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Monday, July 21, 2008

Shareholders Petition Court to Delay EDS/Hewlett-Packard Merger Vote, Announces Baron & Budd, P.C.

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--At a hearing scheduled by Collin County District Judge Greg Brewer on July 24, shareholders of Dallas-based Electronic Data Systems (EDS) will be asking the Court to postpone the July 31 shareholder meeting

It looks like stockholders are questioning the sell price of the deal - because of the increase in revenues and better EDS profit over the past 12 months.

They want more money.



Managed Print Services: Leading Edge and Bleeding Edge



Don't let the SALES GUY touch the machine! 

I recently had the honor of attending a training session intended for "technical" types. Both pre-sale and post-sale technicians were in attendance - about 13 of them and 1 of me. Resellers from all over the country - Edgeline resellers; Edgeline technicians.

That's right. 13 techs and one salesperson. Oh, the fun we will have.

The classes were covering Job Accounting in session one and Printing Security in session two.

I won't bore you with the details, but I will tell you this - early in the first session the instructor queried, "...what's going on out there in the field, do your customers seem to be interested in reducing printing costs?" - I am paraphrasing the question but the response, or better yet lack of response, I am not.

The collective answer? "Nope." "Not on any customers mind or radar.", "They just want to reduce their lease payment, that's all"

I fell out of my chair - I blurted it out, "MPS is the hottest issue out there right now, if you think your customers aren't on it, you are wrong." - And my reward for being one of the first to contribute to class discussion?

Dead silence. Blank stares. Crickets.

The first time I participate in class, this is what I say? I felt it was going to be a very long two days.

Well, the experience improved - a great deal. The guys represented the highest level of certification available from HP. I found everyone engaging and knowledgeable about the industry and their place in it.

We all have common struggles, challenges, and successes.

Still -

After reading Ken's articles, "Crossing the Document Output Divide" and "Customers Don’t Know What They Don’t Know." I wonder exactly where MPS is in the industry. It doesn't feel mainstream. It feels new and frontier-like. It feels like we are still making this up as we go along.

I wonder about the blank stares and shrugged shoulders I observed in class. I wonder about the blank stares I receive after I explain my version of MPS to a prospect.

With Managed Print Services, "Bleeding Edge" and "Early Adopters" are titles not only applied to prospect types but also Provider types.

This is a special time.

Leaders Lead.


Click to email me.






Men With Pens



Shooting From the Hip

No, they do not sell Penis-Mightiers. In my quest to improve writing skills I have looked at many, many sites - this one is a good one.

I really liked this post.

They are on my Role and can be found here.
Click to email me.




Sunday, July 20, 2008

Edgeline - "Just an InkJet"

July, 2008

Just an Inkjet printer? Well, yes...it's like comparing the Kon Tiki with the Space Shuttle. 

I have heard this from a few prospective Edgeline clients recently. 

 - And I have to ask myself, how did this come to be? 
 - How did this statement of fact come to be an objection in the selling process? 
 - How can Edgeline Technology, ink-based, first be compared to and then relegated down to the level of a "DeskJet 500"? 

In the phrase, "My Competition and the Ignorance of my Prospect." The ignorance issue, I can deal with. Ignorance can be cured, but stupidity can not. And in this case, if Ignorance is the disease, I am the Cure. More importantly, what lies beneath this "objection" is the fact that competitors to Edgeline may be paying attention and developing strategies against it. 

I can not tell if this is an organic occurrence or if some "xerographic" people are distributing "talking notes" - to be honest, I can not imagine anyone (Xerox, Canon, Ricoh, K/M) worrying too much about their eroding market share relative to Edgeline. Edgeline just isn't there yet. Well, the Edgeline technology is but all the necessary "accouterments" around the technology (channel, brand recognition, business philosophy, etc.) from HP are not in place just yet. 

Edgeline has only been on the streets for about a year now - and there is a long row to hoe on the way to moving 3400 units a year. It will get there - and in five years, we may be all lauding how impossible it must have been to use machines that only produced color at 60 pages per minute. If you like this post, try these:

So Really. What is the Big Deal about "Ink Jet"??

A Return to Edgeline

Edgeline...and the BreadCrumbs...



A Return to Selling


"Copiers, are all the same."

You could call that statement "The Neutralizer". In one swoop, you have just made all the copiers your prospect will ever see or evaluate into a commodity.

Let's face it, most clients already think that all copiers are the same. So why not confirm their beliefs, putting all the "spec sheet minutia" aside and concentrating on real problems and business cases.

This strategic approach not only puts the prospect into a different mind-set, but re-positions the sales rep into a Selling Professional.

