An Interview From Adventures in Office Imaging

Yup! More self-promotion.

Nathan and I have been exchanging insight and views for a year or so now - good peeps over there or...over here.

Last month he interviewed me as a MPS Provider and as a MPS contributor.

So with his permission, I am reposting here.


MPS Providers interview #4: DOTC1:1
6pm - Feb 19, 2010

AIOI: What company do you work for?

DOTC: Death Of The Copier - one of the premier niche publications in the world.

AIOI: How many employees does your company have?

DOTC: We currently employ millions.

AIOI: How do you personally define Managed Print Services?

DOTC: Anything and everything the person on the other side of the desk says that it is.

AIOI: How long have you been involved with Managed Print Services?

DOTC: Its not the age, its the mileage. Let's just say, I have been in MPS longer than Staples has.

AIOI: What benefits does your MPS program offer your customers?

DOTC: We at DOTC try to tell it like it is, we may not always be correct, but we don't care.

Also, most people in our industry/niche are some of the most dynamic and fun folks to work with or be around - so why can't we show this off to those outside the industry?

Do we really need to be so...bland?

Copier nerds? Yes! Toner-dudes? Of course! MPS Geeks? Sure, why not? Belly up and share some stories.

In addition to the blog, we assist dealers, new MPS practices and individual Selling Professionals in "translating the corporate dogma" being spewed from consultants and the "big boys". We boil down or negate the propaganda, for the Selling Professional.

The Death Of The Copier, currently, has no "sponsor" - I don't advertise or engage Infotrends, so it is unlikely that you will ever see, "DOTC" in the upper right Quadrant. So, I can afford to be a rogue, a provocateur as you will. Suits me just fine.

AIOI: What are some of your major successes?

DOTC: Ok, now we get serious.

I have had the honor to advise an MPS selling team at a dealership, somewhere in the south - this client, who shall remain nameless, engaged me (yes, a check was made out to "The Death of the Copier) to simply "talk" about my successes and my failures in MPS - he wanted to get a real, from the trenches, no bullsh*t view of MPS. He had been a paying customer for some of the more well known copier consultants.

After talking for a couple of weeks, we moved to 1:1's with the selling staff.

Here's where the success comes in, during one discussion, I was able to pontificate and advise this selling professional on one specific account. I told them what I would do in that situation.

Well, I'll be damned if they didn't take my advice, say what I said to say in the way I said to say it, resulting in a close, a sale. I was stunned, flabbergasted, proud.

To me, this is the greatest success in the world. I know now how the consultants must feel or at least had felt back in the beginning.

It is weirdly fulfilling to have somebody take your advice and see results in the form of dollars, because they did what you recommended.

AIOI: What separates your MPS program from your competitors?

DOTC: In many ways, I have few, if any, competitors.

My uniqueness is my history: I started selling B2B solutions, accounting systems, back when the AT was still a viable device, when Epson 24-pins where all the rage and connected via parallel ports. I was in that niche for nearly 7-8 years.

I have sold uniforms, excuse me, I mean, Corporate Identity Programs and AFLAC insurance, excuse me again, I mean, pre-tax, self-funded employee benefit programs; again, all B2B.

Add to this my stints in the Office Equipment Industry, sprinkle in a little, Detroit smart-ass and viola!

In the end, my true "competitor" is Time.

----------------------------------------------------
MPS Providers interview #3: Greg Walters
1:10pm - Feb 19, 2010

AIOI: What company do you work for?

Greg: SIGMAnet - one of the larger, west coast IT services provider.

AIOI: How many employees does your company have?

Greg: We currently employ 100+

AIOI: How do you personally define Managed Print Services?

Greg: MPS is any process designed and implemented to reduce costs associated with moving, creating, storing and presenting information.

AIOI: How long have you been involved with Managed Print Services?

Greg: Technically since 2007. But I have been in the copier industry since 1999. Starting with Oce, through Panasonic and finally served three years at IKON. Going way back, I started working with clients in 1989, Selling B2B accounting software(AccPac, Timberline, Great Plains, Solomon, etc.)

AIOI: What benefits does your MPS program offer your customers?

Greg: My MPS Engagements bring all the benefits associated with Stage 1 and 2 of the MPS process.

We are fairly deep into a partnership with our distributor when sourcing and fulfilling supplies. I have a team of technicians and we specifically work with "HP houses", which are not that difficult to find.

We are certified up to Edgeline and we run all of our MPS on CPI agreements; B/W we typically sell at 0.0120. Not the cheapest, but we aren't the cheapest and all our supplies are OEM.

Additionally, I can work directly with IT for all their needs - from servers to storage to staffing. This is a major competitive advantage when working with IT-types- I have people who speak their language. What is more intriguing, even if I never engage a MPS client for their traditional, IT needs, the simple reason that I CAN gives me instant credibility.

Also, we are not afraid to work with any manufacturer, vendor or dealer. For example, when one of my client's true, output requirements(as determined by me) dictated a machine that I would not supply, my Partnership with the client allowed me to manage spec'ing the unit, and managing the RFP process.

I worked the copier guy.

An interesting spin, wouldn't you say?

AIOI: What are some of your major successes?

Greg: Successes are all over the board - I have saved a company $1,000.00 per month, not that much, but 12k to this small business was greatly appreciated.

I am currently 12 months into a 36 month project, we have currently reduced their hard cost by $500,000.00; my replacement ratio right now is 1:5, for every machine I place, I remove 5 other devices.

I have advised prospect and client alike on the ways of copier leases - sometimes resulting in a new equipment placement, sometimes not.

As a result of our assessment, I have helped many clients evaluate and re-align their oversight and internal accounts payable process.

AIOI: What separates your MPS program from your competitors?

Greg: This goes back to the IT Services - when I walk through the door, I am not a copier dealer, I am not a toner supplier, I am not simply a laser printer service company, to the prospect I can be much, much more.
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Photizo Group Launches MPS Insights.com Portal

And by Portal, I mean doorway.

There are a good number of MPS News sites popping up.

I remember the good ole days when it was just me and Google Alerts.

No worries, the more MPS-news-type sites that sprout up, the more readers I attract - odd.

Anywho - Photizo is re-vamping and relaunching their MPS Specific Portal.

As I am sure some reading this may "feel" that DOTC is colluding with Photizo, I do quote them often, please know, that if there were better MPS sources, I would mention them as well.

Just remember I define what "better" is.

Press Release:

March 5, 2010 – Lexington, KY –

Photizo Group announces the launch of MPSInsights.com, an online news portal focused entirely on events and information about the managed print services (MPS) marketplace.

