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

May 2009-

The first people who wanted to define Managed Print Services were, of course, the consultants. Define it, measure it, survey around it, create reports about it, and sell the data. Nice model.

Not far behind those folks are the "trainers" - oh yes, we all know those guys.

Anything new has got to be figured out - everything new has mystery about it, and as Max once told me,"...where there is mystery, there is margin..."

And when you act as an authority and have a track record of sorts, never mind that the record was based on an archaic and outdated, equipment model, people will pay big time to hear you tell them how to "succeed".

After the "trainers" come the "Providers" - BTA Dealers, copier manufacturers, VARs, and software people. Those who sling gear and sell CPC service agreements.

The last group are those who claim to "...have been selling and providing MPS for 8, 10, 20, 30 years..." - these are the ones who really crack me up, but they are in the "boat" too.

If one were to Google MPS just 12 short months ago, one may have found some hits regarding HP or Xerox and most certainly Photizo - but not Lyra or AIM or BTA, or Kyocera, Konica Minolta, or a great number of copier dealers.

Now, MPS is everywhere - dealers provide it, manufacturers provide it, software people provide it, marketing firms, toner re-manufacturers, and even technology providers talk MPS.

And today, more copier reps are on the street waving their dongles and selling the hot new product, MPS, than ever before. (Managed Prints Services - That "Hot, New, Thing...")

Synnex, Ingram, InfoTrends, and Water provide "MPS training" for the salesperson, the dealer, and the owner - honestly, I am a proponent of the "selling is selling, no matter what you sell..." theory. So even though all the MPS Sales courses are simply re-hashed "copier CPC" selling or "Solution Selling" subject matter, that's ok. Any knowledge is good knowledge.

I think the biggest and most significant issue to remember, and one echoed by Xerox's Ashby Lowry at the Managed Print Services Conference last month is that true MPS strives to REDUCE the number of prints and REDUCE THE NUMBER OF MACHINES(IN FIELD).

But how does this reconcile, for example, with Kyocera's need to find homes for more machines? Will they reduce production schedules because they now offer MPS?

How does OPS affect the number of Konica Minolta's vs HP's?

How does this balance with Ricoh/IKON's need to convert more Canon customers to Ricoh? Is there a significant, MPS-based reason to move from Canon to Ricoh?

How does real MPS jive with Xerox selling 3 Phasers with every copier?

Are they paying lip service to MPS or simply defining MPS for their own purpose?
Recently, Lexmark released data defining how much the government is wasting on inefficient printing policies and procedures. The results are not surprising; big government wastes tax dollars, duh. And the Federal Government is a great prospect for solid MPS.

But is it just me, or do you get the feeling that the next article is going to be about how Lexmark, by supplying only Lexmark gear, saved the taxpayer's gajillions?

Is there a good answer to this, no? Is it wrong that when Lexmark wins an MPS deal, it consists of Lexmark(or Xerox, HP, Konica Minolta, Samsung...) only gear? No, not really, because of how they define MPS. Their flavor is tainted with their machines - not a true MPS.
Real Managed Print Services is NOT a technique. It is not a product. It is not a marketing campaign.

Managed Print Service is a process. A process that reduces costs, over a period of time, and enhances the overall, business process and workflow of any company/organization.

This leads me to a simple list of qualifying questions:

If you sell only toner, are you in MPS?
If you sell only Ricoh's, are you in MPS?
If you sell paper, are you in MPS?
If you sell data storage, are you in MPS?
If you sell marketing materials and production of those marketing materials, are you in MPS?
If you sell single-function laser printers, are you in MPS?
If you sell and service only one hardware manufacturer, are you in MPS?
If you sell power control and monitoring devices for the data center are you in MPS?
If you sell directly, exclusively, and strictly to the Purchase Agent of any company, are you in MPS?
If you sell fax servers, are you in MPS?
If you sell laser printer service, are you in MPS?
If you sell contract negotiations, and bid management, are you in MPS?
If you sell office supplies, are you in MPS?
If you sell archiving software, are you in MPS?
If you sell leasing and financial services, are you in MPS?
If you sell into a CRD environment, are you in MPS?
If you sell your business expertise and cost reduction acumen, are you in MPS?

Any one of the above, indeed perhaps a score or two more, can qualify as a component of MPS - that is of course except for one. There is one item in the above list, that completely, unequivocally disqualifies you as an MPS provider and negates your membership as one who plays in the MPS niche.

Care to take a guess at which one?

