GANANOQUE, Ontario — PrintFleet Inc., a global leader in managed print software and supporting professional development services, announced the 2009 dates of its industry recognized Managed Print Services Road Show Seminar Events.
With 30 seminars and more than 1,000 dealer principles, sales managers, service and IT executive attendees over the past three years, the PrintFleet Road Show seminar series has fast become a global industry “must see” for anyone looking to get serious about integrating a managed print service program into their business model.
Themed “The Sustainable Business Model” and leveraging bold statements such as “when times are tough, leadership matters” within promotional event materials, the series IV event promises to again deliver the same high-impact, practical approach to the MPS business model, but this time headlining with even more industry leaders catering to various segments of the printing and imaging channel. The dates and locations of the road show include: Dallas, Jan. 21-22; Miami, Feb. 18-19; Irvine, Calif., May 6-7; Chicago, May 27-28.
“A clear enabler of the rapid growth of managed print services is the evolution of the dealer and reseller channel from a hardware centric sales model to a professional services model,” said Ed Crowley, president and CEO of Photizo Group. “Providing dealers with the tools and information they need to transition to this model is critical. This is why we are so pleased to be part of the PrintFleet Dealer Seminars.
In our research into hybrid dealers (dealers who are MPS centric and who combine the best of the IT reseller channel and the BTA dealer channel), one of the clear differentiators we have seen is that the best hybrid dealers are organizations who have learned the value of educational events such as PrintFleet’s Dealer Seminars to ensure they understand the latest thinking and best practices for MPS implementation.”
“These events are so unique due to their open, convivial atmosphere which allows dealer principles to swap war stories and share strategies of success with their various MPS programs,” said Laura Hunt, director of marketing and strategic partnerships with PrintFleet Inc. “Everyone is searching for the right method to deploy a managed print services program. This is why we have assembled a team of the best in class supporting vendors and industry analysts to help steer our new events. Series IV: The Sustainable Business Model will be the runway dealers are looking for to launch their MPS programs and gain further market share from their clients.”
The PrintFleet Road Show, Series IV: The Sustainable Business Model has a promising lineup of sponsors and speakers including: Synnex Corporation (event sponsor); Photizo Group (keynote sponsor); GreatAmerica Leasing Corporation, Parts Now!, Supplies Network, LMI Solutions and Compass Sales Solutions (partner sponsors). Other industry speakers include Lyra Research.
I have never seen a better, "home-made" crop circle tattoo - ever.
The first annual Managed Print Conference ended a bit ago, and although I have enough notes to choke a horse, I have been holding off writing about the meeting.
Waiting and looking for indications that what I saw, the conversations I had, the passion, or the lack of passion I observed, somehow could be found in my everyday MPS world.
The Conference did represent MPS Nirvana - but out here in the real world, it's different.
It's a world of competitors waving their little "dongles" around, jumping up and down spewing 5 year old Gartner facts and pitching MPS as "the hot new PRODUCT" - gag, upchuck the boogie...
So it takes some heavy Korn tracks TwistedTransistor, to name one, to dislodge my apathy and write - God help us all.
About the time of the Lyra conference in Palm Springs, the first time I met Ed and really started to get to know the folks from Photizo, the future of the Managed Print Conference was realistically in question. Indeed, just a few months later, at the beginning of ITex, questions were still lurking.
But all it took was a walk through the floor at ITex, to see MPS was everywhere and was the "new black".
That's when I knew the conference was not only going survive, but be a success.
Ed and I walked the show, shaking our heads in awe. The market was truly coming towards Managed Print Services - that is at least from the vendor side.
After Xerox stepped up as a Platinum sponsor, credibility grew as did the list of sponsors. Weekly, more and more firms jumped in - a larger room was soon needed for all the vendors.
Our work as judges for the first annual MPS Awards grew as well - page after page from nominated contestants arrived in my in box. There was a good deal of work that went into those 4 awards.
