Fear The Cube or Don't Fear The Cube: In The End, It Won't Matter

5/2009

Xerox ColorCube -

I prefer not to get into the hardware vs hardware debate, after all, all copiers are the same.

But this "wrinkle" in the continuum is worth mentioning.

The Xerox ColorCube is not a contender, it is a game changer - and I haven't even seen a unit yet.

It doesn't matter.

Xerox could release a monkey in a crate with a box of crayons, and somebody, somewhere would buy it.

But this is not the case - there's no monkey in the Cube.

Let us not forget the end user really won't care what the technology is - like always, they will want to print or copy in color or B/W as easily and as simply as possible, at a reasonable cost.

The only folks calling this a "big" issue are those inside the industry.

Simple.

The strong point that Xerox puts forth here with ColorCube is variety of product - just look at the finishing capabilities.

Even though today there are only 3 units with multiple flavors, one need not stress when considering the Xerox product line, next year or the next decade.

This is just another change, iteration, evolution all expected and predictable as we head down the path towards total color output - just like the days of B/W TV were numbered, so to are B/W prints.

For that matter, so too, are the days of print in general.


See:

The Death of Xerography

Clients, Edgeline vs Xerography...

Xerox is NOT Afraid of Edgeline...

Is Anyone Really AFRAID of Edgeline?

Click to email me.

Kyocera Mita America and GreatAmerica Leasing Corp. Sign Program Agreement

(Cedar Rapids, IOWA) – GreatAmerica Leasing Corporation today announced that it signed an agreement with Kyocera Mita America, one of the world's leading document solutions companies, to become one of its financing partners.

Though GreatAmerica has worked with independent Kyocera Mita America dealers over the last sixteen years, today’s announcement solidifies Kyocera Mita America’s confidence in GreatAmerica.

Kyocera Mita America, headquartered in Fairfield, N.J., is a leading provider of computer-connectable document imaging and document management systems, including network-ready digital MFPs/printers, laser printers, color MFPs/printers, digital laser facsimiles, and multifunctional and wide format imaging solutions.

“Our ability to bring additional financial tools and services was one of the key elements that drove this program agreement,” said Jennie Fisher, senior vice president & general manager of the GreatAmerica Office Equipment Group. “Kyocera Mita America recognizes the value we bring with our managed print services (MPS) platform, and knows of our experience with many of their dealers.”

“Our program agreement with GreatAmerica is one of many strategic steps we are taking to strengthen our dealer-based programs,” said Ed Bialecki, senior vice president, Sales, Kyocera Mita America. “We are very pleased to offer new and enhanced financial opportunities to our dealership channel to support their sales efforts, whether it’s an MPS customer account or a standard lease transaction.”

ABOUT GREAT AMERICA

As the largest independent small ticket leasing company in the US, GreatAmerica (www.greatamerica.com) is focused on helping office equipment dealers and resellers sell equipment and solutions, and operate their businesses in a way that makes them more successful. GreatAmerica specializes in administrating print management programs and is the home of FleetView®, www.info-zone.com®, and InTune®. Founded in 1990, GreatAmerica is headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and is known for its culture of hard work, integrity and excellence.

ABOUT KYOCERA MITA AMERICA
Kyocera Mita America, Inc. (www.kyoceramita.com/us), headquartered in Fairfield, N.J., is a leading provider of computer-connectable document imaging and document management systems, including network-ready digital MFPs/printers, laser printers, color MFPs/printers, digital laser facsimiles, and multifunctional and wide format imaging solutions. Kyocera Mita America is a group company of Kyocera Mita Corporation. Kyocera Mita Corporation is a core company of the Kyocera Corporation, the world's leading developer and manufacturer of advanced ceramics and associated products, including telecommunications equipment, semiconductor packages and electronic components. Kyocera Mita America, the first document solutions company with third-party certified sales data, has earned numerous honors for its products’ high performance, reliability and cost efficiency. Kyocera Corporation's consolidated net revenues exceeded $10 billion for the fiscal year ending on March 31, 2008.

The Water Training Institute Set to Launch Its Certified Managed Print Services Seller(TM) Sales Training and Certification Program [CMPSS(TM)]

It was only a matter of time. 

I have never heard of the Water Group. For 2 years now I have been scouring the internet looking for any mention of "managed print services" and today is the first time this group pops up. 

No surprise, "where the is mystery, there is margin...". 

Today's mystery is MPS and as much as I believe there are a few "unique" aspects to selling MPS, selling is selling. Well, "solution selling" is "solution selling". One thing is for sure, this group is not short on content. 

And although the content looks and sounds good, I still can't help but be skeptical about anyone claiming to be in MPS for more than 11 years - that would be...since when, 1996?

