Things I Love About the Copier Industry - 2014

One night at the bar, while attending the MWAi Executive Summit, I was in a rather animated discussion about women in the industry and your MPSA.

a remarkable aspect of the copier industry is how some men regard some women.

During the conversation when I mentioned out loud, "The Managed Print Services Association", one of the more elderly industry participants replied, "Managed Print Services Assholes" as he walked away.

The Best In MPS: Your MPSA Managed Print Services Awards 2010

This isn't the Magic Quadrant, these awards are for you.

And everyone who submits, is a winner.

That's right, every submission will be reviewed and an article detailing your solution will posted by your MPSA.

Exposure.

Here's my take; there is no deal or solution or MPS implementation that is too small. Of course all the larger OEM's will submit, huge, global, galactic level MPS implementations.

Let's see some "normal", everyday MPS Engagements submitted - its not the size its the impact that counts.

Check it out, submit a your customer, your client, your process, your favorite vendor.


Managed Print Services – 2010 Leadership Awards
Gain the recognition you deserve

The Managed Print Services Association (MPSA) is pleased to announce the start of the 2nd annual MPS Leadership Awards for our mutual industry. These highly coveted awards provide the industries only recognition for the leaders that are helping to shape and benefit the Managed Print Services industry.

See the following briefing documentthat covers the Award Categories, Benefits of Applying, and this year we have Simplified the Application Process.

New to this years awards:

All submissions will receive the following benefits:

1. MPSA Published Article profiling your accomplishments
2. Communications for your Article to all MPSA Members
3. Balanced Scorecard – Providing equal opportunity regardless of size
4. MPSA Disclosure of final scoring vs. other entries within your category

While award submissions can be received up until March 2010, the MPSA would like to receive your submission within the next 30 days if possible.

Special thanks to the Photizo Group LLC, for sponsoring these awards and their continued support of the MPSA.

Click to email me.

New to Copier Sales: What’s This Thing Called #ManagedPrintServices?

Once, long ago, “managed print services” (MPS) was considered an outlier, something in which only the fringe of our industry would participate. Today, you’ll see an MPS offering on every website and run into clients who know all about the various programs. What’s more, the realm is chock full of managed print content and training sessions, so, for now, I’ll just give an elementary description of today’s managed print services sales.

Let’s start with a quick definition of managed print services from the Managed Print Services Association:

“The active management and optimization of business processes related to documents and information, including input and output devices.”

Who And What is Your Managed Print Services Association? From LinkedIn

2011

I haven't mentioned much about Your MPSA.

Like some mysterious mistress she's there, just out of reach, misty, hazy and slightly out of focus....waiting for you to light the candles...ahem -

but I digress.

With the North American MPS conference, back drop for the MPSA - MPS Leadership Awards, just around the corner and our second annual MPSA membership meeting taking place the day after, now is a good as time as ever to talk MPSA.

Recently, somebody on LinkedIn expressed the feeling that one of the bedrocks of today's MPS, the 3 Stages, is flawed.

Interesting...


The Three Stages of MPS -

What was MPS to you, 3 years ago vs. what it is today? What will it be 3 years from now?

The thought leaders of the MPSA have been wrestling with ALL issues around MPS since the beginning.

This is difficult and challenging because once we, or anyone puts anything out there, once somebody makes a stand, the critics now have something to focus on.

And critics they are.

One of the touchstones in today's MPS are the Three Stages:

1. Control
2. Optimize
3. Enhance

Granted, they were first published by Photizo.  But they are ingrained in the basic understanding of MPS.

Is it possible that we are taking this process for granted? No.

Let me remind everyone, including my fellow MPSAr's and MPSr's:

The Three Stages where NOT created, they were discovered.
This mere distinction may blow right past most of us, copier dudes ain't the brightest bulb in the tool shed, yet try, I must.

The stages were observed as the process MPS CUSTOMERS traveled.

Let that soak in - the stages are customer not vendor centric.

And this point is at the fulcrum of the challenges encountered by the MPSA - we are trying to mirror and respond to MPS customers/users - NOT MPS Providers.

Let THAT soak in.

Imagine if you will an organization standing for something, and based on its core beliefs and philosophy could attract end-users.

Imagine how attractive this would be for an OEM to get in early and try to shape the battlefield. Not aligning with, but reigning over, the definitions, standards, awards, education, communications, and messaging. Think it wasn’t attempted? It was.

Can you fathom the interesting conversations as the MPSA tasked themselves with defining MPS?

Your MPSA Executive Board members come from every segment - including END USERs - the discussion was heated, and pulled in every direction. Those days were the wild west of MPS.