And as the big day grew closer, that anticipation increased. Ed even received his first "troll" attack on the MSP Mentor site; you know you're on the right track when someone tries to attack your credibility. As of today, the Troll has made no subsequent appearances.
The beginning of the conference went marvelously with introductions to new people and re-intro's to familiar faces.
The tone was set early.
As the group of attendees was not huge, around 174 people, it was easy to get to see and talk to many people. Not so many as to be overwhelming but more than enough to lend credibility to the MPS market as a growing and significant niche.
Make no mistake, if you were unable to attend, it's ok- MPS will be growing and there will be opportunities to get together with industry leaders again.
If you were there, you know.
Which brings me to a personal and at least for me, a very interesting observation.
I am sure that there have been times in your life when you belonged to a group of friends or an organization of sorts when it felt like you knew a cool secret - and that only you and the members of you group understood.
For me, it was Paintball and the society of "early adapters" within the sport. It was weird, but we all knew each other, even if we had never met, because we shared a common passion for a game, a sport, not many knew of and fewer even understood.
It is like a secret fraternity.
Well, I felt a tinge of the same, "wink and a nod" feeling.
Sitting in front of a pretty good sized crowd, especially for the end of a conference, and looking out at the faces looking at me and my colleagues, I could tell that this was a special moment in history.
Albeit a moment in MPS history - for whatever that's worth.
We all felt part of a collective, a group of people who understood something that some of our peers would never be able to truly "get" - because they weren't there.
Is it as good as hearing Bell say, "...Watson...I need you..." or watching 12 seconds of the Wright Brothers first 120 feet - no, it is not.
But still, it's something positive. Something created out of nothing - and that is usually a good thing.
The Executive Summit has been in existence for three years, this is my first one. For context, I've attended and spoken at every domestic Photizo MPS conference, I attended and spoken at a few ITEX get-togethers and a BTA meeting - I 've attended more shows than I can remember.
I've known of MWAi and the group for years, meeting Mike Stramaglio at a Lyra back in ....2009 or 08, I forget. Mike and I have broken bread and on occasion, we've even solved many of the world's problems over whiskey, Cabernet, or some other variation of libation.
A few weeks ago, I ran across a blog entry over at "Adventures in Office Imaging". I know Nathan, the guy who wrote an MPS song, and has sponsored the "Destroy your Printer" contest, these last two years.
"...The "Summit" is really just a sales pitch camouflaged as an MPS-101 course. It encourages everyone-and-his-uncle to dive into the market, then tells them they need a toner vendor or a printer-copier manufacturer as their "MPS partner..."
HOLY CRAP!
I put a few questions together for the author, the CEO of Expert Laser Services, Luke Carpentier. He was very kind in answering
Two defining qualities of any cutting edge, evangelist of change - what once was MpS - is Defiance of the status quo and the ability to cover the basics
7. Be defiant
Test everything every day. Your processes can always be better, and your costs reduced. Take a page out of Six Sigma or any one of the hundreds of business books, scale it down, and apply the lessons to your everyday business process. Make quarterly reviews mean something internally. And if you ever hear the phrase, “This is how we always do it,” refer back to that Lyra chart.
Transformation is continuous, and your improvement should be too. The number of imaging providers will decrease by half or more. Copiers are not what they used to be. Be ready for anything by challenging everything. MPS is bigger than toner and service, so you need to be ready to shift and move at the drop of a hat. What was done in the past simply does not apply today, so challenge the existing.
8. Be basic
Think about the days when you knew nothing about copiers or toner. Remember how it was to make it up as you went — how you demonstrated over-jammed originals, around faulty color and through spilled toner? Call up the days when there were no rules in toner — or copier — sales. What did you have? A phone, the Yellow Pages, Rolodex, and some ideas? A pager? What the heck is a pager? How did you survive?
I hate to say it, but get some of the grind work done; that means calls and marketing — in the trenches. Because like never before in history, we — providers and prospects — are on the same page. The field is level. It comes down to two people making something happen — a basic relationship built on solid intent.
Your MPSA conducted it's first Higher Education webinar.