Imagine, if you sell copiers and every single one was the same. How would you differentiate yourself? Think about it...your first copy out time is identical, all the machines scan to folder, use electronic bread crumbs to clear misfeeds, have large, proven, successful, U.S. based, global manufactures behind them, and easily connect to the network.

Well, yes, salespeople in general "take the path of least resistance"(translation, we're lazy) so the easiest way to differentiate is to lower the price. It's also the simplest way to fall into the commodity model. But then again, sales people take the path of least resistance.

For the rest of the story, go here...

Click to email me.



Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Xerox and HP Stock News, etc.

Some interesting moves with each company's stocks...

"Hewlett Packard Co (HPQ) more shares bought by Exxonmobil Investment Management Inc." Here

HP Green


HP has been recognized as a certified IT Asset Disposal vendor by IDC, a leading provider of global IT research and advice. From this announcement:

"...Older assets with residual value are typically remarketed, while obsolete or damaged equipment is channeled into HP's recycling process. HP recycled nearly 250 million pounds of hardware and print cartridges globally in its fiscal year 2007 - an increase of approximately 50 percent over the previous year. HP also reused 65 million pounds of hardware, refurbishing it for resale or donation, which increased its annual reuse rate by 30 percent.

Started in 1987, the HP Planet Partners recycling program now operates in more than 50 countries, regions and territories. The program seeks to reduce the environmental impact of IT products, minimize waste going to landfills, and help customers conveniently and responsibly manage products at their end of life..."

"Xerox Corp (XRX) holdings reduced by Exxonmobil Investment Management Inc" Here


Speaking of Xerox

From a recent article from ENN,

"
Xerox has signed on as a founding member of the Information Overload Research Group (IORG), which will focus on boosting workplace productivity by fighting information overload. Xerox joins Microsoft, Intel and IBM, which are also members of the group. IORG's mission is to build awareness of information overload, conduct research, help define best practices, contribute to the creation of solutions and resources, offer guidance and facilitation and help make the business case for fighting information overload."

Good to see somebody is fighting information overload...except, aren't these people pretty much responsible for all the information overload in the first place?

From Guam:

Auditor: Copier contract may be illegal
.
School system says it's an ongoing contract, doesn't need bid-

"...In February, Island Business Systems and Supplies filed a procurement appeal against GPSS with the public auditor. The business estimated GPSS purchases $130,000 of Xerox-brand copier equipment per month..."

Is it me, or does 130k/month sound like alot?

Of course, the appeal comes 3 years into an agreement. This sounds and looks like sour grapes on the part of the losing vendor.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Tasty Toner...Yum Yum....

Printers and copiers around the globe will soon be changed for the better as they will begin to use soy-based toner That is according to The Ohio Soybean Council, Battelle and Advanced Image Resources.

In an article in the Ohio Farmer(here) this new technology is being commercialized by
Advanced Image Resources, a Georgia-based company and will be available later this year. AIR will produce the soy-based resin that serves as the building block for the new toner, and sold under the trade names BioRez and Rezilution.

"With more than 400 million pounds of petroleum-derived toners and resins used annually in the U.S. to make 3 trillion copies in photocopiers and printers, there is a great market opportunity for soy-based toners and resins," says Tom Gandolfi, AIR President. "While other soy-based inks have been used in the printing industry for over 15 years, gaining a 30% market share, this new technology is the first of its kind in the laser printer and copier industry."

And from the AIR site:

Specific improvements achievable with bio-based soy toners include:
  • High quality of copies and prints
  • Easy and ready removal of toners from fused images in the recovery of secondary fiber in a paper de-inking mill
  • Simpler and less capital intensive de-inking process
  • Help in finding value-added uses for office waste paper and thus increase collection and recycle of waste paper
  • Raw material for toner resin is based on renewable resource and thus minimizing reliance on scarce fossil source
  • Total energy savings – in the manufacture of resin, de-inking process, less need for virgin cellulose fiber
  • Reduction of carbon dioxide emissions
  • A systems oriented solution that helps OEMs, secondary fiber mills that manufacture de-inked fibers from office waste, waste paper collection and process industry, and society at large by offering an environmentally friendly solution that has benign impact.
So it seems that this type of toner will allow for easier "de-inking" which is involved with recycling paper...interesting...

I wonder if this will do the same for Soy futures as Ethanol did for corn...

If you liked this little post, perhaps you would like some of these:

How Green Is My Money..."Will Going Green in Business printing go the way of OS/2?"

Paperless Offices, Killer Toner , Carbon Offset - "A World Without Sin"

Edgeline Success by being Green



Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Sometimes...You Wear Stretchy Pants in Your Room...is for fun..


Sometimes, I Google myself, it's for fun... Today, when I Googled me, I found two other me's.

One "Greg Walters" is from Missouri and has been a member on the Raytown city council for 24 years. His recent post is "News and Views" and includes an article regarding a "
New Formula for Sewer Rates". (Don't laugh, he has hundreds of responses to his posts.)