Dealers, resellers, vendors and other readers will find ideas and case studies to help them achieve better MPS program development and delivery. HP, OKI Printing Solutions, and Ricoh have signed on as inaugural sponsors.

A variety of content has been aggregated on the site, making it one of the richest sources of information about the MPS marketplace:

· Daily MPS Insights news feed

· Daily updates to the MPSInsights Blog

· Quarterly MPS Insights Journal (paid subscription access only)

· Business directory listings

· Industry events calendar

· White papers

· Case studies

“The MPS market is exploding, and the amount of information is, too. Trying to run and grow a business, and deal with a fire hose of information is just not possible. MPSInsights.com tames the flood of information with quick reads, succinct ideas and a repository for information readers can come back to,” said Ed Crowley, CEO and founding partner of Photizo Group.

Readers can visit MPSInsight.com at their convenience to read and research articles on:

· Channel development

· End-user purchase criteria

· Decision-maker evolution

· End-user MPS deployment

· MPS current events

To submit news releases, articles and other content, contact Misty Hamel, Photizo Director of Marketing at mhamel@photizogroup.com.

# # #

Media contact:
Misty Hamel

Director of Marketing
+1-617-921-5725
mhamel@photizogroup.com

ABOUT THE PHOTIZO GROUP

The Photizo Group is the premier source for ongoing business intelligence about the rapidly growing opportunity of Managed Print Services (MPS). MPS involves managing hardcopy device fleets (copiers, printers, multifunction devices, and fax machines) in a unified fashion, often outsourcing this to an external vendor. Photizo Group provides the most complete body of research on the Managed Print Services market. From its landmark MPS study in April 2008 to ongoing research covering North America, Europe and Asia, Photizo has emerged as a leader in dynamic business intelligence about the MPS market. The firm also offers proprietary studies and custom consulting. Vendors, dealers and enterprises can find MPS information and resources at http://www.managed-print-services.com, including an “MPS Quick Facts and Figures” page.




“Photizo” is a trademark of the Photizo Group. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.


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The Death Of Edgeline, Again...This Time for Real. No Really. I Mean It this Time

March 2010

OK - Sorta. 

As reported here back in November of 2009(The Word From Hurd: IPG Growth Includes Wal and K*Mart), Edgeline may see the light of day, under a flashing blue light. 

I can't say how official it is, but a reader informed me that the vaunted Edgeline, the Destroyer of Copiers, the New Way, will be at End of Life, on April 1, 2010. 

Parts, supplies, and support will be provided for five years. So ends another chapter in an odyssey that is HP. And like Obama voters today, six months from now, you won't be able to find anyone willing to admit they ever heard of Condor. In a recent WSJ article, it was stated that HP, since last year, has been quietly placing photo kiosks in WalMarts across the country. 

To the chagrin of Kodak. (talk about the Death of Something) 

The word on the street is that HP will be providing these in all 3600 Wal*Mart stores across America. 3,600? No wonder nobody at HP returns my calls. (just kidding) 

What does this have to do with Edgeline? The top image is an HP ML1000D mini lab - the backbone of the Walmart photo kiosks. This image is a CM8060 with a finisher and a large capacity paper tray, much like the 40 or 50 I have installed around SoCali. 

What do you see? Let me tell you what I see. I see a huge commission check - this "takedown" will generate growth of over 300 percent for HP's global retail publishing line. 

I see a machine that is based on Edgeline technology, housed in an identical chassis, utilizing the identical LCT. I see a strong printing engine that will be able to run on "retail" hours. I see a company that consciously got out of a dying, copier industry. Alias, poor Edgeline, I knew you well...

"These kiosks stay installed for nine or 10 years," H-P Chief Executive Mark Hurd told investors at a conference in San Francisco on Tuesday morning. H-P gets "100% supplies connect," he said, referring to the sales of the additional printing products.

Ah yes, remember the good ole days, here? 

  Click to email me.

Lexmark Get's a Win: And they Have a Facebook Page?

I was going to let this pass without comment.

Indeed, the press release is impressive: Moving BB&T from 30,000 to 10,000 machines, managing supplies and providing initial document work flow - all components of a real MPS. (At what margin, I wonder)

So a mention here may have been warranted.

But then, at the bottom of the release this:

"For more information, see the "Lexmark" Facebook page and the "LexmarkNews" Twitter feed..."

Ok, I am about the biggest MPS Nerd I know, but not even I would "friend" or "follow" any printer manufacturer. Or admit it if I had...

Am I off on this?

Anyway, just an observation - remember when pagers first came out?


LEXINGTON, Ky., Feb. 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- BB&T Corporation (NYSE: BBT) has awarded an exclusive, five-year managed print services contract to Lexmark International, Inc. ( LXK).

"Lexmark is providing BB&T with an output solution that will significantly reduce costs, while scaling as the company expands and grows," said Marty Canning, Lexmark vice president and president of its Printing Solutions and Services Division. "With Lexmark's managed print services solution across its business, BB&T will have a holistic, streamlined approach that will pay dividends for its employees, customers, the environment and BB&T's bottom line."

Lexmark was evaluated and selected in a strategic sourcing event from among many other printing and imaging providers. As part of the agreement, Lexmark will standardize and optimize the number and type of output devices throughout BB&T's 1,800+ retail branches and at its headquarters in Winston-Salem, N.C. Lexmark expects to reduce the total number of devices at BB&T from 30,000 competitive devices to approximately 10,000 new Lexmark laser printers and multifunction products (MFPs) in support of the company's cost savings and business initiatives.

"Lexmark's extensive managed print services capabilities and experience became clear to BB&T during this print optimization project," said Ken Hernandez of Enterprise Spend Management at BB&T. "We selected Lexmark because of the company's thought leadership and the clear experience they have to drive this type of initiative successfully. Lexmark's strong technology offering and competitive pricing make them the right choice for BB&T."

Lexmark will monitor, manage and maintain BB&T's output devices and provide proactive services to ensure toner and other supplies are replenished when needed, eliminating the need to store inventory of these items. In addition, Lexmark will provide ongoing value by automating and streamlining paper-based processes to help BB&T further reduce costs.

Lexmark will also install its Print Release solution, which will enable BB&T employees to authenticate before documents can be printed, faxed, scanned or copied. This approach will improve document security and reduce the number of pages printed annually, thereby further reducing BB&T's costs.

For more information, see the "Lexmark" Facebook page and the "LexmarkNews" Twitter feed.