Ed Crowley from Photizo presented his view of the year to come.
Attendance was strong, the questions pertinent.
Some of the news, ominous.
Not a crystal ball in sight.
Here are some tidbits... In 2009 MPS moved from a "sales and marketing" program into a Core offering for most MPS Practices - and this will accelerate in 2010.
MPS is moving to the mid-market.
Customers are driving into the third Stage, Enhance the Business Process and software is the way.
The "definition" subject came up - one question, "...what is MPS? Fleet management, CPC ?" Ed's response, "...it's more then the fleet, it includes BPO, document flow and all the items of Stage 3..."
Scale? Systems need to be scaled from the 100's of devices up to 1,000's of devices; this is evolving.
80% of dealers are still "testing" the MPS market - remote meter reads only. A small percentage of dealers are managing their fleets. Not just marketing, not just a sales program, MPS is a change in business model. This is holding most dealers back.
Ed predicts that by 2013, 50% of resellers in North America will be out of business due to inability to be successful with MPS.
The MPS market will exceed $32 billion in revenues in 2010.
Finally, 2010 is the year of the Channel.
MPS as a practice, has evolved from a marketing scheme, or technique into a full blown, functional business model - we are at critical mass - MPS is being taken seriously now. We will see more and more emphasis on those, in the channel, who adapted to MPS, implementing a full practice.
"Hybrid Dealers" will start to take shape and form, with one national Hybrid dealer emerging in the next 3 years. --------------------
This was a very informative session. Coupled with the recent Lyra content, the times are changing, again, the future ain't what it use to be, again.
Interesting point of comparison between the three stages of MPS and the three stages of IT management.
From the ongoing, three year, MPS Decision Maker Tracking study, respondents place MPS/Imaging Projects in the Top 3 IT priorities.
Non-MPS Stage Zero, "click" charge, transactional market revenue is declining as S1 and S2 revenue is growing and growing quickly. Numbers and trends supported by information present at the Lyra Symposium, last week.
Europe, by 2014 will be the largest MPS market; shifting to channel driven from direct supported MPS.
The Asian Pacific area offers huge MPS potential; Japan referred to as the "sleeping Giant" a huge market leading the region.
"Multinationimbles" - leaders will combine scale with agility...
"...Profits, like sausages..are esteemed most by those who know least about what goes into them..." Toffler
For my observations, I have been chastised, rebuffed, chortled at, poo-pooed, and mocked.
Heck, the first time I took, TheDeathOfTheCopier "out in public" (Lyra, 2009), some guy looked at my name badge, cocked his head, and practically yelled, "...Death of the copier? Do you know who we are? We're all dealers!" Like I knew his sister, biblically or something. Yikes.
Well, it doesn't make me all that happy to report the name of this blog is starting to look more prophetic than humorous. The Fourth Horseman is soon upon us.
Another broad DOTC stroke here - MpS, is losing the "P".
Because the P is diminishing, just ask Xerox, and the C(ontent) is starting to come into focus.
Oh...you didn't know that? You didn't get the memo? What, you're still selling MPS as toner and service on your single and multi-function devices?
Stuck in S1 and 2? And you're happy, may I suggest in a state of bliss? Stop looking at her and listen.
What are you going to sell when your clients don't need to print?
How do you think they will feel the moment they discover you don't want them to stop printing?
When they wake up and recognize they are simply part of your 'revenue stream'? When their level of consciousness sees the bogus truth of 'mobile printing'. That's right, bogus.
Most importantly, how are you going to fend off somebody like me who comes into your 'secure' account blathering on about MIF reduction, vitalization, Unified Communication, Content, CISCO, Help Desk, and the NOC?
All this under a vision of MOS: The Optimization of EVERYTHING...no, really everything...
Ferocious, ain't I? Does your head hurt yet? I understand this occurs right before it explodes.
The 2010 MPS Conference is in the can. The reviews are in, critics silent.
So, after a gruelling day of sitting and absorbing, the sponsored receptions are both a very welcomed break and the best time to get the real work of conferences done; networking.