For us on the "inside" the definition of MPS, of course, is complex. Because MPS can be any one of the answers from above - MPS, true enlightenment in MPS would include ALL of the above and more. But once this is achieved, it no longer is MPS it becomes MIS.(back to the beginning, again)

The ultimate One Throat To Choke.

Back to my original question, "Does it really matter how WE define MPS?"

NO, it does not.

I am reminded of a statement made by Randy Elliot from Dow Chemical at the recent MPS conference. For him, he really didn't care how we defined MPS - it is unimportant to him, as a customer.

Wow.

That should truly sum it all up - what matters isn't how we define MPS, what matters is how our prospects and clients define MPS.

Can We Get Rid of Quotas?

The selling profession after Covid19: 

"We have to start doing what was said we were doing but never did."

We're all talking about the "new" ways to sell.  

Covid19 is forcing galactic shifts in the way we do business; from the back-office to the sales trenches. What I find striking is the more we talk about what needs to be done in a post Covid19 sales engagement, the more we find the basic selling skills apply more than ever.

Here are a few of the concepts and skills presented over the decades regarding sales and selling:

• Build Trust
• Attract Like-Minded Prospects
• Consult
• Be the Trusted advisor
• Increase Your Business Acumen

The books, lectures, and classes of the past decades all told us to be more a consultant and experts in our industry. Lately, in the last decade, salespeople have been told to become thought leaders, create content, find a 'good match', and help the prospect in their purchasing journey.

We've been saying it for decades.  These are basic skills. Now is the time to ACTUALLY do what we have been saying we do.  Engage the basics, and get to the root of the art of selling.  Once we do this, virtual selling will return to 'Selling'.

Stop Doing These Four Things & Sell More Managed Print Services

Selling managed print services and managed services is not brain science, it's more like Rocket Surgery.

What year is this, 1989?

Maybe you know of these, maybe not.  The point is, I'm hearing more and more about how the better MPS selling organizations are replacing failed existing MPS engagements.  The losers are not covering the basics like toner delivery, prompt service and correct billing let alone workflows and business acumen.

As always, these are my views and mine alone - take 'em or leave 'em.

Artificial Intelligence in Education: ChatGPT Brings One-on-One Teaching to Scale

Title: "Khan Academy is using ChatGPT to bring one-on-one teaching to scale."

Source: The Wall Street Journal

Date: May 21, 2023

Greg's Words

We're still looking for AI's impact on revenue while it starts to penetrate the cost reduction side of the balance sheet.  

Meanwhile, on the education front, fear is giving way to innovation.  One school is utilizing ChatGPT to enhance its educational journey.

Selling technology to education is a pain - isn't it?  Bids, low technical skill, and no business acumen in the decision-making process make the effort singularly based on price, not results.

It's a tough gig, but every now and then, an innovative project comes up overcoming systemic fear and the 'cover your ass' mentality.  

This may be one such event.

 Key highlights:

• Khan Academy is developing an artificial intelligence-based tool, "Khanmigo," aiming to personalize and revolutionize education by integrating OpenAI's ChatGPT.
• Khanmigo enables students to ask questions during lessons or videos, offering personalized and contextually aware responses.
• Khan Academy launched a limited rollout of Khanmigo in March 2023, with wider availability planned for June 15.

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New to Copier Sales: Workflow Diagrams

"Workflow, that hot, new thing in the New Managed print Services." It's deja vu all over again.

The latest thing in MpS, not necessarily the newest thing, is "Workflow". You should be picking up  more chatter about workflow - you may even hear, "if you don't get into workflow, your dealership will die..." (Insert grain of salt, here.)

No doubt 2013 will see a BIG push of "workflow solutions": workflow software from providers  & workflow consultations from...consultants.

What does this all mean? What impact will this movement have upon the imaging industry, if at all?  Is this more hype, like color, digital, connected, and MpS?  Weren't we just evangelizing "managed network services"? (there is no such thing in the IT world, BTW)

For me, workflow/BPO has always been part of managed print services - part of the evolution, inevitable as the "p" in Managed print Services fades.

As we did so many years ago learning the ways of MpS, let's start with the basics: a standard, run of the mill, definition of 'workflow' -

"Workflow is a term used to describe the tasks, procedural steps, organizations or people involved, required input and output information, and tools needed for each step in a business process." - SearchCIO

Notice this does not specifically, or exclusively, refer to production printing workflow - Job submission can be represented as a workflow, but it is NOT the only example of workflow.

