“MPS is not a model that fits every type of business...While we’re covering a large portion of the expenses in the infrastructure, marketing and sales tools, there’s investment required by channel partners to move into a solutions selling model.
“This is a defensive move for our channel partners who are looking for a chance to sell something other than what they traditionally sell.” - HP commercial channel print solutions director, Stan Clar.
First Europe, now Australia. This is a channel program, driven toward the SMB space.
"...Quick Page is designed to provide SMB customers with a simple and complete contract that covers printer hardware, installation, supplies and support. The vendor compared the new system to phone plans offered by telcos that simplified hardware and service provision, and support..."
After Glow, the next morning - bold cup of coffee, self-reflection, call and tell all your friends.
Here are my top of mind issues from content DURING the show.
Because, yes, I will present my top Take Aways from events that occurred AFTER 5:30 P.M. - did you know some poor guy fell off a hotel balcony while celebrating his birthday?
I am rough on copier peeps, because I once was one. Ok, well I am one, you can never really get out, once you're in. It's like the Mafia, which never existed, by the way.
I admire the "shock value"; you go Ken, I got Leopard spots with your name on 'em!
2. Lawton utilized Indiana Jones - the Leap of Faith
I knew this show was going to be much different when the conference opening video included clips of Obama, Clinton, AND Regan all around takes from Glen Gerry Glen Ross, Boiler Room and others.
Lawton's use of Indy to convey the SharePoint message during his pesentation was genius.
Raise your hand if you now believe MPS is NOT "just like color was..."
Raise your hand if you know about the new, embedded reporting software, DC SAM, from MWAi.
Raise your hand if you would be interested in the "2011, Girls of DOTC" calendar.
Raise your hand if you know what LBIT stands for.
Here's the deal.
As we take stock of the show thus far looking for areas of improvement and commending bright spots, self-analysis is bound to occur.
The audience this year is a bit more profound and studied. The presenters were a little more serious and jittery.
It is very easy, indeed required, that we look back to the 2009 show, but for me, I like to compare it to other shows, other presenters, and other audiences.
Yes, not all are going to find every single session riveting. Perhaps a bit of the content is beneath some attendees and of course, some of it flies right over everybody's head.
So what? This can be said about each and every show I have ever attended, actually, every show ever.
But this iteration of the North American MPS Conference is the backdrop for something different -
We are witnessing the emergence of an industry. Managed print services is real and the Photizo MPS Conference is the ONLY place where honest goodness, MPS professionals can gather and together, mock the ignorant and misinformed.
A singularity in history - this is the point in time when MPS players can and will shake aside the shackles of the past.
Some will now take that leap of faith, stepping into the future.
Others will brush away the stench of failure, compose and go forth boldly.
There is a real disturbance in the Force, a fracture widened into a fissure - there is a correct way to go about implementing MPS, saving an industry, and there is yesteryear's lackeys' method of grappling for glory long since past.
We are problem solvers - the greatest in all of history. And some of the greatest problem solvers walk the halls of Omni La Mansion del Rio.
But not everyone could attend - you know who you are - if you found yourself nodding in concurrence with some of the above, you are here in spirit, welcome.
Seriously, this is not iTEX - attendance at the North American MPS Conference has actually INCREASED year over year - and the MPS consultants don't outnumber the attendees. (no you didn't just read that)
So as Day Two ends, the post-show festivities begin and the real information exchanges occur.
Last year the excitement was palpable - to expect the same this year would be foolish, hopeful at best.
Yet...the buzz today was real.
And guess what...MPS folks are starting to understand the actual meaning of the Hybrid Dealer; not some stolen, bastardized, watered down version.
What is even more impressive, the MPS curious are sick of being told what "old skool-pundits" think they want to hear - this isn't "just like color was".
The truth is sometimes tough, MPS is not easy. The path of the last 12 months is littered with empty dreams and shattered, MPS hopes.
What went wrong? How did this happen? What oh, what are we to do?
Suck it up, pansy.
This is your chance to seize the future or fade into the past.