Personal Note: I was shocked by all the people who came up to me to say "hi" and that they read this tome - I am humbled and honored by all your kind words.
I especially feel for the husbands out there who have had to explain reading DOTC as "work related" and to all in the cubes, afraid managerial eyes will be looking over your shoulder, locked with laser focus on one of the "Girls" - CTRL TAB.
Speaking of the "Girls of DOTC" - as risque and nontraditional as they are, very few complaints have been voiced. As a matter of fact, I get more compliments from women over the pictures than I do men.
Again, thank you all for reading and continue to come back!
Now, on with the "after hours" review.
Day Two, reception:
A gentleman walks up to me, shakes my hand and says he reads my blog, wanted to meet me and he is from Muratec.
I respond, thanks, are you having a good show, and what, exactly does Muratec have regarding MPS.
He answers, "...we do a good deal of Seg 1 and Seg 2...".
Me, gracious as always query,
"...Seg 1 and Seg 2? It has got to be at least 4 years since I heard ANYONE mention Seg 1&2. Is THERE STILL A Seg 1 & 2 around?" - at about this time, I stopped, hoping to avoid the old shoe leather in the mouth phenomena.
No worries - these guys are cool. Lou, Marketing Director, Carl, Senior Director of Technical Support and Jim D'Emidio, President Muratec America, Inc.
So I press, just a bit, and ask, "so...how is it, that you are still selling?" I meant it, I wanted to know.
Still, they took no offense and answered straight away, " we make doing business with us, very easy...and we listen to our dealers or CUSTOMERS..."
Well smack me upside the head and call me a Leopard Thong! Duh!
Remember, they were not selling me. I will never be a customer. This wasn't a sales pitch or their corporate function, they have nothing to lose by telling me the truth. By giving me their "elevator speech" over margaritas.
So, after left handed insults, what is the best thing to do? Accept an invite to dinner with them! Excellent!
Our meal consists of supremely adequate ravioli and a superb red, selected by our very own sommelier, Kevin Morris, from Onedoc - he has his very own wine cellar.
The conversation bounces between Oklahoma vs. Texas football rivalries, old school copier dealers, golf outings, and why Courtney,from Lyra, is the only female sitting at a table of 10 guys - she giggles.
As the night closes walking back to my room, I remember one of the slides in the presentation David Cameron and I will be giving the next day.
The phrase, "its the customer, stupid..." is a bullet.
This one statement, is crystallized by what Jim said earlier that evening.
How can a company survive in the Seg 1 and Seg 2 ? "... we make doing business with us, very easy...and we listen to our dealers or CUSTOMERS..."
The MPS industry is ready to turn from introspection, to looking out, paying attention to our customers.
We don't need to define MPS - it's done.
We don't need to realize a good MPS practice requires solid infrastructure - agreed.
We don't need to be convinced of the profitability of MPS - we see it.
We should, now, focus on our customers, focus outside the internals and begin to present to the world, our unique, MPS offerings.
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.
"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.
"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?
The Copier is nearly gone
Old ways die-hard
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.
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!!!
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:
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..."
Since 2008, I've moved from SoCali to Charlotte to Oconomowoc, Wisconsin - "...this place that is my home, I cannot stay..."
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..."
I've Failed - "...If you've ever seen a one-legged dog then you've seen me..."
I've Succeeded - "...I always leave with less than I had before..."
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
"Autonomy is the market leader in the provision of software that automates the analysis of unstructured data, whether in the form of text, audio, images or video." - UBS, July 2008
The other day, I sat in on a webinar. The fine folks at Lyra were presenting "Printing supplies market trends MPS" - yeah, I know, who the hell would sit in on one of these?
MpS Geeks, that's who.
Of course, the data presented has been fodder for DOTC for the past year; we will never get back the placement levels of 2008, A3 devices are dying(ahem), any recovery will be linked directly to the surviving dealership's ability to focus on workflow, not the box. We know this, correct?