To some, the idea of defining how one does their job and daily business functions may sound complicated. Throw in the notion that workflow is usually expressed in the form of flowcharts, and the concept seems even more unreachable.

But it's not all that difficult to figure out.

All one does is determine how a process is completed, document the observed steps, and investigate bottlenecks.  As a matter of fact, if you've been selling copiers or printers or even MpS for any amount of time, I'm guessing you've embarked on the beginnings of workflow.

Let's take a look at an example, a purchase requisition (yawwwwwn). The following chart reflects a very basic process from requisition to purchase order:

This is a pretty straightforward flow with no deviation. Notice how the arrows suggest a motion or flow from one rectangle to the next.  All flowchart shapes carry specific meaning - rectangles are processes, diamonds decision points, and so on.

Of course, workflow diagrams can become pretty complex and detailed.  Below is a workflow chart for a system relating to data entry.

You can imagine how detailed a workflow diagram can get.

For me, it was always easier to jot down a quick workflow on the clipboard, binder, or today, on the tablet.

Here is an illustration of the decision process involved in installing a DCA, outlined on the Pad:

It makes sense to me so converting to Visio is a snap:

Approximate time to create, 12 minutes.

This isn't rocket surgery, scratching out drawings is just the beginning.  Apply your business acumen, a little software, and professional consultation into the equation, ultimately exchanging your knowledge for value.

How do you develop the ability to recommend and provide workflow systems to your existing MpS clients?   Is it too much to get into?  Can be. One thing is for sure, this isn't "hype" or "noise" - those who say so, do not get it - fain attention, then go back to work.

Welcome to the beginnings of Workflow. You won't get this stuff at the Monday morning sales meeting.

AI's Ticking Clock: Time-Saver or Time-Bomb?

AI: Because who doesn't love a side of existential dread with their efficiency?

Greg's Words

I'm sure you're not as immersed as I am in the whole AI/ChatGPT thing.  I'm also confident my friends, family, and some colleagues are getting sick of me talking about AI, Nvidia, Microsoft, OpenAI, Musk, the commercial real estate bubble, dying cities, the fear of covid, digitized workflow, and artificial intelligence. 

So be it.

I talk with business owners, end-users, and OEMs in many different industries - from manufacturing to CBE - and I've noticed a dichotomy in AI knowledge; either somebody knows a great deal or absolutely nothing about how AI helps companies reduce costs, grow sales and increase profits.

And that's okay.

Sure, with a bit of study, the current AI can help marketing, service, and sales digest and create proposals and correspondence, interface with customers, and produce expert-level, acumen-based content for your professional sales team. All of this impacts the cost side of the equation.  

It is too early for an Office Technology provider to bring anything to market besides knowledge and advice gleaned from using AI.  As far as a resellable service, or MRR SaaS model, there are no SKUs and very few experts. Yet, at the current pace of innovation, it won't be long.

Some of the "fog" around an AI-based product to Office Technology includes ethical questions we typically haven't had to face.  

It would be normally prudent to suggest that bringing AI to your existing copier customers is five years away.  From the historic view, you would be correct to think this, but this isn't normal, we aren't normal, we left Normalville about four years ago. I wouldn't be surprised to see a few AI systems in beta or ready to sell by year's end; say Q1, 2024.  

The clock is running, and time is the fire we all burn in, for now, feast upon a conglomeration of articles about AI, languages, and the end of the world.

Enjoy.

Executive Summary:

1. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is making tremendous strides in streamlining global communication and enhancing productivity in sectors like manufacturing, bringing forth unparalleled time-saving benefits.
2. As we embrace AI's advancements, we're also faced with significant ethical concerns, notably regarding AI datasets and accountability, as well as the chilling possibility of a 'runaway AI' scenario.
3. Recognizing and balancing these dual aspects of AI – its transformative potential and its ethical and existential risks – is important as we navigate the era of AI.

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The Impact of Remote Work on Commercial Real Estate And You

Why is this important to you:

• The shift to remote work is leading to a decline in demand for traditional office space and an increase in vacancies.
• This trend means that businesses will reevaluate their office space requirements and look for ways to reduce real estate costs.
• There will be an increased demand for technologies that enable remote work, which helps office technology salespeople tailor solutions to meet the changing needs of your customers.

This indicates a fundamental shift in the way businesses use office space. With more employees working from home, the demand for traditional office space is declining, leading to a significant increase in vacancies.

As a result, there may be an increased demand for technologies that enable remote work, such as video conferencing tools, collaboration software, and cloud-based storage solutions. 

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