Still, we made a stand.

• We accepted the 3 stages as a valid observation.
• We considered, built and published a definition of MPS.
• We continue to hold the MPS Awards.
• We are building 'standards' around observed customer and vendor behavior.

In the end, one of our challenges is to maintain the MPSA as an organization who observes and publishes agreed ideas - ‘attracting’ the like minded – that being said, just like MPS, the MPSA is not for everyone.

I am an anti-hardware type of MPS’r.

I know that if we define MPS as simply toner and service (S1 & S2), we will whittle away and die. The MPSA has plenty of hardware-heads, folks squarely under the Bell curve – fine.

I will run out here to the extreme right of the curve. Tugging and pulling - stand by me, if you dare.

I challenge you – become a member of Your MPSA.

Get in on a committee.

Contribute.

If you find the Three Stages flawed  – tell them.

We named it "Your MPSA" for a reason - its yours.

Click to email me.

Is Managed print Services experiencing "the third day..."

Yes, MpS is coming back.  I know dozens of successful MpS practices engaging clients, supporting MpS, and making a profit today; it isn't that we've completely abandoned the idea.

But, I'm observing that we've left MpS to pursue the latest shiny object, managed services.  I'm not deriding that effort - worthy is the quest away of print.

And no, clients haven't fallen prey to our hypnotic social media or cold call campaigns - they've heard the "30% savings" mantra and see through the "optimized fleet" scheme.

What I see is that we've come full circle.  MpS programs, benchmarks, best practices, and philosophies have been rooted and everyone has logged their "10,000 hours. 

Today, we've got programs and associations:

CompTia's Managed Print Services community, Xerox PagePack, Canon MDS, Ricoh MDS, HP MPS, Toshiba Encompass, Lexmark MPS, Sharp MPS, Muratec MPS, Kyocera MDS, Okidata MPS and the grand daddy of them all, your Managed Print Services Association.

Today's software, unavailable in 2008, reads devices and spits out proposals in the blink of an eye. 

Like cities in the dark, MpS programs dot the landscape: Supplies Network, Digitec, LMI, Clover, Synnex and more provide sales training, assessment/TCO tools, and automatic toner fulfillment. 

These managed print services pillars are proven, standardized and in place.  In other words, managed print services is the status quo.

The establishment is MpS.

Consider the following:

MpS is part of a stale and complacent offering.
Is there anything staler than copiers, printers, and paper? No.  There is nothing more old-fashioned than marks on paper.  Don't believe me?  Ask your customers.

The providers are not in touch with customers.
While we've been promoting OEM-specific solutions and telling prospects about our 14 new models,  businesses have been shifting from copying to scanning, relieving themselves of those big, nasty A3 copiers, and going paperless - without our help.  

Think I'm wrong?  Check Xerox's earnings for the past 3 years; review HP's numbers for the same period and feel for those Lexmark CxOs, crash-coursing Mandarin.  They all lost touch years ago.

These shinny offerings are wedged into old business models.
I've had paying clients tell me, "...if it(managed services) doesn't fit into the 'blah, blah, blah', copier dealer business model,  it will never work..."  Indeed, even successful managed print services practices utilize yesteryear's example; contractual services tied to equipment placements.  What once was our strength, is now our greatest weakness.

"Complacent, out of touch, old business models"-
I challenge you to google, "How to Recognize an Industry Ready for Disruption" - you'll find that we are sitting on the bubble.  

The niche is primed for major turbulence; bigger than experienced at the beginning of MpS, and separate from current consolidations(OEM/Dealer).

I suggest that you and I are on the cusp of a Revelation and Revolution. The MpS 'third day'. Resurrection.

This time, the MpS revolution will be carried forward by in-the-field, MpS practitioners, free of stifling processes and discombobulated compensation plans...

This time, executives who've forgotten how to sell, aren't fashioning a strategy designed to secure more self space, create equipment quotas then calling it 'managed print services'...

This time, we help our clients move away from ink, away from printers, away from copiers, without the promise of 30% savings...

Who's coming with me?  

This moment will be the moment of "....something real and fun and inspiring in this God-forsaken business and we will do it, together..."

Click to email me.

Harnessing AI: A Game-Changer for Managed Print Services

Where AI meets ink – redefining the print management landscape.

Key Highlights:

1. Artificial Intelligence (AI) holds the potential to revolutionize print management and Managed Print Services (MPS), adding efficiency, security, and advanced features.
2. AI can enhance print security by providing forensic accounting and intrusion prevention, bolstering the overall cybersecurity profile of the MPS landscape.
3. Intelligent document processing (IDP), a new AI-powered technology, promises to streamline the handling of unstructured data, improving workflow accuracy and efficiency.