Then a funny thing came up - OEMs are "rationalizing" their fleet offerings. They are narrowing down the number of models.
Panasonic/Matsushita provided the rumor mill even more reason to suggest that Panasonic may get out of the copier market all together. Rueters reports Panasonic Corp (6752.T) will report a consolidated net loss after tax of about 350 billion yen ($3.89 billion) in fiscal 2008/09 due to restructuring charges and weak sales of consumer electronics.
This will be Panasonic's first loss in six years, and the biggest since the firm posted a 430 billion yen net loss for the business year that ended in March 2002.
Interestingly, at last week's 2009 Lyra Symposium, Panasonic did not make the roster of copier companies analyzed.
It is not known how much the copier side of Panasonic contributed to the loss.
At the 2009 Lyra Symposium, one of the more prevalent discussion, both on and off stage was consolidation - the more exciting consolidation topics were the possibilities between the manufacturers.
Of course the topic turned to the few remaining independents and the "Mega Independent" dealers.
This week, Xerox, through GIS, acquired one of those Mega dealers - ComDoc. ComDoc, according to their site, was the largest independent Ricoh dealership in the U.S. ComDoc Chief Executive Officer Riley Lochridge said,
''An offer was made that we think was good for our employees and our shareholders, ... and it will be good for our customers,''
And in a '''rapidly consolidating marketplace,'' he said, joining forces will make the company even stronger and more competitive.
ComDoc employs 600 and had sales of $125 million last year; the employees own the company, so they will share in the proceeds of the sale. ComDoc reportedly services 14,000 customers.
Xerox spokesman Carl Langsenkamp said, ''We try to find dealers that are well-known and have a good customer base,'' he said. ''ComDoc had good, key cities ... and GIS didn't have any operations in Ohio, so this opened up that opportunity.''
This acquisition, will give GIS a presence in 29 states.
All reports are that no major changes in operations will result although a strategic plan to convert clients to Xerox is obvious.
Since the being purchased by Xerox, GIS as made 6 other acquisitions.
It appears that Xerox is utilizing GIS's expertise in dealer assimilation to grow the channel even more.
List of GIS acquisitions(partial) since Xerox purchase, May, 2007:
Imagine Technology Group Copy Products, Inc. Alternative Office Systems Sierra Office Solutions Saxon Business Systems Blackstone Valley Office Systems American Business Machines, Inc. Better Quality Business Systems Marbaugh Reprographics Supply Co. Inland Business Machines, Inc ComDoc
Well, well, well...40 years of evolution, and look where we are today.
Scottsdale, AZ under the watchful gaze of one of the true gentlemen on the planet - Mike Stramaglio.
Mike and I first met at a Lyra show and have had many conversations about the sluggish acceptance of the 'connected world' by our industry. Mike's world has always been about new technology, M2M, P2P, and business engagements blooming into personal relationships.
He not only talked 'Star Trek' stuff but integrated our corner of the world into his talk track, discussing how "...imaging devices and other business equipment are inherently included in 'things' 'people', 'process,' and 'data' - the four components of the Internet of Everything"
When filming a scene in a movie, once the director has what he needs on set, and the filming is complete, somebody will announce, "That's a wrap!" indicating the end of the scene, show, or movie.
Then they celebrate the completion and bash-out at the "Wrap Party".
While sitting in the first day of presentations at an industry symposium, Lyra 2012 - I had an epiphany.
The days of IT departments, IT VARs and CIOs are numbered. The ending scene is being played out before us.
Off camera, an anxious Director is about to announce, "That'a a Wrap, people..."
This Unprovoked Attack on Me, is an Attack on You.
From my friends at CRN - Computer Reseller News, no less.
I have no idea how I even popped up on their radar, but apparently, I ruffled some back room feathers. I am an easy target, my name is all over my blog, unlike the fictitious "Paige Coverage"; an obvious Xerox marketing creation, and yes, I actually have real pictures of me.
Thank goodness I didn't post pics of my children, for they would have been thrown under the bus with me.