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GreatAmerica to Launch MPS Navigator: A Managed Print Services Business Planning Session for Office Equipment Dealers

For Immediate Release: 26 February 2010


(Cedar Rapids, IA) – GreatAmerica Leasing Corporation announced today that it will launch its Managed Print Services (MPS) Navigator program this spring. The program takes place at GreatAmerica corporate headquarters in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on April 26-27, 2010. The hands-on business planning session will be facilitated by Steven Power of Sales and Marketing Solutions International.

The Navigator program includes the process to plan, implement and grow a dealer’s business with MPS.

This one and a half day session shepherds dealer executive teams through a step by step development of a business model and operational structure, selection of MPS infrastructure resources, marketing strategies, sales force engagement, compensation, and a go-to-market strategy.

“GreatAmerica is committed to helping our dealers plan, develop, sell, manage and grow their MPS initiatives,” said Jennie Fisher, Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Office Equipment Group. “We have created the Navigator program as a comprehensive business planning and decision-making tool to help dealers deploy their MPS strategy.”

Dealer executive teams will work both collaboratively and in break-out sessions to reach key decisions and document them in a take-home Navigator Training Manual and Resource Glossary.

Session fees are bundled to include three MPS decision makers from each dealer. The President / Owner, Chief Financial Officer, and Sales Manager are recommended to attend. Additional staff members such as the Service Manager, office executive, sales or operational managers can also be included. For additional information contact GreatAmerica at 800.234.8787 or visit www.greatamerica.com/MPSNavigator


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QuickPage, from HP? It's not in the US, is it?

HP's Enterprise MPS programs are daunting, inclusive, sophisticated and not really an issue in the SMB, mid-market.

But in Europe, QuickPage from HP is making some waves in the SMB space.

Yes, it does resemble PagePack.

A good example, with pricing, of a QuickPage offering is here.

And from Louella Fernandes, Principal Analyst, Quocirca:

"...With QuickPage, HP is providing resellers with a simple packaged service that includes hardware, supplies and support. QuickPage emulates packages from copier-centric vendors such as Xerox PagePack. However QuickPage's key difference is that it includes a lease rental agreement, giving customers the ability to combine hardware, consumables and maintenance costs into one monthly payment (based on expected print volumes)..."


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You And I, We Work in Paper, right? And We All Want to Be Green...right?

Well, how about green toilet paper...glowing green toilet paper, that is.

I am not kidding, this stuff glows in the dark.





A company over in the UK, is selling glow in the dark toilet paper.

It's green, literally and is great for camping.

Not sure if the glow-stuff rubs off...and I guess I really don't want to find out, right?

LOL!


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Does Your MPS stand for "Maybe, Probably, Sometimes?" or Does it Just Suck?

2/2010

What's new in MPS?

Xerox, HP, Ricoh, and Canon have MPS programs now. I believe at the last count, there are no less than 11 major MPS Programs available for providers and clients.

Is IKON done hiring MPS people yet?

Dealer infrastructure has been built, and the tools are in place.

But why are there still the same old questions?

How is it that LinkedIn is filled with "MPS Definition" debates and some of the best MPS questions are coming from OfficeMax and Staples?

Or better yet, where's all that promised Gold?

It's been over two years, at least, since this new iteration of Managed Print Services hit the streets.

Apart from HP and Xerox pumping the media with announcements of incredible, gargantuan, installs and sponsoring their way into the magical, "upper right" corner, what is going on in the real world?

How is the independent dealer fairing in this new, partnership-based selling cycle?

Is there really a "new" breed of Selling Professionals taking advantage of MPS?

Are there any Hybrids out here? (not the iTex version)

Granted, there are successes in the MPS Ecosystem.  But with an estimated 7,000 dealers jumping into MPS, one would figure everybody would be out in the field, assessing, presenting, and engaging.

Yet the MPS Sales training classrooms are filled, the consultants remain on retainer and owners are frustrated.

I get emails every week that begins with,

"...I've been doing this for over "x" decades, sent my team to "fill in the blank" MPS training, attend the weekly, "manufacturer de jour" dealer's con-call, and still, my team doesn't implement.

"...WHAT PLANET do those "advisors" reside - can you translate what they say into everyday, applicable examples?..." - huh.

What gives?

Managed Print Services, real MPS, is difficult to do. This stuff is hard.

For copier dealers, MPS may have been thought to be just another way to place gear. The "sharper" copier folks saw early on that MPS really looked like CPC for printers - simple. How's that working out for ya?

Toner guys looked at MPS and thought, "Hell, we've been doing CPC on printers for over 150 years!" That's Toner Management Services, TMS; not MPS.

Computer VARs looked at MPS as just another monitoring service, "Service printers? no problem, we can image 250 laptops in 3 hours, we have 25 technicians, how hard can it be to service printers? MFP's? What's the difference?" There is a difference between onsite and depot.

Tsk, tsk, tsk...

Meter reads aren't enough, and remote monitoring, monthly invoicing, assessments, and Data Collection Agents, aren't enough.

What is needed is EVERYTHING. And the kitchen sink.

You need Selling Professionals who can truly put together a complicated project, marshal the resources of your company, price, and package, and present this unique proposition, to your prospect, in a simple manner.

And not take forever.

You need service folks who understand selling, you need warehouse people who can think through your system.

And you need to talk to people who have already made the same, MPS mistakes you are going to make - not successful ex-copier dealers who cashed in and now want to tell you how they did it, ten years ago.

Here's a list of Ten Reasons your MPS Practice Sucks(there are many more reasons)as mentioned to me, by DOTC readers:

1. You have no clue what you are doing, but you think that you do
2. Ownership/Executive management finally admits MPS isn't really, in the core
3. You have no clear, concise, fair sales compensation plan
4. You haven't taken the time to put together a CPI price sheet
5. You hired "consultants" whose only concern is the monthly retainer
6. You listen to and believe in the same, old skool, copier consultants
7. Your internal process is cumbersome and designed around Transactional sales
8. Your company leadership has no vision
9. You are trying to convert Copier reps into Solution Experts
10. You are trying to boil down MPS into CPC

If you are an MPS Selling Professional and you see some of the above at your practice, be alarmed. Pay special attention to #2 and #8 and brush up on the resume.

Do you want the answers to the challenges posed above?

Break out the American Express and email me.


Click to email me.

Managed Print Services: The Numbers of Impact

I really don't want to and Xerox sure as heck doesn't need me to promote them, but this little video is just about palatable.

100% acceptable and completley adequate.

The numbers are right on and illuminating, and there really isn't any advertising until the very end.

Check it out



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IBM and Ricoh Managed Print Services via Tivoli

As first mentioned on DOTC back in April of 2009 here and here, IBM and Ricoh are working together to give clients complete control of their output devices along side their PC's, servers and network appliances.