Somebody help me out, were copiers even digital back then? Wasn't Apple running "ads" showing the difference between an Apple and PC user?(see above) 

Was I using a Palm Pilot back then? 

Didn't Office 97 ship on 45, 3.5-inch floppy's back then? 

And don't remember anybody offering to manage a fleet of IBM-Pro Printer; service and ribbons that is. And as I read through their squeaky new, freshly painted website, I could not help to think "HP"; it has the look and smell of SPS, which pretty much, well...smells. 

And then there is this, 

"...The team of Water Training Institute associates whom have designed and will deliver the Certified Managed Print Services Seller(TM) program curriculum have collectively sold nearly $1Billion in MPS business...Collectively, our brain-trust have more experience and success in sales and selling MPS than probably anyone in the world...” 

Wow...I mean...wow. Go ahead, divide $1billion by 0.0120 and then divide that by 11 years...whaddya get? I don't know, I ain't doing it. Of course, these numbers are accurate, you can't put it out there like that if it ain't true - but then again, it all depends on how one defines "MPS", doesn't it? 

According to their documentation, there are 5 separate modules of training - one is webinar-based and the test module is $500.00 and must be attached to Module #3, "In-Class Certified Managed Print Services Seller Program" If taken individually, the total cost is $4,975.00 - but act now by enrolling for September's classes, and the price goes to $2,490.00. 

These guys know how to market. 

At the recent MPS Conference, the most popular "off-line" conversational subject was "...can someone tell me how to effectively put an MPS Practice together?" Maybe this can be a great first step for rookie salespeople - or maybe even old "salts" of the copier world can get trained on moving "solutions" instead of boxes. Or better yet, perhaps some "Sales Reps" with IT VARs can get acclimated to real solution selling by attending and getting certified. 

But I keep going back to what one of my old sales managers once told me, "...sometimes we just overcomplicate what we do..." - FIVE modules? Oh well, if I could get HP or CISCO or VMWARE to pay for it, I would go. 

Here is the Press Release: 

Voorhees, NJ, May 07, 2009 --(PR.com)-- Beginning September 16, 2009, The Water Training Institute (a division of Water, a New Jersey-based Professional Services firm) will offer the Certified Managed Print Services Seller(TM) Sales Training & Certification Program, designed for sales professionals that sell and promote Managed Print Services solutions. 

Managed Print Services (MPS) is a solution that bundles office printers, copiers/MFPs, fax solutions, software, services, supplies, consumables, usage tracking, support, and management all for a single monthly invoice. 

The CMPSS(TM) program is designed to provide sales professionals with a thorough understanding of MPS, comprehensive MPS sales training, a tailored MPS sales acumen evaluation & development plan for each participant, and a Certification Exam that – combined with the other aspects of the program - would substantiate that the successful candidate has demonstrated a certain standard of MPS sales performance and comprehension. 

 According to Jon Reiser, a Principal at Water, “Our customers tell us the Managed Print Services sales training seminars they send their sales reps to are ineffective and don’t really prepare the reps to effectively sell MPS solutions. 

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So they hire Water to come in, re-train the sales reps properly, get them prepared, and give the managers a written analysis of each sales rep’s preparedness to sell MPS. In the end, the customers end up paying twice for something they should have gotten in the first place.

Click to email me.

N.Y. Times to File Notice It Will Close Boston Globe

Gray Lady Down -

"From the moment the Times Co. purchased The Globe in 1993, it has treated New England's largest newspaper like a cheap whore," former Globe columnist Eileen McNamara wrote last month in the Herald.

"It pimped her out for profit during the booming 1990s and then pillaged her when times got tough. It closed her foreign bureaus and cheapened her coverage of everything from the fine arts to the hard sciences."

So it continues, from Denver to Detroit to Boston to New York - a main staple of news and one-way communication is vanishing.

Truly remarkable times.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009
The Death of Print Continues -

Wednesday, December 31, 2008
2009: The End of Print - Andrew Keen

Synergy, Down Under: HP Edgeline's and Pull Printing Save Money, Energy and Paper

Less energy, no toner. CM8060's and CM4730's - not bad.

Synergy out of Australia.

Synergy building services manager Wayne Perry says, the company had about 80 printers in use.

Most were laser printers, which were turned on all the time to keep the toner cartridges warm and usable. After researching and testing a range of options, they decided to adopt a new fleet of multifunction devices from HP.

"One multifunction printer uses less energy than five laser printers," Perry says. This made them a logical choice.

The company has also opted to introduce a "pull-printing" environment to reduce print wastage. "When I print now, I issue the print command, that goes to the print queue and is held on a central server that all the printers access," Perry says.

"To actually print the documents requested, Synergy employees walk to a printer and swipe their building access card in order to execute the printing. "This has really cut down on paper usage."

Full article, here.