Cars and Freedom: Happy 4th of July, 2010

Managed Print Services and the U.S. Revolution: "Aim Small, Miss Small"

July 2010


A few weeks ago, I was discussing one of my MPS deals with another MPS contemporary.

As he is a resident of the state of Ohio - the heck is a Buckeye, anyway?- I shall not use his real name.

Let's just call him "Joe".

So Joe and I are talking about selling MPS and copiers and printers and all sorts of output-geek-like subjects when I mention I am just about ready to implement a new MPS Engagement.

Approximately $3800.00 per month.

He asks, "Oh, really? What are you doing?"

"We're setting up automatic supplies fulfillment for his fleet of 200 devices spread out all over the west", I proudly proclaim.

And without missing a beat, Joe responds, "Oh. That's not MPS..."

Before jumping into a "you don't know shit about MPS" rampage, I stopped and considered, "oh god, he's right..."

"...Aim Small, Miss Small..."

What I knew and didn't share with Joe was that this was the first step in a long process - the beginning of Stage 1, Control.

Look at it like this:

When taking on a big MPS challenge, saving your client money, I think we should go after the high-value, high-impact targets - like officers riding on horseback, first.

Start there. Take down the hard cost targets making an immediate impact.

And knowing your goal is to eliminate additional expenses and set your client free, you attack other costs after establishing credibility.

You will need to rely on skills developed through years of turmoil.

And you will have a team. Probably newbies. First-time MPS'ers, children really.

And when things get rolling, you'll need to cover for them, maybe jump out from behind a tree and draw some fire. They will be ok.

You must be bold, it's your only choice. Luck favors the bold.

Moving through your process as easy as you walk through a post-conference reception, you continue to take down the costs: getting rid of big, expensive, over-capacity copiers, removing slower, small, and expensive printers, helping streamline the invoicing process, cutting down the number of prints.

In the midst of all this transition and chaos you, like each and every one of us, will be presented with an ultimate choice. One that looks impossible from the outside, but a situation you have been through before.

This is a defining moment; do you go for a 50% or 55% GP?

Should you review your agreement in detail? Both sides and all 47 clauses?

Without hesitation, you act. The tools are so comfortable, they are extensions of yourself. Know Thy Self.

Calculate your risk, take your shot, and make it work.

And as you continue, letting the genie out of the bottle, hacking away at all the waste, remember - when you put it down, put it all the way down. Take care of everything.

No prisoners.

It all starts with "Aim Small, Miss Small"

Is There a Perfect Managed Print Services ?

Since the 2010 MPS Conference in San Antonio, I have attended no fewer than 10 webinars and half a dozen face to face meetings regarding MPS; infrastructure, selling, getting in, training, software, hardware, third party toner, etc.

Here are just some:

The Recharger Show, Managed Print Services and One Miff'd CEO

A few weeks ago, I ran across a blog entry over at "Adventures in Office Imaging". I know Nathan, the guy who wrote an MPS song, and has sponsored the "Destroy your Printer" contest, these last two years.

What caught my eye was the title, "Skipping this year's Recharger World Expo"

In the second paragraph,

"...The "Summit" is really just a sales pitch camouflaged as an MPS-101 course. It encourages everyone-and-his-uncle to dive into the market, then tells them they need a toner vendor or a printer-copier manufacturer as their "MPS partner..."

HOLY CRAP!

I put a few questions together for the author, the CEO of Expert Laser Services, Luke Carpentier. He was very kind in answering

HP cuts contractor use for printer growth

Reuters · Tuesday, Jun. 29, 2010

HONG KONG - The printing division of Hewlett-Packard Co, the world's largest PC firm, has been cutting down on the number of contract manufacturers it uses since the downturn hit in 2009, a senior executive said.

Cost savings derived from simplifying its supply chain had gone into spending on research and expanding its sales team, Vyomeh Joshi, the global head of HP's imaging and printing division, said in an interview in Hong Kong late on Monday.

"When the economy was doing great, we were shipping more and more units, probably we were not efficient," Joshi said, but declined to name specific companies. "So when the economy went down and people were delaying buying decisions, we took a look and said we don't need all this."

Espe is Gone: Copiers...Flooring...What's the Difference?

Matthew J. Espe resigned his post at Ricoh / Ikon

WEST CALDWELL, N.J., June 25, 2010 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Ricoh Americas Corporation, a leading provider of digital office equipment and advanced document management solutions and services, today announced that Kevin Togashi will assume the role of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ricoh Americas Corporation effective July 1, 2010.

Togashi takes on the role from Matthew J. Espe who has resigned his post as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Ricoh Americas Corporation to become Chief Executive Officer and President of Armstrong World Industries, Inc.