#Xerox Steps Into It Big Time - The Letter Read Around the World

It hasn't happened often especially starting on a Friday and going through a weekend - and a holiday weekend. I posted an image on LinkedIn Friday afternoon with these simple words, "...going to leave this right here...".

By early evening, the post had acquired over a thousand views. By the end of the holiday weekend, over six thousand folks had perused the leaked letter from Xerox.

As of today, the simple post has been shared 13 times, generated 23 comments, and 134 reactions, and been viewed over 21,000 times; up from last night's 18,293. 

Furthermore, our team of crack statisticians has digested numbers provided by LinkedIn to come up with these dynamic analytics:

1. Roughly 21% of the viewers are from Xerox with 47% coming from a combined collection of Xerox competitors.
2. 
   
3. 69% of readers are either salespeople or at the executive director level

A big slice of onlookers checked in from the eastern United States; from New York City to Atlanta - there was a healthy contingent from the Greater Sydney area - I love it down under.

The sad part is, you know this conversation has been had in boardrooms all over the globe in every industry. Xerox was just unlucky the word escaped into the 'Verse.

...They can never stop the signal.

Prospecting on LinkedIn: Does it Pay?

When I first joined LinkedIn, back in the stone age circa 2008, I appreciated the nascent application at the same level as My Space, America Online and Twitter. Back then, LinkedIn was an environment for recruiters and the unemployed. Salespeople rarely engaged with prospects or customers online.  I joined because it seemed interesting.

Today, things are very different.  Indeed, since COVID-19 and Microsoft’s purchase, the still-strong recruitment application has become a singular business-to-business platform.

According to some LinkedIn business statistics:

• There are 57M+ companies listed on LinkedIn.
• 73% of buyers are more likely to consider a brand if the salesperson reaches out via LinkedIn.
• There are more than 10,000 B2B software product pages on LinkedIn.
• There was an increase of 110% in confirmed hires year-over-year in...

Read the rest, here.

The Constitution of the United States of America & #StarTrek

Some say the current version of Star Trek is edgy and inclusive and diverse. 

Some say Discovery is revolutionary and Strange New Worlds is fresh - truly examples of the "history didn't start until after I was born" generations. 

Alas, The Original Star Trek, TOS as it is referred to from 'Trekkers' not "Trekkies" is still the purest version in the canon.

Walt's Weekly Words: Week 7 - Growing Skin on Robots, FABs are the Key, Gasoline Prices, The Job Exodus Continues, GenX Has Demands, & West and Greg Talk Web Stuff

Walt's Spin

This week we explore the high price of gasoline, what GenX and millennials want in a job, robot skin, coffee in the USSR, salary raises, chips, and more.

Gas prices are the highest they've ever been, I don't need to tell you that. There is no end in sight. This looks a great deal like the 70s, so history does repeat itself. The 70s brought us the go-go 80s and a massive recovery extending for decades.

The effects are and will continue to be humongous. Every industry moves items by truck and almost every service company keeps technicians on the road.

The supply chain challenges in the chip manufacturing industry continue to forbode. Like oil, chips are fluid and integral to a free-flowing economy. Unlike oil, chips can be manufactured just about anywhere. The current environment has many in the industry considering FAB location more strategically. (FABs are the chip plants and some of the largest are located outside the US, Singapore)

Price Waterhouse reports the great exodus will continue through 2023. A recent study shows increased dissatisfaction with current job status and the grass actually being greener on the other side(at home) as supreme motivators for resigning.

Some 46% of Gen Zers and 45% of millennials reported feeling burned out due to their work environment.

Read the rest, here. 

Tigerpaw Software: Leading Influencer, Infrastructure

The First of many: Tigerpaw Software

The DOTPE is designed to help resellers find and establish partnership relationships with proven, innovative, dealer-centric, organizations aligned to deliver the best customer experience possible.

Prospective customers will make more informed decisions when choosing a reseller.

Dealers will have a clear understanding of the most customer-centric, dealer-friendly ecosystem resources to align when building or enhancing go-to-market programs.

Walt's Weekly Words: Week 6, #TwitterBots, #TigerPaw, #MPS Ecosystem, #Bill Gates & #JohnnyCash

Walt's Spin

This week, congress talks about UFO's, retail giants take a major financial hit - no surprise there - Elon fact checks TwitterBots, more recognizing printers as an IT asset, digital connection is personal, there is a new office technology Partnership Ecosystem model, employers start coffee houses in the suburbs to serve employees and of all things, we have a shortage of sand.

It's going to get worse.

The supply chain troubles will devolve on all fronts and in every industry. The fear of Covid19 shutdowns, labor shortages, War, and an overdependence on global suppliers will stymie any recovery for the next 24 to 36 months.

