, you are probably too late:
  1. Treat A3 and A4 volume the same in every MPS engagement
  2. Comp reps on combined A3/A4 volume
  3. Find the best MPS vendor for your company. HP, LMI, SNi, PrintSolv, whoever.  It doesn't matter, partner with somebody who matches your definition of managed print services.
  4. Roll the MPS infrastructure into Managed IT services
  5. Rename the practice "Managed Services"
  6. Stop calling it 'Managed Print Services'; start referring to Managed Services - even when the only assets under the agreement are output devices
  7. Incorporate an Output Study in every, single network assessment
  8. Rename 'network assessment' to 'Technology Assessment'
  9. Always bill for Technology Assessments
  10. Embed your data collection agent into your network assessment tool
  11. Employe/support a separate team of technicians to service ALL output devices
  12. Separate COMPLETELY, from the existing Service Department
  13. Intake all copier/printer support calls through your IT help desk
  14. Train the Managed Services Team to sell
  15. Fully engage your vendors
  16. Establish Managed Services 'revenue gates' in your sales commission structure
  17. Pay the Managed Services team salaries which make it difficult for them to consider leaving
  18. Pay a monthly residual, for the life of the engagement 
  19. Give the MS manager P/L control and responsibility
  20. Compensate the Managed Services Practice managers based on profit(P/L)
  21. Forget about ALL the copier dealership business models
  22. Establish a direct link between the Managed Services practice and your software/document management division.  This means incorporating end-user, workflow-oriented questions inside every Technology Assessment. (MpS is BPO)
Insanity
a : a severely disordered state of the mind usually occurring as a specific disorder
b : doing the same thing, expecting different results
Twenty-two suggestions, points of light in the night sky.  

How, or even if, your organization can connect the dots, is the biggest query.

- DOTC, 2017



Thursday, November 30, 2017

Why Your Company Doesn't Need a #Copier


All you need is a scanner.

You know you aren't copying as much as you once had been.

WE know you aren't copying as often, too. Heck, we've known for decades you rarely, if ever, copy or print on tabloid, 11x17. So why have we been selling you devices capable of melting plastic on larger sheets of dead tree matter?

Because bigger machines look more impressive, that's why. You've been fooled into believing 'those little printers can't keep up with the bigger copiers...' You've been lied to.

Here's why we've been overselling you for decades:

More sales commission - Entry-level salespeople are compensated on REVENUE. Bigger devices have bigger price tags supporting larger commissions.

Manufacturers quotas - Dealers purchase toner and parts from the manufacturers (OEMs) they sell. These OEMs contract a certain number of devices to be purchased monthly. When a provider fails to meet these commitments, the manufacturer will the cost of toner and parts, thereby reducing margins on the bread and butter of EVERY copier dealer-service contract.

Cheaper cost per image - This issue is especially evil because it is based on truth. Copiers have a less expensive cost per image. Meaning, you'll pay less for USING a copier vs. printing on a traditional printer. If your volumes are in the 10k/emp range, this is a consideration. When calculating YOUR true cost per image, roll in the amortized equipment or machine lease cost into your service cost.

More retail value - Tricky issue, this. Let's just say the retail(which nobody ever charges) value of a device can determine how much soft costs can be shoved into your equipment lease. "Soft cost" is defined as anything from existing buyout figures, software & installation costs, or profit.

Reasons you don't need a copier:

You don't copy any more

At one point in history, employees generated about 10,000 images a month on copiers and printers - this was a per-employee figure.

Today, employees can generate NO images per month let alone copy. Look at your processes. Do you email invoices? Do you accept online payment? Do you still make copies of every invoice you receive?

You never print on 11x17

One of the determining factors when deciding to buy a copier is paper size - original and finished. In the olden days, books and manuals were routinely copied. "Book Copy" was a standard or sought-after feature. A scanner the size of 11x17 was convenient but a bigger scanner means bigger rollers and trays. More power consumption for larger bulbs. Almost twice the size of a 'little printer' - with twice the manufacturing costs.

We knew this. But it was easy to see 'bigger is better and good for everyone on this side of the table.

Paper is slow

Chances are your competition is looking into automating manual processes like Accounts Payables/Receivable. Nobody looks to invest in software to save trees. Your business is nimble and responsive and paper-based business functions are slower and more apt to mistakes than digitized processes.

Are you moving at the speed of thought or the speed of paper?

In the end, the market will determine winners and losers - somebody somewhere will need or require copiers. Indeed, right now there is somebody purchasing buggy-whips.

But you don't ride a horse to work, do you?




Sunday, November 26, 2017

The #LastCopierSold


11/26/2017
Everything dies, baby that's a fact, but just because something doesn't last forever, doesn't mean it wasn't perfect.  Proclaimed back in 2011, the fading of managed print services continues.  Don't believe me?  

Ask your customers/prospects and you'll hear the truth. Whispers from the Abyss:

  • "We've really cut back on the number of printers and copiers we use."
  • "We don't print as much."
  • "We once had a copier on every floor and printers at each desk.  We don't anymore."
I could go on - hell, if you're in the field and honest, YOU can add to the above list.

So here it is - what follows is a list of industry influencers and players with reflections and status according to DOTC.

The year is 2017; just about 10 years after managed print services arrived on the scene. Much has changed.

Sunday, June 4, 2017

The Future of Copiers - The Wookie in The Room



by Greg Walters | 12/8/14

I'm writing this three weeks after the Executive Connection Summit and I’m still feeling the effects. Intel, SAP, Cisco — foundational members of the technology industry, stalwart believers in all things connected, came to speak here in our backyard. To be sure, it stands as the best show in the industry, with superior content. As Gavin Williams said, “The goal was really to educate as much of the industry as possible about the innovation available today.” The bar is officially higher, but there’s something more recondite just under the surface.

I comment about the players at center stage, but I’ve always enjoyed getting a feel for what the attendees find attractive - the dialogue between the talks. That’s the gold.

I thought of the Internet of Things conversations, how independent dealers are capitalizing on the technology not only in implementing but offering those same services to clients. It wasn’t until I remembered an onstage conversation when things started to click.

After one panelist on stage lamented the challenges of converting to a new accounting system, I chatted with a few people about moving to different CRMs and the difficulty of data conversion. One company decided to operate both the old and the new systems in parallel as legacy data is weaned over to the new system. Another is hiring a staff of “keypunch operators” to input all existing contracts and customer information into Forza.

The underlining tension, the Wookie in the Room, was simple: People know a better accounting system is out there, but getting to it is difficult because of our old school investments. Time and again, I spoke with people who recognized the need to switch but anticipated huge costs in labor and time with the transitional project of moving to a new CRM/accounting system. The tension was palpable.

Imagine needing to have a leg broken and reset because the original setting was primitive. At one time, healing a broken limb was as easy as tying the bone together with tree branches and twine. Years later,

read the rest at The Imaging Channel, here.

Contact Me

Greg Walters, Incorporated
greg@grwalters.com
262.370.4193