Greg's Words

No matter what the innovation, we are always left with a final statement and question:  "This is great technology and really interesting ideas - but, how can I generate revenue, today, with this?"  

With Artificial Intelligence, most of the financial impact is on the cost reduction, and increased productivity side of the equation.  Sure, we can reduce the cost of doing work with AI.  We can interface with prospects and customers with AI ChatBots, with no problem.  The cost benefits are obvious.  But putting together a product based on AI, for my existing Office Technology clients, is a major challenge.

AI is considered a process-enhancing solution.

It's like the inventors of refrigeration - they didn't get rich, but the companies that used refrigeration, like Coke, did.

We need to find that "Coke".

Meanwhile, folks in our niche are beginning to see, and talk about how AI will 'impact' managed print services, and to be frank, it is not new. it's just faster.

I have no doubt that we will see AI 'products' on the market within the next few months, before the end of the year.

We've put together a quick synopsis of the current outlook for MpS as the waves of AI wash onto our shores.

Enjoy.

 ________

Your MPSA 2010 MPS Leadership Awards Winners

The Managed Print Services Association (MPSA) is proud to announce the winners of the 2010 MPS Leadership Awards. Of the 60 different submissions across 53 different organizations in 12 different countries, the MPSA found quite considerable leadership and innovative thinking from all of the submissions.

Based upon the balanced scorecard voting that rated submissions in Core Abilities (30%), Best Practices (30%) and Business Benefits (40%) the following are the top winners in a highly competitive process.

Year Two: Managed Print Services Focuses on Change

Ed posted this over at ChannelWeb, here.

I commented, and then I cut and pasted - enjoy.
--------------------
Ed Crowley
Posted by Ed Crowley on May 28, 2010 1:43:34 PM

The first North American Managed Print Services (MPS) conference was launched in April of 2009 amidst the very ugly depths of the economic crises of 08-09 at a time when other conferences were seeing their attendance fall by 50% or more.

Many skeptics debated whether this would be a huge failure, or at best, moderately successful. Well, the first conference ended with 35% more attendees than planned, tremendous excitement and enthusiasm, and the formation of the Managed Print Services Association (MPSA).

Shades of Greg: 2016. The Year of The Flood

11/2015

Mergers, acquisitions, sell-outs and less paper.

2016 will see the beginning of the End.

More signs.  The tipping point is in your rearview mirror, if this is news to you, it's too late.

• Today, Xerox may be running out of ink with quarter after quarter of declining technology business. They've also decided to scrap the wax.
• Lexmark, after years of building a portfolio of MPS contracts is finally ready to sell out.
• HP, the thickest of the thick, is splitting into two. HPG, (HP Inc.) can now move quicker and turn their profits into R/D for print.  Will this five billion dollar start-up be the last print vendor standing? Can the old Printelligent model work?  Mother Blue has been adding vans almost as fast as she's laid off employees.  She has an impressive array of services, and a behemoth of a team ready to take the argument to the streets - direct.
• Samsung may gobble up Nuance, enhancing a practically non-existent MpS program.
• The independent channel continues to shrink and evolve.  Just this week, Loffler joined the Xerox dealer channel and Marco cashes in, selling to an equity firm.
• On top of all this, the American Forest & Paper Association released their yearly report stating, "...total printing-writing paper shipments were down 4% in September as compared to September 2014."  The same report a year earlier sited a 7% drop from 2013 to 2014.

Taken individually, the list has one dimension.

But observed from a distance, and just to the side, these points reveal a multi-dimensional reality: The deluge is here.

Knee deep in a receding surf for the last 18 months the final Wave is coming.  If you haven't sold or gotten out the only choice you have is to hunker down and hope for the best.

So what does it mean?

The End is just the beginning...ask yourself this one question,

"If office print disappeared tomorrow, what would I be doing the day after?"

Whatever answer you come to, you are absolutely correct.

Who Is #Greg_Walters: 2011

I was digging around some old stuff when I ran across this interview.  This was written and aired back in 2011 on the old "The Imaging Channel" website.

Cracks me up!

###






Most of us know Greg Walters … or at least we know a little bit about him. We’re familiar with his blog, The Death of the Copier (DOTC), and the scantily clad ladies of said blog. We recognize his bandana and Harley Davidson. We know he’s opinionated and passionate about MPS. But we here at TIC Talk wanted to know more …

TIC: Do you have a “real” job? If so, what is it?
Greg: Yes, I have a “real” job as the MPS Practice Manager at SIGMAnet, a 25-year-old, West Coast VAR.