Yes, yes, I know - this post has already gone "out of scope" - hang with me...

Disparately trying to find some thread, some morsel of commonality between this Greg and that Greg, I searched his blog for "printers", "copiers", "green", "HP", "Canon" - the results? Zilch, nada, zero - not a thing, a crumb or inkling towards MPS.

When all hope was lost and I was about to dial up Obama for some change - I found it! The common thread! - Humor!!

This off of his Blog:

"The following are from a book called Disorder in the American Courts, and are things people actually said in court, word for word , taken down and now published by court reporters who had the torment of staying calm while these exchanges were actually taking place.

ATTORNEY: What gear were you in at the moment of the impact?
WITNESS: Gucci sweats and Reeboks.

ATTORNEY: This myasthenia gravis, does it affect your memory at all?
WITNESS: Yes.
ATTORNEY: And in what ways does it affect your memory?
WITNESS: I forget.
ATTORNEY: You forget? Can you give us an example of something you forgot?

ATTORNEY: What was the first thing your husband said to you that morning?
WITNESS: He said, 'Where am I, Cathy?
ATTORNEY: And why did that upset you?
WITNESS: My name is Susan!

ATTORNEY: Do you know if your daughter has ever been involved in voodoo?
WITNESS: We both do.
ATTORNEY: Voodoo?
WITNESS: We do.
ATTORNEY: You do?
WITNESS: Yes, voodoo.

ATTORNEY: Now doctor, isn't it true that when a person dies in his sleep, he doesn't know about it until the next morning?
WITNESS: Did you actually pass the bar exam?

ATTORNEY: The youngest son, the twenty-year-old, how old is he?
WITNESS: Uh, he's twenty.

ATTORNEY: Were you present when your picture was taken?
WITNESS: Are you shittin' me?

ATTORNEY: So the date of conception (of the baby) was August 8th?
WITNESS: Yes.
ATTORNEY: And what were you doing at that time?
WITNESS: Uh.... I was gettin' laid!

ATTORNEY: She had three children, right?
WITNESS: Yes.
ATTORNEY: How many were boys?
WITNESS: None.
ATTORNEY: Were there any girls?
WITNESS: Are you shittin' me? Your Honour, I think I need a different attorney. Can I get a new attorney?

ATTORNEY: How was your first marriage terminated?
WITNESS: By death.
ATTORNEY: And by whose death was it terminated?
WITNESS: Now whose death do you suppose terminated it?

ATTORNEY: Can you describe the individual?
WITNESS: He was about medium height and had a beard.
ATTORNEY: Was this a male or a female?
WITNESS: Guess.

ATTORNEY: Is your appearance here this morning pursuant to a deposition notice which I sent to your attorney?
WITNESS: No, this is how I dress when I go to work.

ATTORNEY: Doctor, how many of your autopsies have you performed on dead people?
WITNESS: All my autopsies are performed on dead people. Would you like to rephrase that?

ATTORNEY: ALL your responses MUST be oral, OK? What school did you go to?
WITNESS: Oral.

ATTORNEY: Do you recall the time that you examined the body?
WITNESS: The autopsy started around 8:30 p.m.
ATTORNEY: And Mr. Denton was dead at the time?
WITNESS: No, he was sitting on the table wondering why I was doing an autopsy on him!

ATTORNEY: Are you qualified to give a urine sample?
WITNESS: Huh....are you qualified to ask that question?

ATTORNEY: Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: Did you check for blood pressure?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: Did you check for breathing?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you began the autopsy?
WITNESS: No.
ATTORNEY: How can you be so sure, Doctor?
WITNESS: Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar.
ATTORNEY: I see, but could the patient have still been alive, nevertheless?
WITNESS: Yes, it is possible that he could have been alive and practicing law. "


LOL!

Buh, Bye... DANKA. KONICA MINOLTA Completes Aquisition

"As expected, Konica Minolta reported that moving forward, Danka will sell only Konica Minolta products but will continue to sell third-party solutions as they have in the past. Effective July 1, Danka will no longer be an authorized Canon dealer..." - Cary Sherburne And from the Tampa Bay Business Journal -"Effective immediately, Konica Minolta Danka Imaging will market Konica Minolta's lines of office systems, production print systems, network printers and application solutions, a release said..."

Friday, July 4, 2008

The Fourth Of July and the American Way - Wal*Mart

July 4, 2008 -

Celebrate the 4th - go buy something, go sell something, anything...just like Wal*Mart...

I was disparately seeking a timely and interesting subject for a Fourth of July post - and two of the sites I visit most, provided me with WAL*MART.

