The 2014 Executive Connection Summit - "They Let the DeathOfTheCopierGuy In?"

The Executive Summit has been in existence for three years, this is my first one.  For context, I've attended and spoken at every domestic Photizo MPS conference, I attended and spoken at a few ITEX get-togethers and a BTA meeting - I 've attended more shows than I can remember.

I've known of MWAi and the group for years, meeting Mike Stramaglio at a Lyra back in ....2009 or 08, I forget. Mike and I have broken bread and on occasion, we've even solved many of the world's problems over whiskey, Cabernet, or some other variation of libation.  

As it Turns Out RELEVANT Content is King.

Relevance - 

Peggy Winton, CMO over @AIIM, reposted an article on LinkedIN about the benefits and pitfalls of content. Read the article, here. The essence of the piece is good content is better than bad content and bad content may hurt your reputation.

Earth shattering, isn't it?

It doesn't take a Marketing Degree agree or disagree with the author who presents good insight

From the article, "Being barraged with irrelevant content, misleading titles and promotion actually damages the brand." this is, and ALWAYS has been true, from late-night infomercials to toilet paper adverts.

Another great quote applicable in the copier/imaging industry, "A strategy based primarily on vendor generated content negatively impacts conversion because buyers consider that information biased and untrustworthy."

This includes content(sponsored) in free magazines, white papers and especially from the analyst community - it is all bought and paid for.

We've been saying this for years, the top-down, 'build it and they will buy' mentality propagated by OEMs and supported through hardware quota's was once old-fashioned.   

Today, its dangerous to the channel.

The phrase "Content is King" assumes 'relevant' or 'pure' is in there somewhere, as in "Pure Content is King". Which leads to the next level, "How pure can your content be, if you outsource its generation?"

In the turbulent world of content marketing and marketing content, Purity is difficult to muster.  The foundational question is,  "How can your content be relevant if you and what your offering is irrelevant?" Like it or not, the act of printing and copying is not that important and if you've built your business on the reliability and relevancy of office printing and copying, you could be in dire straits.

But I don't believe you are irrelevant, yet.  I believe you have happy customers with great stories.  I believe you ARE transforming into a leaner and more intelligent organization.

You just need to get your clients' stories out into the open.

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What the #LatteSalute Says About Managed print Services

The internet is afire with accusations and defense around the President of The United States(POTUS) lackluster salute.

Say and think what you want, but our personal, core values are illustrated every day, on a subconscious level.  The clothes we wear, our body language even the way we look at others, tells the world who we are and what we believe.  How we move and act when nobody is watching displays how we feel about ourselves and the world around us.

The #Apple Watch and Printing: What? No #AirPrint?

The other day I Tweeted, “Is #Apple part of Mopria?

With digital content growing, wouldn't it make sense to print from my Apple Watch?” My point was with all the fanfare and hoopla, printing is never mentioned. Users rarely think about printing and when they do, it’s a pain.

The Apple Watch is the latest example of the shrinking relevancy of the printed document. Granted, the category is consumer based, but the Apple Watch and iOS 8 represent the fading frontier between B2C and B2B . More employees are bringing devices to work because the devices are easier to use and present information in the manner that is pleasing to the consumer. That’s all. If paper were more relevant, we’d all have the daily under our arms and my watch would only tell time.

But that’s not happening, is it?

Consider the lowly photocopier. Once the hub of communication, copiers hummed along churning out everything from memos, file copies of invoices and bound reports. Today, more information is read off a screen in your lap, or palm of your hand than ever before. Tomorrow, your wrist.

Read the rest, here.


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The Death of Spreadsheets

That's an Edgeline Shipping Pallet, converted.

"Knowledge will no longer be trapped on paper... or under glass."

9/24/2014

We were talking about Big Data - it's what we do - when she exclaimed, "It's the Death of Spreadsheets...people will need to swallow faster..."

I was stunned and not sure what swallowing had to do with Big Data, I'll let you ponder that one.  I did, however, understand her observation about Big Data, or specifically, the use of Big Data and the end of spreadsheets.

Spreadsheets are on the path to oblivion, just ask Microsoft.

The rise of the 99 cent algorithm and the fall of "=@if(A, B, C)".

Algorithms are workflow.

Automating processes with algorithmic discipline is changing everything.  Why generate formulas on static spreadsheets when a preconceived formula, connected to live data, streams actionable information directly to your device, pane of glass, or contact lens?

Imagine saying the words,  "Computer: what is the most profitable group of devices in my fleet, today?"

Not only is the answer reported orally, but a running, graphic representation of your profitable machines is presented as well as comparative representations from around the globe - all in real-time.

Beyond words, what if the 'cloud' knew exactly what you wanted to see and when?  Instead of you asking, the information(vs. data) is presented to you nice and neat, in real-time, anywhere on the planet.