Photizo Group CEO keynote helps CXOs learn about managed print services corporate benefits

Print & Imaging Summit Keynote Explains MPS Trifecta: Saving Time, Money and the Environment

Highlights:

     

     Photizo CEO Edward Crowley shares study results that validate corporate MPS advantages of cost savings, environmental benefits, IT productive 

     

      MPS can help companies cut costs by up to 30 percent and regain up to 10 percent of IT time

      Photizo Group is strategic event partner for Print and Imaging Summit

April 12, 2011, Midway, KY -- Organizations considering a move into managed print services (MPS) have a lot to gain -- and a lot to learn. The average firm cuts cost by 30 percent, but these MPS savings do not happen overnight. 

MPS is a more complex and far-reaching undertaking than most realize. In his Print and Imaging Summit keynote, Photizo Group CEO Edward Crowley helps CXO executives understand the complex issues – and powerful advantages – of a corporate MPS initiative.

Crowley is founder and CEO of Photizo, the worldwide authority on MPS trends and techniques, and the leader in MPS data collection, analysis and reporting. In the opening keynote on Tuesday, May 3, 4:15 – 5 PM, he brings valuable guidance and perspective to the corporate market. He will introduce MPS concepts, explain the challenges of embarking on MPS projects and acquaint the audience with benefits they may not have considered, such as reducing CO2 emissions and improving IT productivity. He will also share insights on what's next in convergence of IT outsourcing and MPS, with IT and business process optimization.

Canon's Bid for Oce in Jeopardy; Offer "Meager"

Jan. 13 (Bloomberg) -- Canon Inc.’s $1.1 billion bid for Oce NV may be in jeopardy after holders of 13 percent of the Dutch company said they won’t tender their shares and a group representing about 200 investors said the offer was too low.

Hermes Focus Asset Management Ltd., with 3.3 percent, said on Jan. 11 it won’t tender its shares, calling the Canon offer “meager.” Orbis Funds, with about 10 percent of Oce, in November rejected Canon’s bid. Investor group VEB, which represented 211 shareholders with about 0.003 percent of Oce at its last shareholders meeting, judged the bid too low.

Tokyo-based Canon, the world’s largest camera maker, may have to raise its offer or lower its minimum threshold to below 85 percent of Oce’s outstanding shares to see the deal through should more investors oppose it. With the takeover, Canon is seeking to expand its printer operations and widen its lead in the global market for office equipment.

“If Canon’s determination for completion of the transaction is strong, it’s possible the company will add some premium after discussing with Oce’s investors,” said Hisashi Moriyama, a Tokyo-based analyst at JPMorgan Chase & Co. “On the other hand, Canon could drop the plan, if the company judges adding premiums isn’t merited.”



Canon in November agreed to buy Oce, the world’s largest maker of wide-format printers, for about 730 million euros ($1.1 billion) in cash. The company said Nov. 16 it would pay 8.60 euros a share, or 70 percent higher than Venlo, Netherlands- based Oce’s last closing price.



‘Not in a Hurry’



“We believe we are offering an adequate price,” Ichisei Hanada, a spokesman for Canon, said yesterday. “There’s no change to our plan to start the offer by March 31,” he said. Canon hasn’t received letters from investors similar to those from Hermes and Orbis, he said.

Oce, which yesterday reported a fourth-quarter net loss of 23 million euros, closed at 8.59 euros in Amsterdam trading today, close to the Canon offer price.

“Looking at the share price, investors are not anticipating the bid will be raised,” said Niels de Zwart, an Amsterdam-based analyst at Fortis Bank Nederland. “The market seems to think: This bid will go ahead at 8.60 euros, no matter what these shareholders are saying.”

Since Canon has indicated that it will largely let Oce operate on a stand-alone basis in the first three years, it “may not be in a hurry to get 100 percent of the shares,” said De Zwart, who has a “sell” rating on Oce.

He said it is unlikely Canon will withdraw its bid entirely. “Canon aims to become the number 1 in printing and to get there, they need Oce.”



Canon Supporters



The deal would be Canon’s biggest purchase, giving it control of the world’s largest maker of machines that make blueprints and advertising posters. Ricoh Co., Japan’s second- biggest maker of office equipment, in 2008 agreed to buy Malvern, Pennsylvania-based Ikon Office Solutions Inc.