Some, not smart enough to understand their own predicament, point fingers in every direction; "not enough infrastructure", "...my vendor doesn't understand MPS...", "...my salespeople...".
All too common phrases muttered and whispered in the darkness - AT OTHER SHOWS...not here, not today.
If you didn't make it here, you are missing the best Managed Print Services BrainTrust on the planet. Bar none.
The full MPSA, owners, principals, high-end users - Nationwide Insurance's presentation alone put most every other "MPS Implementation" stories to shame - are all here.
Both tracks today were packed - and people were actually paying attention - all day!
Ed's Group, Photizo, MPS forerunners, are putting on a great show - from the speakers to the roving video crew - a very good start to a great conference.
With the show of shows countdown approaching the "hours seem like days " stage, getting time with anyone over at Photizo is difficult - understandable.
I was able to pose three quick questions with the man himself.
1. What is the most you can hope for out of the con next week?
2. What is the biggest difference between this year in MPS and last year?
and 3. What is your favorite whiskey?
1. DOTC - What is the most you can hope for out of the con next week?
Ed - My biggest hope for the conference next week is that everyone walks away saying, "Wow, I achieved a great return on the time I invested in this. I will definitely be back next year!"
2. DOTC - What is the biggest difference between this year in MPS and last year?
Ed - The biggest difference between this year and last year.
I think the biggest difference is that last year the question was, "Are these guys really going to be able to pull this off?".
This year I don't think there were any doubts about whether we could pull it off. The only question was can we make the content even more relevant and insightful than last year?
And I think the answer is definitely yes!
3. DOTC - What is your favorite whiskey?
Now, on the question of whiskey, as a Kentucky native I really can't comment on Whiskey (that would be a question for a Tennessee person), but if you asked about Bourbon, that would have to be Woodford Reserve (since we live in Woodford County)!
####
Ah yes, Ed is a true Kentuckian - bourbon, most xlint.
You would think that with the above and oh so many other concerns, like regulating the substance we exhale(WTF!), congress would have many more important things to do.
Apparently not.
Congressman Edward Markey (D-MA) sent a letter today to the head of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) calling for an investigation into the, "retention of documents on the hard drives of digital copy machines..."
This is stupid, fear mongering, and yet so damn predictable. Before you go off thinking I don't recognize this a real issue - I do, I did, back in 1999. That is not the problem.
The problem is simply this, the congress, indeed this administration, is using any perceived fear to leverage their way into the free market rendering the market a little less "free" with every effort. And right next to them, shoulder to shoulder, is CBS - the Dan Rather, made up letters, the Murphy Brown, a fictitious character, who takes on the spelling skills of a sitting Vice President of America, a non-fictional character - network.
Can the hard drives hold sensitive data? Yes.
Has the "industry", known this from the beginning? Yes.
Have these same industry players openly addressed the issue and presented solutions? Not all. But some have.
Have clients known about this issue? Not all, but those who were smart enough to see the potential, they acted. Some purchasing the hard drives out right at lease end. I know for certain, The Church of Scientology, has been practicing this level of security for at least a decade.
How come they were so smart 5 years ago and the manager at a Tommy Bahama's restaurant in Scottsdale isn't? Well, it's not his job.
And how does this figure into Managed Print Services?
It's so classic, it is almost nauseating.
Let's remember Stage One of the MPS adoption model - Control. Within this stage is the requirement of there being "one decision making entity". This addresses the "facilities handles copiers", and "IT handles printers" mentality. MPS can not exist if there are two separate decision making teams involved with output concerns.
Throw in the fact that IT is usually responsible for supporting corporate, IT, security policies - not facilities; not Purchasing - and we have a predictable, security hole.
So What?
This industry can regulate itself - we don't need any help from a congressman from MA.
Although...how delicious is it going to be when Veejay, Espe, and all the others from Canon, Ricoh, Konica, Kyocera, Oki, Brother, Lexmark and Panasonic are sitting at the same table, being grilled by congress - hide the Katana's!
Netaphor Launches Major New Version of Managed Print Services Tool
SiteAudit Version 4.0 from Netaphor Software offers the most comprehensive reporting capabilities and Key Performance Indicators in the managed print services (MPS) industry.
