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Friday, August 13, 2010

Are you Selling Managed Print Services? Are you Good at It? Have I got an Idea for You; If You're Tuff Enuf

August, 2010

MPS is driving in all sorts of different directions and forcing everybody into making choices.

Not just Fortune 500, multi-national copier manufacturers, but the independent, local copier dealers, too.

And there is more - I am a big believer in the unique problem solving skills and sheer resilience of good, professional sellers.

Today, if you are selling in the MPS niche, you've already made some choices about your future.

How's all that working out for you?

Do you have a Manager? Is he a Managed Print Services Manager/Director?

Do you attend Monday morning Sales meetings? How about Friday at 4:00PM Sales meetings?

Let me ask you this, do you know more about MPS than you manager, VP of Sales or dealership owner?

How do you like your General Manager or Vice President riding with you on sales calls?

Funnel Planning, anyone?
Strategic Account Planning?

Are you successfully selling MPS? How much you bringing into the “house”?

Here’s the situation and this is not for everyone.

The MPS model is rife with alternatives – most set up for the dealership – I see no programs designed specifically for the Professional Managed Print Services Selling Individual. And MPS Training is not what I am referring to.

MPS is the “Wild, Wild, West” – we are all making this up as we go. There are no standards, little benchmarks, no well worn path. Times are perfect for the rugged individual; the self-assured, knowledgeable, MPS Selling Professional.

Could this be you?

Is this you?

How would you like to make ALL THE PROFIT on your MPS engagements?

Intrigued?

Email me.

Are you tough enough?

Click to email me.



Friday is Fun Day - IOWA Gurls - O M G

So...yeah...right...ok...

A few Friday's back, I splashed the blog with Katy Perry's "California Gurls" - an obvious shout out to the girls on my side of the world, the Best Coast.

Soon after, a reader "hipped" me to this little ditty.

You have got to love any video with the line, "...boys baling hay make me wanna act so naughty..." WTF?

In the Katy Perry vid, the dozen or so times I viewed her syrupy montage, I could not find ANY connection to MPS, copiers, printers or toner - I tried, I really did.

But this time we have a connection: Great America Leasing.

That's right. The creator of the Navigator program that "includes the process to plan, implement and grow a dealer’s business with MPS..." is headquarted in...Iowa! Schwing!!

Yup. They are.

Well, let's take I-80 West and see what Iowa has to compete with my golden beaches...

Enjoy.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

HP Does Disney: Managed Print Services Program reduces the number of devices by 59%

But Wait. How many of us will get the chance to land an account the size of Disney?

You may ask, "Why does something big HP does, have anything to do with me, the small, independent MPS provider?"

And you may ask yourself, "..how can I possibly provide all the services HP can?"

You may ask yourself, how do I work this?

You may ask yourself, where does this highway lead to?

You may ask yourself, am I right, am I wrong?

You may ask yourself, my god, what have I done?

The answer, "Same as it ever was..."

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Hurd it on the Streets: Mark to Oracle?


Seems Mark's friends are coming to his defense.

Larry Ellison, CEO at Oracle, fired off a communique that may reflect the feelings of most observers - HP's board is full of a bunch of idiots.

They reportedly relied on counsel from a PUBLIC RELATIONS FIRM when deciding to fire Mr. Hurd.

I've said it before, HP is great at making really cool things, but marketing, not so much.

A quote from Ellison,

"...The H-P Board just made the worst personnel decision since the idiots on the Apple board fired Steve Jobs many years ago. That decision nearly destroyed Apple and would have if Steve hadn’t come back and saved them. H-P had a long list of failed CEOs until they hired Mark who has spent the last five years doing a brilliant job reviving H-P to its former greatness..."

Agreed.

Monday, August 9, 2010

The Email Hurd 'round the Org: "...We recognize that this change in leadership is unexpected news..."

The following is the complete text of the e-mail from Lesjak...:

“TO/ All HP Employees

"SUBJECT/ Organizational Announcement

"This is to advise you that Mark Hurd, Chairman and CEO of HP, has resigned from the company effective immediately. Mark’s resignation was submitted at the request of the company’s Board of Directors as a result of inappropriate behavior in which he engaged that violated HP’s Standards of Business Conduct and undermined his ability to continue to lead the company.

“At the request of the Board I have agreed to serve as interim CEO until a new, permanent CEO is hired. During this time I also will continue to perform my duties as CFO. The Board has formed a committee to undertake a search for a new CEO, and candidates from inside the company as well as outside the company will be considered. I have informed the Board, however, that I do not wish to be considered for the role of permanent CEO, and I have removed myself from being a candidate for that position.

“While this news is unexpected, HP remains in an exceptionally strong position both financially and in the marketplace. It is essential, however, that we remain focused and continue to achieve – if not exceed – our operational and financial objectives. “Because there is likely to be considerable media coverage of this announcement during the next few days, I wanted to be the first to share the facts with you.

Predictably, the Hurd Situation is Starting to Get Weird(er)

The lady in questions says there was never any sex. Yes, this is a picture of her, Jodie Fisher.

She is also sad. Sad that Mark lost his job.

Hurd leaves with 40 million - rumors are running all over the 'net - this could be either the biggest fall for that smallest oversight($20,000.) or there is much, much more to all this.

Hurd spent money on dinners/"interviews", one site actually uses the words "canoodle" and woo.

Lobster was served.

It's not Tiger Woods, and it ain't Goldman Sachs, but it is not good at all.

Never, again, should anyone ever question why I use gorgeous women on my blog.

Contact Me

Greg Walters, Incorporated
greg@grwalters.com
262.370.4193