Canon’s offer was 1.2 times Oce’s projected book value per share for the year ending November, according to the average of six analyst estimates. That was in line with projected multiples at office equipment makers such as Xerox Corp. and Brother Industries Ltd.

Ducatus NV, ASR Nederland NV and ING Groep NV, which hold about 19 percent of Oce’s share capital, have agreed to sell their stakes to Canon, Oce said Nov. 16. Bestinver Gestion SA, holder of about 9.5 percent of the outstanding stock, provided an irrevocable undertaking to tender. Canon said on Dec. 1 that it held 25.3 percent of Oce’s ordinary shares.



‘Weakness’



Pictet & Cie, Sparinvest funds and Stichting Pensioenfonds ABP, which own about 5 percent each of Oce, according to Bloomberg data, declined to comment on whether they plan to tender their shares.

The Dutch shareholder association VEB said the price doesn’t fully reflect the savings that can be expected when Oce operates within a stronger group.

“Oce was negotiating from a position of weakness,” David Tomic, a spokesman for VEB, said in a telephone interview yesterday. “That makes it unlikely that a good price was offered.”

Orbis Funds, the Bermuda-based manager of $20 billion in assets that challenged Warren Buffett’s bid for Clayton Homes Inc. in 2003 and led investors in pressuring Citigroup Inc. to raise its offer for Nikko Cordial Corp., in November rejected Canon’s bid. The fund said Canon’s offer “significantly undervalues” Oce’s assets.



No Counterbid



“Shareholders need to consider if they want to bet on a higher bid and take the risk the whole deal is cancelled,” said Peter Olofsen, an Amsterdam-based analyst at Kepler Capital Markets, who recommends investors accept the offer. “The question is how far Canon wants to go to become the number 1 in printing.”

Hermes this week said Canon’s indicative bid was “a meager representation of the true value of Oce, when profitability potential and the depressed share price are put into a proper perspective.”

“Following integration with Canon, and with profitability in line with industry standards, the company’s equity would indicatively be worth some 75 percent more than the offer price,” Hermes said.

Oce’s management said it still supports the deal.

Fortis’s De Zwart said it’s unlikely there will be a counter offer for Oce.

“A bidding war is unlikely as other potential buyers already indicated they are not interested,” he said. Konica Minolta Holdings Inc., the Japanese lens and office-equipment maker, on Nov. 17 said it had no plan to counter Canon’s offer.


Oce Scraps dividend.

MWAi/Technology United: "Force Multiplier"

Technology United is a group of cutting edge, early adopter companies.

This is not old skool; NOT the same old, MLM, Jaycee-type, loosely run, networking and poker club.(not that there is anything wrong with the Jaycees, old your emails) Technology United members are all best of breed in their industries and standouts in the technology realm.

I like Mike.  I like the idea of TU and I like the players.

Please read Mike Stramaglio's introduction, review and update:

In the Beginning: One Shade of the DOTC Story

Interview, 7/7/2011, The Imaging Channel.

I dug this up from the underground vault - archives of days gone by, reflections of the future.

Most of us know Greg Walters … or at least we know a little bit about him. We’re familiar with his blog, The Death of the Copier (DOTC), and the scantily clad ladies of said blog. We recognize his bandana and Harley Davidson. We know he’s opinionated and passionate about MPS. 

But we here at TIC Talk wanted to know more …

TIC: Do you have a “real” job? If so, what is it?

Greg: Yes, I have a “real” job as the MPS Practice Manager at SIGMAnet, a 25-year-old, West Coast VAR.

TIC: Do you wear a suit to this “real job,” or ever?

Greg: OK, that’s funny. Yes, 9-5, I can be found usually sporting a suit, with a tie even. Odd thing is, many days I am the only person in the office in such garb. It’s Cali, and I am originally from the Midwest.

TIC: What’s your background?

Greg: I was born in Honolulu, Hawaii – Pearl Harbor, in that great big “coral pink” hospital in 1962.
I grew up in a suburb just outside Detroit, graduating high school in 1980 – the same year of the Miracle on Ice, Mt. St. Helens’ eruption, the Olympics and Ronald Reagan accepting the Republican nomination in Detroit, at Joe Louis Arena.

After college, I worked at INACOMP, making my way through a few other dealerships and VARs over a decade or so, always proposing computerized accounting systems. Those were wild times – PS/2s, COMPAQ, Novell networks and DOS 4.0. Taking a break from technology, I worked uniform sales – ahem, I mean, “Corporate Identity Programs” – for a great company, CINTAS. They transferred me out to Ontario, California, in 1999 to help open a new plant.