Cory Smith's "I love Walmart but I hate them too." post resonated with me as well as Ken Stewart's Global-nomics At Work In Your Backyard. Excellent work, gentlemen!

But I think this all started over here. A great site mixing Technology with Politics(YIKES!) I love the mix, I love the argument - Tsudohnimh is the author, go check it out.

-----------
You may ask, "What in the world does Wal*Mart have to do with Managed Print Services, Edgeline, or printing?"

Good question. On this blog, we talk specifically about printing - but in a "galactic" sense, I am really talking about the application of technology in the business world and the impact/results of that application.

So how did Wal*Mart get so big? The answer, my friend, is through the application of technology - something we Americans do quite well and should be more proud of.(U!S!A!)

History Lesson - Back to the Future

Do you remember Mr. Kresge? No?

Ok, to be fair, I know of the Kresge name because I grew up in his "back yard" and the library at my University had his name on it. But Sam owes Sebastian everything - and Sam knows it.

"Sebastian Spering Kresge opened a modest five-and-dime store in downtown Detroit...and changed the entire landscape of retailing. The store that Kresge built has evolved into an empire of more than 1,500 stores and an Internet presence that reaches millions of customers...



"When Kresge opened his first store in 1899, he sold everything for 5 and 10 cents. The low prices appealed to shoppers and allowed him to expand to 85 stores in 1912, with annual sales of more than $10 million..."

sound familiar?

Happy Fourth!

We hold these truths to be self-evident... that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.





Thursday, July 3, 2008

Konica Minolta - The Next IKON

Know thy self-

Today, Konica sells boxes, and they do it very well... yet their portfolio of EDM is growing and the phrase, "Konica Managed Print Services" is starting to hit the streets.

Konica/Synnex/PrintSolve -

One company, a copier company, can offer clients total print management. Konica reps can first place copiers, gaining credibility and determining their client's internal decision processes. Once this is done, in addition to gaining more "share of wallet" by adding new machines, the Managed Print Services angle can increase profits, account control and establish Konica as a partner intent on helping the client reduce costs.

From the Konica Minolta website, "
Konica Minolta, together with SYNNEX Corporation, offers your business a way to enjoy precise control of printing costs, the latest in printing technology, better workplace efficiences, and improved total cost of ownership."

The Managed Print Services selling process may go like this:

1. Establish relationship with Purchasing/Facilities by selling Konica copiers.
2. Build upon the initial relationship by offering up a "free" print analysis.
3. Run PrintSolve's USB audit tool to obtain monthly average volumes.
4. Send inventory report to Synnex
5. Synnex determines which devices to support, the number of toner cartridges, maintenance kits, etc. required for the total volume of the MPS agreement, generating a total cost.
6. Synnex gives Konica the cost per copy, who in turn adds a margin and proposes to client.

The client signs agreement with Konica Minolta. The program is a cost per copy which includes all supplies and service for the life of the agreement. The customer calls Konica- or may even call Synnex directly for service and supplies - dependent on how Konica works with Synnex.

Now the above scenario may not result in a Managed Print Services Agreement as I define it, but in a Managed Print Supplies Services Agreement - I am not sure who would provide the actual service or maintenance work.

But wait - there's more.

If we look at Konica's EDM portfolio you will see companies like Captaris, E-Copy, Planet Press, and Digital Storefront. Now look at IKON's portfolio and you will find, Captaris, E-Copy, EFI, Westbrook, EMC, etc. IKON's portfolio is more robust. But Konica Minolta is growing and adding staff - IKON is not.

The bottom line here is K/M is growing into the services space at a controlled and managed rate - with what appears to be a plan. True, "full blown" Managed Print Services should include Electronic Document Management Solutions as well and the company that can articulate the value and support a multi-faceted, longterm, combined MPS/EDM strategy will elevate beyond the box and truly help clients save money.

If we apply the Photizo Group's "Three Stages of MPS Adaption" EDM is within the 3rd stage of the three stage process and if correctly marketed and implemented, Konica Minolta could position itself as the "Go To" MPS/Copier provider.

Watch Konica Minolta.

SideBar:

Synnex and Kyocera, Konica Minolta, Edgeline: Konica is not the first to position Managed Print Services through distribution -

Kyocera - October, 2007

"The Fairfield, N.J.-based vendor said it was teaming up with Synnex, Fremont, Calif., to combine its EcoPro lineup of printers with Synnex' Printsolv managed services offering -- an offering that provides assessment, tracking and management functions that solution providers can deploy in print MSP deployments.

In jumping into the space, Kyocera Mita executives are hoping the company can broadly expand its channel footprint beyond its direct sales, office products channel and retail, as well as change its business model to cost-per-page from hardware and supply sales."







Contact Me

Greg Walters, Incorporated
greg@grwalters.com
262.370.4193