No paper, no historic or static.

Funky, eh?  There's more.


Apple just released, to a rather conservative fanfare, the latest addition to the iPhone lineage.  Some were waiting for a "Dick Tracey" watch and others lamented a "phablet", instead, Apple released some less expensive color devices and a new 5s - in Gold.

To many, the device was less than expected - I took note of the A7, 64-bit processor.  In a word, "Awesome" and I'm not an Apple FanBoy.

The A7 is the first 64-bit of its kind to be found in a phone, processes twice as many bits per cycle, and incorporates built-in, on-the-chip encryption.

This all means the little gold box will do stuff faster, crunch more numbers and drive cleaner video - all in the palm of your hand and this is just the beginning.

Back to big data.

Soon, we'll all be carrying around enough processing power to compress massive calculations and connect from anywhere on the planet.  Our customized, 1:1 news will stream flawlessly, and profit, commission, productivity, and financial reports, both personal and business, will seamlessly appear.

In the cloud, huge amounts of calculating power will collect data from billions of sensors all around the planet.  For example, when one of your Konica Minolta is repeatedly misfeeding, AND throwing off ambiguous errors, our newly ubiquitous business intelligence network will:

• Analyze the multitudes of sensors inside the copier...
• Backtrack the units manufacturing chain of custody...down to every component
• Research the composition of toner and examine the entire supply chain...
• Research the composition of the paper, all the way back to the tree...
• Measure the humidity fluctuations and compare them to occurring misfeed times...
• Compare the reported symptoms with millions of other devices and every other device ever recorded... 
• Measure the incoming power...
• Report back a meaningful diagnosis - or simply make corrections remotely - and then report back...

All real-time. No paper because the paper is too slow, no glass, because glass is too restrictive.

Chew on that.

PS - I used a copier as an example but you and I both know, there won't be any copiers left, don't we?
#Wink #DOTC #NoReallyThisTimeItIsPaperLess

1910 -

The Mundaneum

Founded by Paul Otlet (who outlined a concept of a globally connected network of computers in 1934) and Henri La Fontaine, The Mundaneum aimed to "gather together all the world's knowledge and classify it according to a system they developed called the Universal Decimal Classification".

Originally posted on Walters & Shutwell, Inc. Sept, 2013.

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Remastered by GPT4.0, 3/2023

The rise of Big Data and the increasing use of algorithms is transforming the way we process information, leading to the obsolescence of traditional methods such as spreadsheets. This was an observation made by my colleague Jennifer during a conversation we had about Big Data.

Algorithms are becoming the new workflow, automating processes with greater efficiency and accuracy. Why use static spreadsheets when a preconceived formula, connected to live data, can provide actionable information directly to your device, pane of glass, or contact lens in real-time?

For instance, imagine asking your computer: "What is the most profitable group of devices in my fleet today?" The answer is not only reported orally but also displayed as a running graphic representation of your most profitable machines, compared to similar devices worldwide.

But the impact of Big Data extends beyond visual representations. Soon, our customized, 1:1 news will stream flawlessly, and personalized financial reports will appear seamlessly. In the cloud, massive processing power will collect data from billions of sensors all around the planet.

For example, if one of your Konica Minolta repeatedly misfeeds and throws off ambiguous errors, our newly ubiquitous business intelligence network can analyze the multitude of sensors inside the copier, backtrack the unit's manufacturing chain of custody down to every component, research the composition of toner and examine the entire supply chain, research the composition of the paper all the way back to the tree, measure the humidity fluctuations, and compare the misfeed times. 

Then, it can compare the symptoms with millions of other devices, every other device ever recorded, and measure the incoming power to provide a meaningful diagnosis or make corrections remotely, all in real time.

These advancements are leading to a paperless future and could even render traditional office equipment such as copiers obsolete. As we look to the future, it's worth remembering the Mundaneum, founded by Paul Otlet and Henri La Fontaine in 1910. 

They aimed to "gather together all the world's knowledge and classify it according to a system they developed called the Universal Decimal Classification." It's remarkable to think how far we've come since then, and even more incredible to imagine where we'll be in the future.

_________

Tweet: Big Data is changing everything! From automating processes to providing real-time insights, the possibilities are endless. #BigData #Automation #RealTimeInsights

Intro paragraph: In today's world, Big Data is becoming increasingly important, as it has the power to revolutionize the way we process and utilize information. With the rise of algorithms and automation, traditional methods such as spreadsheets are on the path to obsolescence. The ability to connect preconceived formulas to live data provides actionable information in real-time, changing the way we work and make decisions. Big Data is not just about processing information, but it's also about how we use it. From customized 1:1 news to personalized financial reports, the possibilities are endless. In this era of digital transformation, Big Data is changing everything!

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