What befuddles me, beyond comprehension, is what nerve have I struck?
Perhaps the Xerox folks I have been working with for the last year, evaluating PagePack and ColorCube as possible offerings here at SIGMAnet, will be able to answer that question.
Perhaps the members from TeamXerox, who I met with last week during a Synnex event, can help me understand why I would consider moving forward, or even recommend anything from Xerox to my executives, prospects, clients, members of the MPSA, or the thousands of DOTC readers.
Read and tread lightly for this isn't just an attack on me. No, this goes deeper. Much.
What Paige/Xerox has done is shown its colors - they don't like, they don't want, dissension.
THEY FEAR CHANGE, THEY FEAR YOU, THEY FEAR US.
Paige is a creation, like the Monkeys and a shill for Xerox. Paige represents the will and vision of the Big X. For all we know, Paige Coverage is Ursala Burns. In the end, Paige is Ursala.
The Summer of 2011 DOTC vs. X - un-fuking believable. Oh the fun we are going to have...
And yes, I know this is all a sham to get more hits on their small, pathetic site - God, I love this country.
Read on...
Greg Walters Leaves a Trail of His Own Ignorance
Posted by Paige Coverage on Jun 21, 2011 11:27:02 AM
When he's not parading past you his music library or posting You Tube videos on his site, Greg Walters hacks out a confounding and scattershot blog called "The Death of The Copier is the Death of MPS."
Presently he's mourning the sad and premature death of E Street Band saxophonist Clarence Clemons, but he'll soon be back to getting his facts wrong, and contradicting himself with his bizarre attempts to frighten you out of a business he himself claims to be successful in: Managed Print Services (MPS).
Like spotting someone you've placed a restraining order on, I was reminded of Greg when a colleague forwarded me this rusting blog of his from December.
In it, Walters rekindles his addiction to managed print defamation by claiming that:
“Just as everyone figures out how to spell MPS, industry pundits kill it. Photizo called heavy growth rates in MPS Engagements through 2015 - of course this was back in the "olden days" - 2009! Last year at Lyra, consultants and statisticians explained that we will never return to the same levels of units (copier) sold, pre-2009.”
Same level of copier units sold? This is not an argument for the death of managed print services.
And Walters – who describes himself as “an MPS Practice Manager at medium-sized west coast VAR/MSP (whose) GP is consistently at 48% - fleet is doubling year to year, my goal is to quadruple in 2011” – should know this.
Managed print services is not about pushing boxes, anymore than managed IT services are about selling more PCs, or virtualization is about selling more servers, or cloud computing is about selling more storage hardware. A managed service is about optimizing existing resources. Sure it’s nice to sell some hardware, and everyone does. But service dollars outdistance hardware and software sales by a country mile, and have so increasingly for years.
Walters’ blog post goes on to feature quotes from those either too unsure of themselves to enter the managed print market, or are under the misconception that “it will make us millions on printer revenue.”
Walters’ opinions are just plain nonsense sprinkled with rock music lyrics, and no reputable technology reseller of any kind would allow this child to speak in front of their employees or customers.
It’s a shame that just as everyone figures out that certain blogs and social media sites can be of benefit to helping the channel drive more revenue through services, irresponsible self-promoters like Greg Walters come along to contaminate the well.
At least - by his own admission - no one is foolish enough to pay Greg Walters to write.
NEW YORK/TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Sharp Corp will post an annual operating loss of more than $112 million which is a milestone for the company, as it is its first ever full-year loss.
Not much of a surprise for those who attended the 2009 Lyra Symposium - Sharp did not bode well, receiving a "D" on their Vendor Report Card, for their lack-luster earning trend.
Sharp is the world's No.3 maker of LCD TVs behind Samsung Electronics Co Ltd (005930.KS) and Sony Corp (6758.T). Sharp had forecast an operating profit of 195 billion yen at the start of the financial year, which it cut to 130 billion yen in October as cellphone sales weakened. It reported an operating profit of 183.7 billion yen for the previous business year.