Today announcing, "...they have developed an advanced device and printing management system which infuses office devices with real-time tracking and monitoring to help firms significantly reduce their print-related costs, improve service and cut back on carbon footprints..."

"IBM's design collaboration with Ricoh on this initiative demonstrates how we are bringing a new level of 'smart' to offices, and significant operational savings for the customer," said Bruce Anderson, general manager, IBM Electronics Industry. "As CIOs work to drive down costs, printers and other office devices offer an attractive target for improvement."

What does this mean? The enterprise MPS niche just got a little bit more competitive.


It's a "see I told ya so" moment.

Press Release:

IBM and Ricoh Deliver Intelligent Print Monitoring and Management System

LAS VEGAS, Feb. 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- PULSE -- IBM ( IBM) and Ricoh today announced they have developed an advanced device and printing management system which infuses office devices with real-time tracking and monitoring to help firms significantly reduce their print-related costs, improve service and cut back on carbon footprints

Through an Application Specific Licensing agreement with IBM, Ricoh will bundle the new system, which is based on IBM Tivoli software, with its multi-function products (MFPs) making the new systems available for enterprise clients.

While IT services have become more managed and optimized, most businesses still do not have enough insight into and control of their printing devices' use and costs. These costs extend beyond the hardware and printers to include consumables, labor for repairs and system updates as well as the high cost of energy and resulting carbon footprint. Underscoring the need for better print-related cost controls is recent Gartner research data which indicates that organizations that manage their printer, copier and fax fleets can save between 10-30 percent of their print costs.

"This new, enterprise-class system will give our global customers complete visibility across their fleet of printers and MFP devices, helping them to better manage and optimize printing as an office function," said Hede Nonaka, executive vice president, Marketing & Document Solutions and Services Division, Ricoh Americas Corporation. "The solution will also be a core technology for our Managed Document Services (MDS) offering."

Tivoli software can manage a range of assets beyond the datacenter including office equipment such as printers, office MFPs and production printing machines. Tivoli technology manages policies to control end-user printing features and tracks energy usage and carbon footprint for print services, reporting at the device, department and individual level.

In addition to print management and monitoring carbon footprints, the new system can identify service issues with devices and automatically route alerts to local service desks for remediation before service is affected. It will also capture and manage assets and supplies information, improving accounting processes.

"IBM's design collaboration with Ricoh on this initiative demonstrates how we are bringing a new level of 'smart' to offices, and significant operational savings for the customer," said Bruce Anderson, general manager, IBM Electronics Industry. "As CIOs work to drive down costs, printers and other office devices offer an attractive target for improvement."

The Death of Managed Print Services : Photizo Identifies The Fourth Horseman

HP, Xerox, Ricoh and Dell: Something Wicked This Way Comes

Ricoh and IBM Alliance:The Shape of Things to Come

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The IT VARs Are Already in Your Accounts and Now they are Doing Managed Print Services

Not only are more and more VAR's getting into MPS, they are leading with MPS.

Utilizing their existing infrastructure as leverage and presenting MPS as an entre into ALL of their services.

Quick, Google, MSP (Managed Service Provider)

I found this video on the MSP Mentor forum.

It is mostly about I.T. services, "propeller head" stuff.

But, later into this interview, MPS is mentioned at 3:05.


Click to email me.

Here's the deal.

If you are selling copiers today, odds are, you will not be selling copiers 5 years from now.

Improve yourself - start by studying MSP's.

Talk with your IT contacts, ask them what they look for in an IT provider. What are the challenges they face and what would be a perfect relationship.

People to stay away from? Your corporate insiders; i.e. Sales/Service Managers, Owners, peers.

There is a great deal more out there than speeds and feeds.




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Staples Is Now Selling IT Services: Didn't They Just Start Selling Managed Print Services?

"I think VARs that read this will be a little envious of what we have to offer here.

With Staples, we have a Fortune 100 organization, great relationships on the product side, and we can offer very competitive pricing and a great services story for customers as well," - Joe Kalinoski, vice president of finance for Staples Technology Solution.

According to sources, Staples Technology Solutions, the new division, will include access to "...certified specialists for Cisco Systems, Citrix, Linux and other areas; onsite and remote server and desktop support for Apple Mac, Windows and Linux platforms; printer fleet management; and data center assessments and other services ranging from sub-floor cleaning and 24x7 data center emergency supplies..."

- Holy Crap!

They can even clean your sub-floors! Whiskey, Tango, Foxtrot?


First off - quite the bold marketing statement from the vice president of finance. I can not think of too many VARs who would be envious of working retail hours, wearing matching vests, and conducting inventory twice a year.

And when was the last time you heard a VP of Finance delve into corporate Value Props? Doesn't staples have a marketing department?

This new effort will fall under Staples Advantage, the business-to-business division of Staples.

The prose gets worse, Joe continues,

"By combining these two entities we have a one-source supplier of office products, print solutions and managed print IT services," he said.

"It was a logical evolution to get into the technology space. It was a natural that we were answering our customer calls for not only office products but also technology products. We think we can be one of the lowest-cost providers."

RED FLAGS:

"one-source supplier"
"products"
"lowest-cost providers"

I guess Staples doesn't know what the "V" in VAR stands for.

The target market is focused on companies with 1-250 employees - they may have an IT department but they may not. Staples stresses an "intimate, high touch" strategy for this often overlooked niche.

"Staples is dipping its toe into the water in the IT services space," said Candy Murphy, vice president of Staples' Contract Technology Solutions.

Murphy said the goal is to offer the services nationally. Network and data offerings were the result of Staples' late 2006 acquisition of Thrive Networks, a Boston-area solution provider that services a large portion of eastern Massachusetts.

"The IT industry is highly fragmented," Murphy said, "It (Staples'reputation) brings the trust and the reliability of the brand name," she said.

Jim Lippie, president of Staples Network Services by Thrive said, "We bring a level of expertise and we've learned how the small business works," adding, "There's a real thirst for small businesses to have a larger provider while having the security, but high-touch of a smaller company"

Plus, "They want us to take ownership of all the headaches, mysteries, and risk associated with maintaining a company's IT infrastructure, and make it so they never have to think about them again," Lippie said. "In a nutshell, they want us to make their IT problems go away, and that's exactly what we do."

Time will tell.

But didn't IKON try to do this a while back? Everything except offereing to clean your sub-floors, that is.

Click to email me.

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.

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The Death of Edgeline

Feb, 2010

I was scrolling through some year-old posts and stumbled upon this one, from Art over at print4pay Hotel's, "MFP Solutions Blog". 

