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First San Antonio, now Amsterdam: Photizo Group Managed Print Services 2009: World Domination

At the MPS Conference in San Antonio, one of the discussion topics around the dinner table with Photizo, was where to host the European MPS Conference.

Barcelona, and Dusseldorf were mentioned and I believe Amsterdam was a late entry. I would love to have been in on that meeting.

After a very successful MPS Conference in Austin, Ed and the gang are heading of to the old world.

This should be interesting as Europe appears to be a decade ahead of the US when it comes to MPS.

Check out the site, here.

Anne Mulcahy to Retire as Xerox CEO; Ursula Burns Named Successor Xerox

Xerox Corporation's board of directors announced today that Anne M. Mulcahy, chairman and chief executive officer, will retire as CEO effective July 1. Ursula M. Burns, current president of the company, was named by the board to succeed Mulcahy as chief executive officer. Mulcahy will remain as chairman of the board.

“As CEO, Anne successfully led a multibillion-dollar turnaround of Xerox and transformed the business into an innovative digital technology and services enterprise,” said N.J. Nicholas, Jr., lead independent director of Xerox’s board of directors. “She has consistently demonstrated values-based leadership, strong strategic insight, broad expertise and a remarkable ability to create ‘followership’ through the respect she earned from Xerox people. As important, Anne has focused intently on developing the next generation of leadership at Xerox, with Ursula Burns prepared to strengthen Xerox’s industry-leading position in the marketplace.”

Mulcahy, 56, became CEO of Xerox on Aug. 1, 2001, and chairman on Jan. 1, 2002. Prior to that, she was president and chief operating officer of the company from May 2000 through July 2001. She began her Xerox career as a sales representative in Boston in 1976. During her 33-year tenure with Xerox, Mulcahy has held senior management positions in sales, human resources and marketing, and led the Xerox business division that sells products for reseller and dealer channels.

The hallmarks of Mulcahy’s leadership include a close connection to Xerox customers – she is often referred to as Xerox’s chief salesperson – and an unwavering commitment to innovation. As a result, Xerox has completely overhauled its product line during her tenure, launching more than 80 products in the last three years and earning the number-one revenue share position in its industry. In addition, Mulcahy created and scaled Xerox Global Services, which offers document-related outsourcing, imaging and consulting services, and last year generated $3.5 billion in annuity revenue.

“I joined Xerox because it offered a level playing field – a sales environment where meritocracy ruled. And, I stayed because the values of the brand, the culture and the people are so closely aligned with how I think every business should operate,” said Mulcahy. “It has been a privilege leading Xerox. The decision to move on is made easy only in the fact that Ursula Burns is so well positioned to take Xerox to the next level. Our strategy is sound and well defined. And, despite a tough economy, we are generating cash, building our technology and services pipeline and poised for a period of steady profitable growth in the future.

“Ursula takes on the leadership role the old-fashioned way,” added Mulcahy. “She has earned it. And, for that, she has my deep respect and confidence.”

Ursula Burns, 50, joined Xerox in 1980 as a mechanical engineering summer intern and later assumed roles in product development and planning. From 1992 through 2000, Burns led several business teams including the office color and fax business and office network printing business. In 2000, she was named senior vice president, Corporate Strategic Services, heading up manufacturing and supply chain operations. She then took on the broader role of leading Xerox’s global research as well as product development, marketing and delivery. In April 2007, Burns was named president of Xerox, expanding her leadership to also include the company’s IT organization, corporate strategy, human resources, corporate marketing and global accounts.

“During Anne’s tenure, Xerox has become a stronger, financially sound company, serving a broader base of customers – from small businesses to large – with broader capabilities than ever before,” said Burns. “She leaves the CEO role having created a rich legacy that I am honored to build on. It is humbling to follow such a great leader and to serve as CEO of such a great company. I’m grateful for the opportunity and, like Anne, focused on creating value for our customers, our people, our shareholders and our communities.”

Managed Print Services spike an increase in FMAudit installations

This article refers to "PrintSolv" in Australia, not the PrintSolv from Synnex, here in the States.
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Sydney, Australia - PrintSolv, the Australian distributor of FMAudit software and a leader in managed print services applications, has reached a significant milestone by distributing over 1000 licenses of the ‘FMAudit Onsite' application in April. PrintSolv resellers now extend the benefit of remote meter collection and automated toner fulfilment to over 15,000 end-users in Australia. PrintSolv

This remarkable growth has been facilitated by both advances in deployment capabilities and the rapid growth of the PrintSolv reseller base. "Photocopier and printer resellers Australia-wide are now turning to PrintSolv with high demand for vendor agnostic automation of meter collection and consumable fulfillment," says Andrew Tsiorvas, General Manager of PrintSolv. "These repetitive processes have traditionally been ‘pain points' for both reseller and end-user, because of the manual methods that were required."

The emergence of managed print services is also a major factor in the month-to-month increase of FMAudit installations. A land-grab for managed print service opportunities is currently underway - and by installing the FMAudit application, PrintSolv resellers are first in line to strike. Instant fleet visibility and the print volume data collected by the FMAudit application are crucial to any managed print services offering. "When it comes to MPS," says Tsiorvas, "I firmly believe that the FMAudit product range gives our resellers an advantage over their competition."

About PrintSolv and FMAudit.

Based in Mosman NSW, PrintSolv is the exclusive distributor of FMAudit products in Australasia and the market leader for print management applications in the region. FMAudit specialises in data capture and analysis software that enables print assessment, account reviews, automated meter collection and supplies replenishment. PrintSolv has over 200 active print and copier resellers utilising its products across Australasia. PrintSolv resellers currently service the following regions; All Australian Capital Cities, All New Zealand Capital Cities, Papua New Guinea, Newcastle, Wollongong, Tamworth, Orange, Kalgoorlie, Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, Gold Coast, Townsville, Geelong, Warragul, Ballarat and Bendigo.

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

May 2009-

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This leads me to a simple list of qualifying questions:

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

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

Care to take a guess at which one?

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

The ultimate One Throat To Choke.

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

NO, it does not.

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

Wow.

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