Gas, diesel - Washington D.C. filling stations are updating pumps to handle three digits(ten dollars per gallon).

Read the rest here. 

The DOTC Office Technology Partnership Ecosystem

Put simply, the Ecosystem is a collection of Influencers with a set of Influences on our industry.

In it, we identify the key players in each of the 12 Influences and evaluate them through 20 data points.

 

Within each Influence, there is at least one Influencer.  We’ve selected your firm as an Influencer and will compare you with other Influencers in your Influence.

Great, what does it mean?  

This is not an echo chamber. The goal is to identify and acknowledge Influencers aligned to provide a superb customer experience to the Ultimate Consumer; businesses in all niches making the digital transformation journey. 

Week 5, May 13- #WFH, #AI, #MPS

This week, we've reached the saturation point when it comes to "work from home is here to stay" content. As more folks are getting back to an office of some sort, the meeting room is being redefined, and businesses that evolve with an adaptive workforce own the future.

Read the rest, here.

Greg Walters, Inc. Releases the DOTC Office Technology Partnership Ecosystem.

12 Influences and Influencers Outlined and Measured in the DOTC Office Technology Partnership Ecosystem Model

 
 
Oconomowoc, Wi. – Greg Walters, Inc. announces the release of the DOTC Office Technology Partnership Ecosystem (DOTPE) blueprint. The DOTPE identifies 12 Influences that shape the customer experience. Examples of Influences include OEMs, Training firms, Infrastructure, Software Applications, Finance, Toner Suppliers, etc. Within each influence, one or multiple Influencers vie for relevancy and participation in the sales journey. 

This change in perspective is mandated by the current business environment, in which the customer journey is no longer transactional, but never-ending. A strong team of niche providers working toward a common goal, with clear and transparent roles, will collaborate and provide a collective and increased value to customers.

“For over a decade, we’ve defined the network of vendors and resellers as the 'Office Technology Landscape.' This view needs an update," said Walters. "In today’s dynamic and turbulent business environment, it is beneficial to establish relationships beyond vendor and reseller.  Companies that utilize partnership ecosystems drive innovation, maximize efficiencies, and bring greater value to their clients."
 
The group is currently interviewing and evaluating Influencers against 20 data points. The model will highlight and rank relevant firms within each Influence, measuring everything from financial viability to their social footprint.
 
Through the model, resellers will see how existing relationships stack up and make educated decisions when building or revamping partnerships. The ultimate consumer will compare their existing or future providers against established standards and KPIs.
 
Technology resellers, and managed IT firms will benefit from the DOTPE by knowing who to review when forming their specific ecosystem.  Prospective clients will gain insight into the quality and effectiveness of their provider when compared to other industry resellers.
 
The DOTC Office Technology Partnership Ecosystem model is available now at thedeathofthecopier.com and the evaluation results will be presented throughout the summer.
 
For more information or to be considered as an Influencer contact Greg@grwalters.com. 

 

Three Ways to Cut Through the Clutter with Content Marketing

Great article over at The Imaging Channel:

I have not always been a digital marketing native. I started in marketing and advertising in the early 2000s and eventually became in charge of creating print advertisements, printable brochures and flyers as well as printed newsletters. But I did have one big advantage over my print-friendly colleagues – for the purpose of maintaining her privacy, I will call her Elyse.

Elyse was our company’s webmaster, and my good friend. We shared a passion for content creation and marketing and would sometimes sit for hours, not only brainstorming effective print content, but also web content. It is from Elyse that I first heard about Google Analytics and metadata as well as the importance of SEO.

Through those talks, and later through its implementation, I quickly came to realize that digital media had a distinct advantage over print. If there was a need for a change to the content, you didn’t have to make a frantic run to the print shop, it was easy enough to make the change on the fly and simply re-upload it. Digital media had another excellent advantage – big data. Using big data allowed...

Read the rest, here.

Flat Rate and Hiring: Do Managed print Services Specialists still exist?

Lot's to discuss - Good talent is difficult to attract, titles mean things, MpS is still alive, myself, West, and Ken will talk to these and much more - in less than 32.5 minutes. 

The Bigger the Better? Maybe Not. The Imaging Channel.

This is a GREAT illustration of the stark dichotomy of our industry - OEM v Dealer. 

You know this, and live this - for decades, the OEMs drove the industry(which is natural) and in doing so, ignored until the very last every issue that diminished the sale of hardware. 

Influence has been shifting for a decade as customers find better ways to move data within and outside of their organization without a big copier in the hallway. The Fear of Covid kicked the transformation into hyper-drive, leaving the OEMs in the rearview mirror.