A year later, almost to the day. Has anyone heard anything, at all, about Edgeline? 

Huh. 

See my, historical journey through the odyssey that is Edeline, here. 

###

Wednesday, February 18, 2009,  HP Edgeline "What Went Wrong" Art Post 

 I had an email the other day from an analyst from a major printer vendor. In the email, I was asked "what went wrong with this program?" I thought, geez you're asking me?? 

Lyra 2010 - The Rise Of Managed Print Services - Stage 3 and TheDeathOfTheCopier

Things are never going to be what they use to be.

I stopped in at the Lyra Symposium last week, in Palm Springs: The Road to Recovery.

The year is what it is so far, my schedule has been filled with activities associated with what I call, my "day job".

So, I was able to catch just one day, the day with all the MPS data and presentations.

I was present for 8 hours and can safely say, there were no copier reps in attendance; if by copier reps I mean folks who would be on the phone closing a single copier deal between sessions, which I do, there were none.

I also believe the majority of attendees may have sold face-to-face in the past, just not in the past 24 hours.

Be that as it may, the data presented by Lyra is priceless.

Especially to we who sell, we in the thick, in the smoke, in the fire.

I am not advocating every Selling Professional attend this and other symposiums, but, I do recommend getting synopsis or any other information you can, from your manufacturer rep or your sales manager (yeah, right, sure...).

Why?

Information is King in your personal, and professional development. Your "personal, professional development" might get lip service from management - but it is just that, lip service. When the chips are down, you tell me who gets the ax.

The more you know, the more you can see where your dealership/management is falling down and the easier it is to chart your own course.

My top five Value-Adds from Lyra- 2010:

1. Historical data mined from their extensive database of devices, monitored by PrintFleet, is presented in spaghetti graphs.
2. Detailed analysis of each copier and printer manufacturer's financial standing and projections.
3.  Unrivaled views of our industry, where it was, where it is, and where it might end up.
4. Current reflections and projections around the economic free-fall and the Day After.
5. And of course, especially this year, Managed Print Services and the "experts" who extol the virtues of MPS.

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The Number One piece of information, significant to me, personally -

The recession has bottomed out, but we will not get to pre-recession placement levels.

As a matter of fact, according to Steve and Lyra, we will be losing 2 million units in placement - they will never come back.

It's like 2 million copiers just died.

Huh. If only somebody had seen this coming and publicized his views somewhere easily accessible to others...that person could come up with a snappy title like, "Your industry is Dying"...or something...

IT IS THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT. - again.

Second, to MPS, the next big subject was the economy and the Road to Recovery.

The Industry -

In a nutshell, the industry leaders all sucked wind, some more than others, but still, they all ate it, in 2009. An occasional silver lining here and there, accounting trickery, but no surprises.

Steve Reynolds' presentation started by defining the Cyclical vs Secular effect of a recession:

Cyclical, meaning a temporary sharp drop followed by a sharp recovery

Secular, meaning the recession causes a permanent and fundamental change in behavior

I have seen for a year now, the economy changing the fundamental way businesses do business. Especially when relating to printing and documents - this is SECULAR.

To quote Steve, "...once enterprises have discovered and implemented more cost-effective processes with less or no printing, they will not go back..."

Indeed, monochrome laser printers, MFP, and color printer shipments will be flat through 2013. The only bright spot is color MFP with a moderate increase(approx. 250,000 units) between 2010 and 2013.

And if that isn't bad enough, Steve expects a price war to erupt.

You see, as the recession is declared "over", customers will creep back into the market with caution. Hungry vendors will be pressured into getting their share of the new demand.

The feeble and hungry will drop prices to move the product, the last gasp.

The strong and carnivorous will lower prices to kill the remaining, weaker players. It's a Japanese model practiced and perfected by Wal*Mart.

Imagine HP reducing their MFP pricing AND toner by 50%. An M9050 for 5k and $40.00 toner? Real, HP toner? Where's your MPS savior now, third-party toner guy?

Vector this with Photizo's and others' belief of a 50% failure rate, in the BTA channel, by those who have not embraced MPS we have ourselves an honest-to-goodness Perfect Storm.

Your customers are or already have realized they DON'T NEED AS MANY devices and that they don't need to stock thousands' worth of toner in closets.

Why? Because the recession made them look for areas of cost reduction, and the constraints of the last 4 quarters, forced all of us to do with less.

For example, did you lose customers because they couldn't get HP CM6040s even though they gave you a PO last August?

No, you, the VAR/Dealer didn't lose customers. You helped your client get through "these trying times" by encouraging patience and utilizing their existing systems.

Or maybe you helped your client extend his lease on a month-to-month basis. Copier still works?

We in the field didn't lose customers - HP and the industry, lost placements, lost "clicks" and lost face.

Managed Print Services -

Managed Print Services was all the rage.

Both Ricoh and HP talked about MPS, albeit from the Enterprise level. Well, to be fair, Tom Codd's (HP) presentation included one slide dedicated to HP's commitment to driving MPS expertise into the Channel - through Synnex, et el.

Another slide depicting HP's product lineup, in order to show the Canon relationship as a good fit, DID NOT SHOW EDGELINE.

Edgeline? What? Never heard of it...next?

Twice, the name "MPS" was assaulted as not adequate - especially the "P". The phrase "Business Process Outsourcing" was bantered about a couple of times.

It was felt that the current MPS ROI is immediate, but where does one go from there?

"One-word kid..." Software, the future is in software.

Yup, the Third Stage of MPS is, Enhance the Business Process. We barely get people into the 1st and 2nd stages and already stage 3 is upon us. Really? No, really? Business Process Optimization/Outsource?

Are we to expect a channel that still thinks color and duplexing are value prop's possess the wear with all to talk software and "business process"?

And SELL this? For Greenbacks? (which is just as good as money)

Right.

When a member of the audience asked, "...how do we motivate a copier salesperson to sell software?" the collective response was, are you ready for this, "...increase the commissions on software until you modify the salesperson's behavior..."

I nearly upchucked in my lap, right then and there. And I was a bit insulted. If I was holding a watered-down drink in my hand, I would have thrown it in their faces.

Is this all they, these experts, think to motivate the Selling Professional? A few more duckets?

We are truly doomed.

My summary:

MPS is now being swung around by the big players, the definition is being molded in their likeness and most of the data and "play" presented is a product of and pertains to, "Enterprise" level engagements. One exception that I can see, is Xerox. X seems to be working 'on'(instead of with) their channel, time will tell.