I decided to get back to technology and jumped into a sales position with Océ. From there, I worked with a very nice Panasonic dealership in Anaheim, pushed on to IKON out of Redlands, and ultimately stumbled into a new thing with SIGMAnet, Managed Print Services.

We started from scratch – oh, the stories I can tell.

TIC: When did you get into MPS?

Greg: Well, I started with the MPS practice in September of 2007. But while at IKON, I exposed myself to all the EDM I could and even worked intimately on a rather large FM project – MPS before there was such a thing.

TIC: When did you create DOTC, and why?

Greg: My first post was on February 20, 2008, and was about HP Edgeline. I created the blog thinking it would be a good way to put some information up regarding the benefits of Edgeline. We (SIGMAnet) were, and still are, an HP OPS Elite dealer. Edgeline was going to kill all other copiers, hence, “The Death of the Copier” – pretty simple. My second post, made on February 24, 2008, was titled “Managed Print Services, That Hot, New Thing …”

TIC: Did you ever imagine that it would grow into what DOTC has become today?

Greg: Nope. I can still see the looks on all the faces of those copier dudes at Lyra 2009. “Death of the Copier? Just who do you think you are?” LOL!I often comment how happy I was getting just 12 views a day, and most of those from my mom. I built the blog originally as a receptacle for things I was interested in. It evolved into a spot for me to put thoughts down one day and go back to read later. I honestly do write for an audience of one: me — and I crack me up. I must say, I am honored, humbled and thankful for all the great people DOTC has introduced in my life. No plan – just making it up as I go.

TIC: What do you do in your free time?

Greg: Huh – sleep.

And hit the trails, get off the grid in my 2001 LandRover, Disco II – yes, it is a green vehicle. Metallic Forest Green, that is. Ha! By the way, new idea for a bumper sticker on a Prius: “My other car is a … car.” Get it? Sorry, that’s my Detroit showing. Anywho, I also like to get out to the paintball arenas and light up some newbs. I used to golf – had all the stuff. One day I figured I really didn’t need another reason to chase a beer cart around all day.

TIC: Greg Walters is certainly an interesting and busy person, both personally and professionally. In addition to blogging on DOTC, working at SIGMAnet, and sitting on the board of the Managed Print Services Association (he currently serves as secretary), Greg will be joining the TIC Web team as a resident blogger, contributing bi-monthly blogs to The Imaging of Greg.

Be sure to check back on Monday, July 11, for his first post.

Posted by Katherine Fernelius on 07/07/2011
Click to email me.

Webinar - Technology United, Bigger Than SkyNet

Who is Technology United ?

The core group comes out of the imaging sector, but each and every member has eyes on the horizon and collaboration as a mission.

There is more to imaging than marks on paper.

The MpS Ecosystem continues to grow, expanding beyond toner on paper, up to the clouds and back down to screens.

How can we in the niche, utilize this powerful new group to maximize our customers' experience, become a valued partner, and sustain this new business model?

Tune it to learn more about Technology United.

More than a group of buddies leveraging their marketing position, TU is a collection of forward thinking, early adopters who believe improving the industry, improves us all.

A rising tide lifts all vessels.

We will simplify the complex and illustrate the significance of this first of its kind association.

August 7, 2012 - 2:00PM EST

Sixty minutes, open discussion, with 15 mins for Q/A - a maximum of 25 attendees.

Click here to register.

H2T: Humanizing Healthcare Technology

2014

"Humanizing Healthcare Technology"(H2T) is a rallying call from a minority of professionals in the healthcare niche.  "Kindred spirits" evangelizing the transformation of healthcare into a more 'human' approach - sounds odd until you hear the stories.  Don't doctors deliver bad news in a compassionate manner, empathize with each patient and provide conversations filled with hope all the time?

A Year Ago Was The Right Time For Managed Print Services

Where is the Managed Print Services niche, today, August 2009? ------ I just read an interesting comment on LinkedIn regarding the lack of "buzz" around the MPS Summit from the recent ReCharger show. Bob Chernisky was asking aloud, "Did anyone attend? Did no one say anything worthwhile? Was the juxtaposition of MPS with toner remanufacturing a mistake? Are most of the prime-movers of the industry turned off by that association (too low-tech for us)?" I know people attended, but I did not. I do not think the juxtaposition is a mistake. And if the "prime-movers or any movers, think the toner guys are too low-tech, so what? 

