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Tuesday, April 12, 2022
The Luddite Falsehood
Monday, April 11, 2022
Last week, the 15th week of 2022
Last week, the 15th week of 2022 -
Unions at Amazon. Musk, the once Hero of Technology, bought Twitter (the employees go nuts), and teachers acted badly - 1200 bodies of civilians in Ukraine.
Unions are on their last breath -Robots will not participate in a Great Resignation. Nothing is going to stop Alexa, Cortana, or Siri.
Saturday, April 9, 2022
Amazon Plant Just Voted to Unionize: This is What Happens Next
Robots Don't Strike -
Or catch Covid or spread Covid, for that matter. Robots don't mind the commute, need few employee benefits, work three shifts, and couldn't care less about "Blue Jean Friday" or "Taco Tuesday".
Robots hate corporate picnics
Of course, robots may break down or need routine service - but that's what Service Drones are for.
Hailing from Detroit, I know a bit about unions - maybe no more than you, but most of my friends' fathers were either in or despised unions.
All I need say is "Jimmy Hoffa" and watch for the response. Either you know or you don't.
Today, 2022, unions are making one last grab at members as the times are skewed towards the employees. The Great Resignation is upon us, 24 months of Covid scare has illuminated for most the futility of empty work and little recognition.
Folks "on the line" are motivated into hating ownership, C-level executives, management, and stockholders. If not hate then at least envy.
The caldron requires little stirring
Thursday, April 7, 2022
Maybe We Shouldn't Get Into Managed IT Services
I'm beginning to think the road to #digitalTransformation, for #TheImagingChannel, doesn't require stepping into the managed (IT) services niche.
“Fewer clients. Less money. More attention. Caring for them.”
Tuesday, April 5, 2022
Why MPS Now?
Sunday, April 3, 2022
Ask Greg is Back
For the past few years, I've been writing a series titled "New to Copier Sales..." for The Imaging Channel, here.
I'm bringing it back.
I know that there isn't a shortage of 'know-it-alls' out here - the cyber-world has always been populated with bloviating pontificators - I'm not looking to compete with those folks. All I know is that for the last 20 plus years, I've been involved with sales teams selling and prospects buying. I've been on BOTH sides of the sales table.
The process is simple. Ask a question, I'll give you an answer. The question can be about anything: selling copiers, managed print services, uniform rental programs website design, and anything in between. "
For example, Fred Farkel from Flint, Michigan asks,
"Greg, I've been in copier sales for 60 days and I haven't sold a thing. My manager is all over me to sell something, anything. How can I turn a quick sale? Can I do anything to get my manager off my a$$? - Fred.
My response might go something like this:
"Dear Frustrated in Flint,
Quit.
Yours very truly,
G"
Of course, I'm kidding. (sorta)
"Dear Frustrated in Flint,
I am sorry to hear of your challenges in the 'thumb'.(Mid-Michigan) Sales managers like yours are the bane of our industry. Regardless, here are some ideas your manager should have already reviewed with you:
- Hit up all your existing clients.
- Check lease renewals.
- Comb the "New business" announcements looking for live prospects.
- Approach family and friends for leads at their place of business.
Remember, you're looking for quick transactional, turns the above ideas are short term answers in a long term game.
PS - Seriously, if your sales manager is all over you so early, keep your resume up to date.
Do you have a question? Click here. What have you got to lose?
"Help me, help you."
Cheers!
Friday, April 1, 2022
HP Behind UAPs/UFOs:Department of Defense
Hewlett Packard announced today the existence of HP-researched and developed UAPs commonly known as UFOs.
Throughout the 70s, HP in cooperation with PARC, worked with DARPA to reverse engineer technology not sourced from any country.
Speaking anonymously, an HP source said, "We've been testing gravity-generating engines for years and although we've been able to lift these devices a few feet off the ground, we have no idea exactly how these machines work."
Thursday, March 31, 2022
Accelerate Managed Print Services with the New Model
Monday, March 28, 2022
Call for Speakers: UFOs, Mandela, Strings and Selling
- How could the supposed 'Mandela Effect' impact copier sales?
- Does the existence UFO/UAPs influence your prospects' buying decision?
- Is there such a thing as a "war in distance lands"?
- When strings are observed, is your sales funnel modified?
Thursday, March 24, 2022
Innovation in the Managed print Services Niche...
In most ways, the Managed Services and Managed Print channels look a lot like they did 5 years ago.
Tuesday, March 22, 2022
12 Aspects of Leasing a Copier - No You Can't Break a Lease
Leasing is math under contract. The dealer buys a device from distribution or manufacturer. The leasing company pays the dealer his cost, all upfront.
The leasing company bills the ultimate customer periodically until the cost of the machine to the dealer and profit is covered.
Benefits to each player:
- Lease company - profit
- Dealer - profit all upfront
- Customer - monthly payment instead of a large, one-time outlay
Example:
A customer wishes to 'own' a large piece of equipment. The purchase price is $20,000.00. Instead of paying 20k all at once, the customer would like to pay over time.
The dealer would like to sell the customer equipment, installation, and software needed for the device to function. The dealer cannot offer pay overtime to the customer directly.
The leasing company approves the client and the sale moves forward.
Thursday, March 17, 2022
The Stages of Managed Print Services, 2007. The Model Still Works.
Back in the olden days, 2007 or so, I came up with three stages of managed print services. This model was designed for my MPS practice, not necessarily for the industry, and I used it to help explain the MpS procedure to clients and co-workers. In less than five minutes, the prospect had a basic idea of the stages, procedures, and expectations of our program.
As time went by, every OEM, MPS dealership, and software provider had their version of the MpS process.
HP had a similar idea but the one from Photizo matched and improved upon my vision of the stages. Photizo even came up with a more detailed approach reaching into a Fourth stage.
I'm not saying this is the ONLY managed print services model, it was mine. There are just as many MPS models as there are definitions. All of them are good, each has shortcomings.
Ideally, I was trying to design a process that could be applied to more that managed print services like workflow solutions and business process optimization. I figured every opportunity can be broken down into three stages, Control, Optimize, Enhance.
That makes sense, right?
Unfortunately, many of the models ended up being pure marketing as deliverables rarely matched the original plan. Like most innovations in the industry, we first argue “it will never work for me…” then jump on the bandwagon. We then focus on price, commoditize the service into a box and accelerate the race to the bottom, dumbing down the concept and cutting pricing.
MPS became little more than automatic supplies delivery and on-site service, billed per usage. Managed print services devolved into “managed toner delivery, at the lowest price…”
Regardless, today the industry seeks out pivot points with many players getting into managed services - something I've been a proponent of for a decade.
Naturally, because I was building an MPS practice inside a VAR, I was looking for a way to ease copier dealers into the IT realm, to include IT salespeople in the MPS equation, and fold managing output devices, business processes, and IT assets in one agreement.
MpS deserved a screen in the N.O.C. Managed services was the future and MPS was the way to get there.