The economy is in a rebound, but our industry will never be the same. More ships will merge or sink, and more dealers will jump into MPS, listen to old skool consultants, run it as a Marketing Campaign and fail. Managed Print Services is a Secular change for dealers; it is not "just like when color came out..."

More MPS Professionals will end up working at OfficeMax, Staples, or RiKON.
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Click to email me.

Transformers 3 Dark of the Moon - July

Another fix.

Love that Optimus Prime.


Transformers Dark of the Moon trailer
Uploaded by teasertrailer. - DOTC approved cool stuff

Canon Q4 profit jumps, sees further recovery

If it wasn't for cameras...yeah, I know its a Polaroid.
---------------------
TOKYO, Jan 27 (Reuters) - Japan's Canon Inc (7751.T) said its quarterly profit more than doubled as brisk digital camera sales more than offset sluggish demand for copiers, and forecast its first annual profit growth in three years.


October-December operating profit at Canon, the world's largest digital camera maker ahead of Sony Corp (6758.T), was 92.13 billion yen ($1.03 billion) versus 35.83 billion yen a year earlier. It was the company's first year-on-year profit gain in nine quarters.

Canon enjoyed strong sales of its single-lens reflex (SLR) cameras, a high-end model with interchangeable lenses, but demand for copiers and printers has yet to strongly revive as businesses worldwide curb spending on office machines.

For 2010, Canon said it expects its operating profit to rise 52 percent to 330 billion yen, beating the consensus for a profit of 319.8 billion yen in a poll of 21 analysts by Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Shares in Canon, which competes with Xerox Corp (XRX.N) and Ricoh Co Ltd (7752.T) in copiers and printers, closed down 2.8 percent before the announcement. The Tokyo market's electrical machinery index .IELEC.T fell 1.6 percent. ($1=89.24 Yen) (Reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka)

Click to email me.

MPSA 1st Webinar - Photizo: Managed Print Services in 2010 - "...the year of the Channel..."

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.

Click to email me.

Governor French Academy: You Want to Cheat Kids? You Pay 1.2 Million.

This story I brought to you back in August.

Seems one of our colleagues decided to work the "leasing shell game" screwing kids out of dollars.

This is despicable.

The judge thought so too stating to the accused, "...You had knowledge, you had intent, look at the tsunami you've left in your wake."

If this case is not bad enough, according to testimony Welch, the bad guy, is accused of defrauding several other institutions, including the Christian Activities Center in East St. Louis, the Okawville Senior Center in Okawville and the Sparta and Oakland community school districts.


BELLEVILLE -- An Okawville man accused of orchestrating an elaborate photocopier scam was ordered Tuesday to pay $1.2 million to a private school in Belleville.

In a courtroom packed with students and parents from Governor French Academy, St. Clair County Associate Judge Andrew Gleeson told Kevin Welch that his actions over the last decade showed a pattern of, at the very least, intentionally confusing customers about the leasing agreements he set up as part of his copier business.

"You had knowledge, you had intent," Henry said. "Look at the tsunami you've left in your wake."

In the civil suit, Governor French Academy accused Welch of creating a pyramid scheme of copier leases. Welch allegedly got the school to lease two copiers, and the school then signed leases for what they believed to be new machines, with payment going to Welch.

When new copiers were needed, the suit alleged, Welch replaced them and said the new lease agreements nullified the old ones. But Welch neither paid off the old leases nor returned the old machines to the leasing companies.

Welch, representing himself, denied wrongdoing, saying that the school should have understood the lease terms. "I had no intent of damaging these people at all," he said.

School attorney Kevin Stine said the seven lease agreements for 14 copiers that Governor French signed left the school with more than $500,000 in bills to leasing companies.

Moreover, according to testimony in the one-day bench trial Tuesday, Welch is accused of defrauding several other institutions, including the Christian Activities Center in East St. Louis, the Okawville Senior Center in Okawville and the Sparta and Oakland community school districts.

The judge said that the testimony persuaded him to add $700,000 in punitive damages over the school's losses. "It scares me what you've testified to," Gleeson said. "I need to send a message."

Parents and students watched the proceedings, and the judge commented before the lunch recess on the strong attendance.

Parent Deile Smith said that what Welch did to the school was more personal than business. "What he did was put a very good school in jeopardy of closing its doors," Smith said. "As a parent, it angers me."

The school had said last fall that Welch's fraud could send it into bankruptcy.

Welch said during his testimony that he was in dire financial straits. He left the courtroom without comment after Gleeson's verdict.

A spokesman for the Illinois attorney general said the state is investigating Welch's scheme.

Governor French Academy files another suit alleging fraud in copier lease: Marlin Leasing
A "Pyramid Scheme" in Copiers - The Struggles of Governor French Academy Continue
More Copier Leasing Crime: How Would You Like to Be Sued By SEVEN Leasing Companies?



Click to email me.

3-D "Printers" - You and I would look at this and say, "that ain't no printer...it's a replicator from Star Trek"

2010

"that ain't no printer...it's a replicator from Star Trek"

Except for the one I just saw, at one of the most prestigious school's of design(and a current client) in the world, uses an Epson printhead.

Huh.

I was interrupting her lunch - my tour of Otis included all floors and the wood shop. Off the wood shop, my ad-hoc tour guide, pointed out the school's 3-D printers.

Having only heard of such things, I had to see and query whoever was around. How does this thing work and how is it being used by the students, I wondered.

What's In Store For You in 2010? Your MPSA Doesn't Have a Crystal Ball, We Got Ed - ;-)

Good Times? Bad Times? Which One of These?

Last year, at the 2008 MPS Conference in San Antonio Texas, Ed (CEO, Photizo Group) claimed that 2009 would be the "Year of MPS". I was there, I heard it and saw the slide-deck with my own eyes.


True to prediction, MPS is the hottest thing going, well at least in terms of discussion groups and industry buzz - hell, even iTEX is talking about the "hybrid-dealer". Ed should have trademarked the term. Anyway.

Your MPSA is hosting a quick Webinar, January 28th 11:00 AM EST - which of course means I will be attending in a bath-robe and leopard thong, feet up on the desk, sipping my java.

Aren't you happy we ain't doing the webcam thing?

Go here. Register for the Photizo Webinar.

While your at it, RSVP for the webinar February 28th, "The Anatomy of an MPS Deal" presented by Great America - good peeps all around.

Yeah, I doubt the young, bikini clad ball-gazers will be there, but you never know.

The DeathOfPrint or Just a Nap?

Stats from IDC.

I would take caution in our tone, when referring to the mythical "recovery".