Irvine, CA (PRWEB) April 29, 2010 -- Netaphor, a provider of managed print services (MPS) software, today announced a major new version of its SiteAudit tool. SiteAudit 4.0 offers the capability to create an unlimited set of Web reports covering all aspects of a printer fleet’s performance in the areas of inventory, supplies, and service.
LEXINGTON, KY – April 28, 2010 – Photizo Group and MPSInsights.com will host a free webcast of the MPSA General Assembly live from the 2010 North American MPS Conference, and interactive chat will let viewers participate during the session. The MPSA Annual Meeting and General Session led by MPSA President Jim Fitzpatrick takes place May 5 from 4:45-5:30 pm Central.
In addition, a number of other MPS Conference sessions will also be webcast free of charge from MPSInsights.com, providing viewers with a sample of the MPS Conference. With the North American conference nearing a capacity audience, the webcasts will make portions of the event content available to more people.
“This year’s MPS North America Conference continues the high standard that has been set at each event in the MPS Conference series, and the agenda is loaded with excellent content. We recognize the crucial need for information in this dynamic market, and through these free webcasts, Photizo hopes to extend the educational opportunity a little wider across the MPS community,” said Ed Crowley, President of the Photizo Group.
MPSInsights.com Webcast Schedule: (All sessions are Central time.)
Tuesday, May 4
· 9:15-10:15 am; Ed Crowley--Photizo Group, State of the Industry
· 10:30-11:30 am; John MacInne--Print Audit, Scott Bonck--IKON, Adding Print Rules to Your MPS Program
· 3:00-4:00 pm; Lawton Smith--DirectPointe, SharePoint Servers As a Building Block for Stage 3 Engagements
Wednesday, May 5
· 8:15-9:00 am; Jason Evans--PEQ Services Solutions, Keynote Address
· 9:45-10:45 am; Jose Luis Parga--Pulsartec, Is Selling MPS to SMBs Profitable?
· 1:30-2:30 pm; Greg Walters--SIGMAnet, David Cameron--Photizo Group, Changing Dealer Business Models; Myth vs. Reality
· 4:45-5:30 pm; MPSA Annual Meeting and General Session led by Jim Fitzpatrick, MPSA President
Webcast video access and other information are available at MPSInsights.com.
"...in 1974, 25-year-old Bruce Springsteen played at the Harvard Square Theater in Cambridge.
Although popular with the college crowd in the Northeast, Springsteen was not yet a star.
That night, he and the E Street Band opened for Bonnie Raitt.
The influential music critic Jon Landau was in the audience. Overwhelmed by what he heard, Landau wrote,
"I saw my rock and roll past flash before my eyes. I saw something else: I saw rock and roll's future and its name is Bruce Springsteen."
In the years since that momentous spring night in Cambridge, the Boss has had 14 albums go platinum, has won 11 Grammies and an Oscar and has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame..."
Back in those days, stars were truly discovered. Crowds were organic, not Twitter-induced - the "buzz" was real.
This is way before MTV, before "57 Channels", email, the internet, Facebook, blow dryers and teeth whitening. The music was real.
To know Bruce back then was to either hate him or love him. And the Bruce fans were nuts, unique, outside of the norm - to the right of the bell curve.
His shows today are intense, but back then, the 4-hour sessions skyrocketed up and over the religious. Not because he demanded so much from his band, all of them willing accomplices, but Bruce did more - he demanded more from his audience.
From everyone within hear shot. Those of us in the very last seat, to the fans behind the stage, to the high rollers in the front row - if you didn't believe in Rock n Roll after one of his concerts, you didn't have a pulse.
One of the most interesting things I remember from those glory days - well, not back in 1974 - I consider myself a "second-gen" Bruce fan, from the Born to Run and Darkness on the Edge of Town era - I think back to how we fans stuck together. How while standing in line to get into a show, we all had that "cat who ate the mouse" look.