To speak directly about the Re-Chargers, I think they should worry as business paradigms shift to MPS. I also think that this shift could be a great opportunity for the bold. For the forward-thinking companies who are willing to remake their current business model. The reman's can be a component of a good MPS practice; one of the team. Right now, there aren't as many devices hitting the streets. These older machines, the ones finding a spot on new, MPS engagements, will need toner and parts. And entering this niche may give them a better talk track than the current "we're cheaper and we're Green..." But back to Bob's questions, where is all the buzz? 

Come to think of it, the last few weeks have been a bit quiet. Especially considering all of the announcements - the big HP guarantee, PagePack 3.0, Okidata Managed Print, the MPSA national elections. ;-) The recent Gartner data showing combined copier and MFP sales fell 30% over the past year should be center stage and all the buzz - but if I read one more post, article, or Tweet about the Magic Quadrant, I am going to upchuck. 

 Maybe it's just that people don't want to talk about bad news. Well, boo-frickin-who - where there is turmoil, chaos, and fear, there is opportunity. The Bad News: Lai-Ling Lam, senior research analyst at Gartner said this,

"The market witnessed a weak demand as both businesses and consumers reduced spending and the drop in shipments was also impacted by tighter inventory controls in order to minimize inventory levels in the channels.."

Dire news to be sure, and nothing terribly new for any of us selling in the office B2B. Unfortunately, it's worse than we think; it usually is... Our bread and butter, office printing devices, showed a 24.5 percent decrease in the first half of 2009.

"...businesses are delaying or eliminating purchases of new equipment altogether. The global downturn has also forced them to review their printing needs which could change their print consumption in the long term. At the same time, it also makes print vendors increasingly look at alternative hardware strategies such as managed print service (MPS) and smart MFP adoption as ways to increase revenue..." added Lam.

We in the MPS world, recognize this 30% avalanche as a huge opportunity - a huge MPS opportunity. I understand where Ms. Lam is coming from and I take exception to her above statement, "print vendors increasingly look at alternative hardware strategies such as MPS...as ways to increase revenue...". Successful Managed Print Services strategies should not be hardware driven - an assessment looks for areas of cost reduction, not hardware placement. 

Why So Quiet - Maybe there isn't as much 'buzz' from the MPS niche because we in it are actually doing it, day in and day out. And by we, I mean we selling, infrastructure, marketing, branding, research, and MPS training types. Perhaps we are all on the same spot in the MPS Adoption Cycle - execution(or re-execution) and it is now more important to operate the practice versus talk about the practice. That 30% deficit is a hole waiting to be filled with MPS services, not equipment. 

A boon for us, a boardroom challenge for the big manufacturers. The Silence of Activity - humming along.

SIGMANET, INC. ACHIEVES HP PARTNERONE ELITE STATUS FOR FIFTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR

Office Printing Solutions Elite Partner Status with HP Provides SIGMAnet the
Foundation to Deliver Clients Measureable Business Value

Los Angeles, CA – June 21, 2010 - SIGMAnet, Inc., an HP PartnerONE Elite Partner, today announced it has maintained its Elite membership status with HP for a fifth consecutive year. SIGMAnet met stringent technical and sales training requirements to maintain its status and join a select group of HP partners as an Office Printing Solutions (OPS) Elite partner in North America.

“We are proud to be recognized by HP as one of only a handful of partners throughout the country to earn the Elite status,” states Ahmed Al-Khatib, owner and founder of SIGMAnet.

OPS Elite partners are highly skilled in providing HP imaging and printing products and solutions, and managed print services (MPS), improving customers’ overall efficiencies in printing and imaging infrastructure optimization, and management and document workflow. The Elite status recognizes SIGMAnet’s consultative approach to solving business problems with industry experts who are skilled in simplifying complex printing and imaging solutions.

MWA Intelligence, Inc. Announces Winner of The Jillian Fund Motorcycle Raffle

Congratulations, Danny Terril, Owner of OES-Solutions

Scottsdale, AZ - June 22, 2016 - MWA Intelligence Inc. (MWAi), a master value-added reseller (MVAR) and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) for SAP Business One and leader in enterprise resource planning software (ERP) concludes their motorcycle journey, traversing across the country in a teamed up effort with Clover Imaging Group and The Jillian Fund.

The Jillian Fund honors Jillian Gorman, a young woman diagnosed with an aggressive form of blood cancer that tragically ended 4 years later. The Jillian Fund provides financial support to parents with children who are suffering life-threatening illnesses that require critical care. They also award academic scholarships to young women who portray extraordinary faith and leadership within their communities. With donations they receive, The Jillian Fund is able to provide families in need with monetary support covering: household and child care expenses, lodging, transportation and meals. As of to date, the charity has raised over $355,000 with more and more donations pouring in.