The future ain't what it use to be.
-----------------

According to researcher, Jake Wang, of IDC:

- “Starting with the fourth quarter of 2008, we saw a definite drop in printer page outputs”

IDC uses computer software to monitor the use of 700,000 printers and MFPs in the U.S.

“It was like going over a waterfall.”

Total of 1.5 trillion pages for the year, or 5,000 sheets of printouts per man, woman & child.

Predicts drop of 10% in 2010.

“When an economy sheds million of workers, there are that many employees who aren’t doing the printing”

“I’m thinking fewer contracts are signed. Fewer documents sent from one person to another”

Expects increase in 2011 after the recovery.

Forrester Research predicts that electronic bank statements will start declining in 2010.

In 2007, the Securities & Exchange Commission stopped requiring corporations to mail out printed annual reports to shareholders.

As initially reported by: Neal Petermann CDIA+

Purchasing.com Chimes In On MPS and A4's in 2010

As the economy recovers, buyers look to office products for cost savings
Canon, Xerox, Sharp, HP and other office equipment manufacturers forecast 2010

By Nancy Hitchcock -- Purchasing, 1/14/2010 2:00:00 AM

As businesses look ahead in 2010, industry experts are "cautiously optimistic" that the economy will improve and predict that companies will continue to evaluate their office environments, implementing measures to improve efficiencies, increase productivity and cut costs.

"I don't believe anybody in 2010, as in 2009, is going to be spending money unless they're spending money to save money," says David Bates, vice president of product marketing at Xerox in Norwalk, Conn. "The good news is we're helping people save a lot of money."

Companies gain the most value out of their office equipment—often with assistance from suppliers—by adopting several solutions: They're implementing managed print services (MPS), consolidating office equipment, installing multifunction products (MFP), shifting from A3 to A4 devices and improving the flow of electronic information.



MANAGED PRINT SERVICES. Aiming to drive down costs, businesses review their printing infrastructure to assess where to improve efficiencies. Companies are leveraging expertise of office equipment providers to rightsize equipment and improve information flow.

"Companies have been offering MPS for a few years, but it is gaining traction now because with the economic times we're facing, it's a way for companies to lower their costs substantially," says Keith Kmetz, vice president of hardcopy peripherals solutions and services programs at IDC in Framingham, Mass. "I've heard from companies that they've seen as much as 50% savings, but probably on average, savings are in the 20% to 30% range."

Canon provides customers with tools and advice to better manage costs. "Typically when customers come to Canon looking for services, we help them analyze and understand the costs associated with their existing output environment," says Dennis Amorosano, senior director with solutions marketing and business support at Canon in Lake Success, N.Y. "They would be looking for recommendations like software tools and other technologies to rightsize their fleets and put in place the necessary infrastructure to help them manage those costs. We've been doing that for customers, and expect that to continue in 2010."

Konica Minolta assists clients with managing their overall print environment with its optimized print services (OPS) program that it launched in January 2009. "Over the past several years, we have witnessed a growing awareness in our customer base of the need to develop and deploy strategies to better manage their print assets," says Kevin Kern, senior vice president of marketing at Konica Minolta. "The solutions approach to the business is a critical part of helping customers be more efficient."

SIMPLIFYING PRINT PROCESSES. Another solution that companies implement to save money is to consolidate the number of inkjet and laser printers sitting on desktops and use more shared workgroup devices in the office. Centralizing equipment leads to fewer devices to manage. Companies can better control supplies and maintenance of the devices as well.

"Often, companies will have a range of different suppliers, contracts and leasing arrangements," says Kmetz at IDC. "It can become very difficult to manage, and it's challenging for a purchasing manager. Under a managed print services contract, you consolidate everything, and perhaps it's under one contract.

"The MFP fits into that device consolidation message," he continues. "It's not only consolidating the functions into one box—the MFP is not just a printer, it prints, scans, faxes, and copies—but you're also dealing with supplies management. If you have a fax machine, a printer, and a copier, they might be from three different suppliers, plus the purchasing manager needs to procure three types of supplies. If you have an MFP you're just dealing with one supplier."

The transition from single-function printers to MFPs is very strong in the color laser market, reports Kmetz. About 46% of the shipments in this market are MFPs and "that is projected to grow, reaching 53% in 2010 and upwards of a little over 60% in 2013," he says. "The strongest shift is in the inkjet market where that has pretty much turned over to a virtual MFP category."

In the MFP market, a shift to color still exists. "In 2009, we saw 27% color penetration in the MFP market and that's expected to grow to 31% in 2010 and continue to increase," says Kmetz.

Printing with black-and-white printers is still the lowest cost option for printing, he says, adding that the market will continue to operate with 80% black-and-white devices and 20% color.

A3 TO A4 STRATEGY. Another cost-cutting measure taking place in the market is a shift from A3 to A4 devices. As companies evaluate their printing and copying requirements, they're realizing that the majority of their output is on letter-sized paper, yet the majority of their printers and MFPs offer ledger-sized media.

"Purchasing managers should consider whether they could replace some of their higher cost, higher-to-maintain A3 equipment with lower cost A4 equipment and still have the same productivity and efficiency, but lower their costs substantially," advises Kmetz. "They'll still need A3 equipment but maybe not so many devices."

Sharp finds that many of its customers don't need full-sized MFPs and introduced a product line last year called the Frontier series. "The letter-sized MFP is a derivative product of our full-sized MFP and we've seen phenomenal growth," says Mike Marusic, vice president of marketing and service at Sharp in Mahwah, N.J. "That's where the market is exploding."

Sharp will also introduce the Frontier Scan Pro A4 MFPs featuring a more robust scanner to meet the higher scanning demands on an MFP.

ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS. Green initiatives will stay on the priority list because they also provide cost-cutting measures. "Overall, to us the environmental story and the cost story are exactly the same. If you reduce your environmental impact, you lower your cost," says Larry Trevarthen, market development director, laserjet enterprise solutions, imaging and printing group at HP in Boise, Idaho. "If you want to reduce costs, you can have fewer devices that run on more energy-efficient platforms. For example, instant-on technology, which we have on products, uses 50% less energy than competitive products, which lowers your energy bill. Another example is duplexing, which reduces paper and the paper bill."

Xerox launched the ColorQube 9200 Series MFPs in 2009, a high-speed solid ink device that eliminates 90% of waste because it has no cartridge; it uses a block of ink. MFPs lower costs by enabling customers to pay only for how much color is used on a page. "That's been popular because it's a completely different paradigm in the metered page world," says Bates. "Customers are buying the device because they're spending money to save money."

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.

Your Managed Print Services Association Needs You - You Need The MPSA

As a reader of DeathOfTheCopier, you are part of an elite crew.