The nod, the smile from fan to fan - we were in for something special, something not everybody "got" and that was fine with us. Actually, we preferred it this way. Bruce was ours. Not everyone's. And as much as we wanted to keep this a secret, we all knew that someday, Bruce would be moving out of the smaller venues into the mega-shows, the real world, mainstream.
And so it is with Managed Print Services - our Secret Garden, we lucky few who shared a wink and a nod, over a year ago in San Antonio, we are about to lose to the rest of the world, this special, undefinable "thing".
It's been a year, another turn of the globe, and MPS has just about come full circle.
The "big guys" have now gotten it right.
I rail against the titans, the over publicized global MPS takedowns less than 5% of us will ever see. The over-exposed CPC to MPS conversions straight out of MIF, touted as examples of MPS.
And yes, I protest the lack of human touch extolled by heartless MPS programs.
I challenge, I poke, I prod, I mock. Yet, deep down, I know the exercise is tragic if not futile. One step up, and two steps down.
You see, there is a part of me fighting to keep MPS bottled up, pure. Sure, me, the dark skeptic, exposed as an eternal optimist, even as the genie evaporates out for all to see.
The lack of MPS purity, I feel, has led to the detriment of so many MPS programs; Konica Minolta OPS, Samsung MPS Platform, the Lexmark thing, HP MPS redefining the size of an enterprise account down to SMB, from PagePack 1.0 to PagePack 3.0(there never was a 2.0) on and on.
And all those failed BTA/MPS programs, doomed from the very beginning, taking with them, bright-eyed and hopeful copier salespeople or service managers christened as MPS experts. Such a waste.
To be sure there are many, many bright spots - Great America offering leasing and MPS training, not to mention advice on how to hire MPS people.
Synnex, delivering just in time, HP OEM, and utilizing Stephen Power - the only old skool mentor who gets it.
And the Photizo Group, how frustrating it must be to see your work, copied and regurgitated as new; complete trade shows themed on your descriptive: The Hybrid Dealer. I mean, flattery can only go so far.
So, after a year, where are we now? Indeed, after three, where do you stand now?
For me, it's a realization that this has finally gotten bigger than us.
MPS is hitting the mainstream, the time for defining is passed, those of us who may have felt at one time in control of destiny, need to simply hang on, and make the best of it.
Those intimate Springsteen shows were special, a point in time that can never be duplicated, except in memory.
But the sheer, awesome, spectacle that is a Springsteen arena show, even if mainstream, is glorious.
As I consider the past 12 months, "I saw my printer and copier past flash before my eyes. I saw something else: I saw MPS's future and its name is (fill in the blank)."
All is not lost - there are more windmills for us to charge on this MPS landscape - all it takes is a Leap of Faith, I think we should keep taking those tickets from the fat man, living the runaway American Dream.
Because, ultimately, I still haven't found, what I'm looking for...
It will be my honor to discuss the above mentioned subject to interested parties.
Indeed, it is my honor to be presenting along side David Cameron from the Photizo Group - we are working diligently on our action-packed, thrilling based, hour of intrigue.
So, Myth vs. Reality - what say you? There are a couple of polls out here, one over at P4P and another from Photizo, that show 50% of the folks who got into MPS are unsatisfied.
And recently, while attending a 1.5 day, MPS training seminar, I heard only 4% of today's, standard, BTA, copier dealership's revenue can be attributed to MPS engagements.
For all the flash generated by MPS, there seems to be little heat.
Well, an hour session in San Antonio won't quell the queries. More then likely, the mystery will continue - and perhaps that is part of the problem.
By now you know you won't find all the answers in some session at iTEX.
The heavens do not open up, illuminating the path toward MPS enlightenment, after 18 weeks of MPS boot camp/conference calls.
And unfortunately you may have found out your dire situation, if in the first hour of MPS training, the instructor tells you, "MPS is just like color was when it first came out..."
So, will you reach a higher level of MPS Nirvana after participating in our palaver?
Good lord I hope not, there are far too many MPS-Geeks, like me, out here already. Yes, we actually believe in some sort of MPS Nirvana - so sad.
Also, you may ask, will the Girls of DOTC be bouncing around, painted gold, and munching fishies?