“You get a real sense of fulfillment when you decide to partake in something bigger than yourself. To have the opportunity to raise money for a worthy cause for Jillian, a brave young woman has been nothing short of an honor,” said Michael T. Stramaglio, President and CEO of MWA Intelligence, Inc. “The amount of support that families have received is tremendously incredible from The Jillian Fund and it has been amazing to have association with this charity. On behalf of all those involved, including the donors, it has been an extreme pleasure.”

In total, the motorcycle trek encompassed 10 stops starting with MWA Intelligence, Inc. in Scottsdale, AZ and ending at Des Plaines Office Equipment in Chicago, IL. The duration of the trip lasted 10 days, from May 23rd, 2016 to June 1st which included visits to the following dealerships and manufacturers: Muratec, Datamax, Memphis Communications Corporation, Advanced Office Systems, Cobb Technologies, Stones Office Equipment, Perry proTECH, and Des Plaines Office Equipment.

While in Washington, D.C., the riders participated with The Rolling Thunder, a nonprofit organization dedicated to publicizing positive causes and to educate the American people. Each year The Rolling Thunder organize an annual ride in Washington, D.C. where up to 1 million participants partake in such a cause.

Generously, Clover Imaging Group donated the customized 2011 Harley Davidson Fat Bob for a raffle. The proceeds from the ticket sales went directly toward The Jillian Fund.

A very appreciative and grateful thank you to all who were involved in the ride and to those who donated for such a worthy cause. The updated total raised from donations and from the ticket sales surmounted $120,000 and growing which would not have been made possible without the efforts from all those involved.

“As a pancreatic cancer survivor myself, OES-Solutions was beyond happy to support such a great cause. I could not fathom having to go through what I went through alone and I truly believe that no one person should ever have to endure that. Without organizations like The Jillian Fund, some families would not be able to spend the necessary time with their loved ones in their time of need. I thank all the people involved at the Jillian Fund, it’s an honor both personally and professionally to be a part of such a great cause. I have to admit that winning the Harley Davidson this year was extremely exciting but the real prize is the relationships that I have developed working with Mike Stramaglio and everyone involved so once again from everyone here at OES-Solutions we thank you and look forward to working with you in the future” said Danny Terril, Owner of OES-Solutions, cancer survivor, and supporter of The Jillian Fund.

MWAi FORZA with SAP Business One is a complete, integrated ERP that provides transparency and instant visibility into operations. The FORZA solution helps dealerships to better unify, manage, and control their entire business across financials, sales, customers, and operations. Together, MWA Intelligence and SAP will provide office technology and imaging channel businesses the ability to make smart IT decisions, improve future performance, and achieve long-term success.

About OES-Solutions:
Founded on the highest standards of integrity, reliability, and flexibility, OES-Solutions provides an array of OEM printers, multifunction copiers, fax machines and consumables from several of the industry’s top manufactures. With over 15 years and $150 million in sales and experience, OES - Solutions offers products, programs and support that cater to the needs of independent office equipment dealers throughout the United States.

For additional information, please visit OES-Solutions website: http://www.oes-solutions.com

About The Jillian Fund:

Jillian Lauren Gorman was the embodiment of strength and encouragement to others, and recognized the importance of a parent’s presence and support during difficult times. The Jillian Fund believes that children facing life-threatening illnesses should never face them alone. Each day, thousands of critically ill children face long hospital stays without a parent by their side because the parent is financially unable to leave work. The Jillian Fund is dedicated to uniting families in need during their most critical times and providing academic financial support to young women who demonstrate Jillian’s legacy of living by example and conquering fear with faith. The Jillian Fund is a 501(c)(3) Organization.

For additional information, please visit The Jillian Fund website: www.thejillianfund.org

About MWA Intelligence, Inc.:

MWA Intelligence Inc. (MWAi), an SAP Business One OEM partner, delivers enterprise-class and leading-edge Machine-to-Machine (M2M) and Machine-to-People (M2P) solutions to better serve the imaging industry. MWAi’s intelligent service, workforce, assets and GPS solution suites deliver mission-critical information in real time to the hands of customer-facing employees and into companies’ back-end ERP systems including the powerful MWAi FORZA with SAP Business One. The MWAi solution automates all of the business intelligence management, meter collection, consumables and service alerts and also offers an integrated pre-sale MPS tool.

For additional information, please visit the MWA Intelligence corporate website: www.mwaintel.com

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For more information:

Jenna Stramaglio

CMO

MWA Intelligence, Inc.

(480) 538-5969

Jenna.Stramaglio@mwaintel.com