Thank you for visiting.

You should be part of another crew, the MPSA, let me tell you why.

Odds are, you're an owner/principal of a copier dealership. Or you're a new copier rep, a MPS Practice Manager, toner supplier, IT VAR or Seasoned Old Dog, you could be with one of the "big guys" X, I/R, or HP.

Your office may be a cube in New York City, the front seat of your car on the streets of Jersey or anyplace on the globe. Indeed, from to Japan to London, Amsterdam to Australia, the DOTC Universe is both huge and connected, a small world indeed.

Either way, you are a Professional, a unique individual, making your way.

The collective mind of the MPSA board is comprised of the sharpest, MPS oriented individuals on the planet. What's more stunning is that ego's and personal agendas are left at the door.

From defining MPS to establishing M.I.B. standards, the board is not backing down from huge issues for our industry. And yet, we remember our humble beginnings – the “down the street” sale.

Your MPSA is here for you – and by “you” I do not mean the fortune 500 gorilla X or the blue behemoth that is HP. I mean you – the manager reprinting one of my articles for the sales team, or you, the squeaky clean, new rep researching MFPs on a Sunday night and you, the grizzled Copier Dude, enticed into reading by the Girls of DOTC.

By “you”, I mean us.

Companies don’t bleed, or know the meaning of “sweat equity”, individuals do. A corporation doesn’t close deals, get commissions or pay taxes, individuals do.

To the core, the MPSA board is working for you, the individual - this is why I am pitching the MPSA. It isn’t that I do not appreciate the girth, substance or influence of the global leaders – I do.

All I know is that if all us individuals shrugged at the same moment, the MPS Universe would shudder.

So, with this in mind, I urge you to go to the site and become a member.

Try it. This improves you as an individual. As every assesment and presentation enhances your resume, the MPSA can be a touchstone for you as you sail the stormy seas of Managed Print Services.

If you have any hesitations, drop me an email and query me directly.

Go here now -

http://www.yourmpsa.org

Managed Print Services, Defined - DeathOfTheCopier Style

Two Decades in the making.

Managed Print Services, defined, has been an elusive seductress.

Trivial? No.

The crossing of swords, the arguments between Old Guard and Young Turk represent nothing less then a War for the Soul of an industry, our niche.

Consider this, manufacturing titans Xerox, HP, Canon, Ricoh, etc., need to, no, require, that THEY define MPS.

This definition, of course, to be in their likeness. It's called shaping the battlefield. It's survival.

There are literally billions of revenue and profit riding on this little rift. And the Big Boys are dumping millions of dollars, pounds, rupees and euro's into marketing, "research", and enterprise channel development.

Blogs disguised as industry forums.

Corporate sponsorship cloaked in dubious research studies and quadrant placements.

Press releases created in the marketing department, cut and pasted and presented as journalism, news.

"How To" classes and con-calls hosted by puppets, regurgitating the corporate playbook to a willing horde of minions.

There are two camps - one looking to the future, the other living in the past.

And here we are, you and I, stuck in the middle again.


Looking back at all the "defining moments" in MPS; the "Three Stages", the "Hybrid" approach, presented first by Photizo, then hijacked by old skool - all the manufacturer MPS programs, all the toner re-mans, service companies, computer VARs and BTA guys, they/we all have our own idea of what MPS is, our spin, our reality.

Failure appears to follow those who search outward for advice, before looking deeply into themselves - Know Thy Self.

So, here we go, the definition of Managed Print Services -

Let's start with GARTNER -

“the ability for the service provider to take primary responsibility for meeting the customer’s office printing needs, including the printing equipment, the supplies, the service and the overall management of the printer fleet."

Three mentions and variations of the word "print". Yuk, but at least the writer takes a stand.

And how about a word from Xerox:

"...MPS is an I.T.-based services offering that is enabled by technology; both Xerox and non-Xerox technology. Clients make decisions on services offerings based on credibility of the team they are working with, and the trust they can put in one firm over the other to deliver the desired results. Our people continue to shine in this competition because of their dedication, commitment and constant desire to learn and grow..."

Interesting, notice how Xerox, the traditional, mother of all document companies, refers to MPS as "an I.T. -based services..." everything else that follows is fluff and marketing.

And the Wall Street Journal

"..."managed print services," a variety of outsourcing in which the vendor takes control of the customer's production of office documents, typically owning the machines, advising on how to use them, and taking a per-page charge..."

Nice attempt; "outsourcing", "vendor", "documents", "owning the machines" - good lord, how many pigeon holes can one fit into?

Evolution Towards Defining: The DOTC MPS Ecosystem

Taped on a wall, right here next to my desk, is an 11x17 sheet of paper covered from end to end to end, with hand written ellipses, squares and arrows - my diagram of the Managed Print Services Ecosystem. (ok, how much of a MPS geek am I? ...sad really, isn't it...)

This sketch illustrates everything MPS involves and touches - and is still incomplete.

I know a more accurate and inclusive illustration requires that we don our "help me Obi Wan, you're my only hope...", 3D glasses, elevating this 2 dimensional model into the spatial, X-Y-Z Axis world.

We could then visualize The Ecosystem, The MPS Ecosystem from all angles.

Two more things - this 3D model is not static, all the parts in there are moving. And the MPS Ecosystem is always expanding, creating new worlds, destroying others.

Are you still with me or have you been amazed and stupefied? Hang on, take another sip of Jack - let's continue...

As I look at this sketch and imagine it's 3-dimensional cousin, two things dawn on me:

1 - this "MPS thing" is difficult
2 - there is no way to define it

uh-oh, what?

Indefinable. Shapeless. Amorphous.

Everything that ever was in office automation and everything that ever will be - That's MPS and it's only a DESCRIPTION.

It is my contention that all attempts at defining MPS amounts to nothing more than narrative and descriptive around how MPS works and what it does.

MPS can only be described, MPS CAN NOT BE defined.

Like the face of God, an attempt to define, to comprehend, leads to grey hair and madness. God cannot be defined. Only the results of His will can be described, remotely understood.

Managed Print Services, simply, Is.
-----------------------------------------

Anti climatic? Yes.

Liberating? Should be.

Happy New Year.

More on description vs. definition, here.

Happy New Year, Good Riddance 2009, Let's Rock in 2010

So here we are - a year gone, one more trip around the sun. A nostalgic look back, the bright embrace of a future unknown. 

And how will we measure 2010, a mere 525,600 minutes away? In midnights, laughter, strife or cups of coffee? 

For your enjoyment; one reflective the other celebratory, enjoy and Happy New Year. 

 

Toast to many Good Nights!