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10 Years in the Cloud

May 2019

I Had an Awesome Day and Didn't Sell A Copier aka Print Device

I'm thinking it was 2006 when I first met Dave. 

Dave had this really cool setup for printing color envelopes on one of the first Oki color A3 laser print engines.   At that time Dave definitely had one printer running and If I remember correctly had a few more that were primed for back ups.

Back in 2006 it was quite uncommon to see a color laser printer that would feed envelopes without wrinkling them.  Could have also been because I only carried the Ricoh brand and back in 2006 they were not so good with feeding envelopes.

I'm a hardware junkie, show me a print device that prints something new and my mind starts to spin out of control.  I knew I needed to learn more about the process and thought at some time in the future that I may have a print device that I could sell Dave.

Each year thereafter for the next thirteen years I would pay Dave a visit at least once or twice a year.  I was really thankful when he moved his business closer to where I lived. 

Over that time frame I gleaned a lot of information from Dave when it came to ink based printers that could run envelopes. In recent years the choice of print engines that Dave used leaned more towards ink printers with the Memjet Waterfall print head.   From time to time he would also have a few of the HP's ink based printers with the Page Wide Technology.  For me, Dave was the guru of envelope printing, he had so much knowledge that manufacturers actually sent him print devices to evaluate.

From time to time Dave allowed me to demonstrate of couple of ink print devices. Alas I never had a product that could meet all of his needs with low ink cost, quality and speed. I usually had one or the other but never had the complete package.  Since I knew many print shops in my territory I was more than happy to tell him about those DM's. From time to time I was able to throw some leads his way.

Over those thirteen years Dave and I never did any business. To tell you the truth that was probably a good thing since you never know how some print devices will perform.  Usually when they don't perform is when the relationship can sour.  But, I enjoyed stopping and talking shop with Dave, I would comment on new technology and he would give me the low down on some of the really neat print devices that he had. His knowledge helped me with other clients that were in the market for color envelope presses.

I think it was about 18 months ago that Dave told me he was going to sell the business and move out of state. He had his reasons and they were legit but I'm not going to mention them here.  Still I stopped in from time to time to see how he was and where he was at with his plans.

Dave emailed me over the weekend and stated that he would like to take me to lunch sometime this week.  I agreed and we had lunch today. We had a great chat about my new found brother and Dave told me that he has two adopted children (that's awesome). I then asked how he was doing with the sale of the business. Dave stated that this was the last few days, he had sold all of his equipment and would be moving in the next few weeks.

We had a great time at lunch and was probably one of the first times we didn't talk shop.  We developed a great relationship and respect for each other over those years.  On the way out Dave handed me an envelope, inside that envelope was an awesome thank you card for all of the time we spent together.

I know that Dave reads my blogs and I'm hoping he reads this one. I will miss our technology chats, I will miss our chats about our families and miss the time that we spent together.



-=Good Selling=-

Attention Sales World... Are You Traveling On The Road Called Relevancy?

"Staying relevant is key. When you're telling your story, you better have a modern story to tell. If I was still saying the same story I was saying 10 years ago, it would not be that interesting."    
Marc Benioff

The sales world has changed. You can say, Father Google along with technology has been the catalyst. The shifts have been dynamic, widespread and it's impacting everyone from those in the C-suite to those within sales. The sales process and journey is so different today than it was even a decade ago. It’s almost a whole new ballgame. Why? Customers are in control more than ever before.

"Computers may be able to replace routine tasks, but your clients still want to do business with a real live human being."

Have we entered into the world of reality and survival of the sales fittest? Sales professionals must learn to adapt. Technology and our society are evolving faster than many in sales can adapt to the changes, Darwin’s words have never resonated more clearly.

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Chew on this...

Let's say there's 10 companies in your marketplace, all of them provide similar services, solutions and products to that of yours; what makes you different? What makes you standout? What makes you relevant?

I know what you're thinking... And quite frankly, no one cares how long you been in your industry, how long your company has been in business, the awards they've won nor how they provide the best customer service.

Mediocrity runs rampant inside the sales world. Average salespeople are a dime a dozen, but truly original, creative thinking sales professionals are harder to find. I guarantee your clients want to work with a professional who can generate ideas to set them apart from and ahead of their competition. 

When is the last time you asked your clients what they expect from YOU? Try it, you may learn something!

MANY IN SALES ARE CLUELESS

Three-quarters of people who work in sales simply cannot execute, according to Kurlan & Associates. “For lack of a better word, they suck,” says Dennis Connelly, vice president of business development at Kurlan & Associates.

6% of salespeople are “elites” who are great at selling. Another 20% are doing well but could do better. Then there are 74% who are failing. Most of the people in the 74% bracket can improve if they get training. But the bottom 25% are hopeless, because in addition to being ineffective, they aren’t trainable. Those people “should be doing something else.” - Kurlan & Associates

TIME TO GET REAL WITH YOURSELF

What sets you apart? Why should people choose you? Or learn from you? Or listen to you? Or do business with you? Or even have a conversation with you?

Are you truly an exceptional sales professional? If you answered yes, WHY do you think so?

What specific skill do you bring that allows you to stand out from the rest of the sales wolf pack?

I encourage you to look in the mirror and ask yourself...

  • Am I reading to feed my brain?
  • Am I making a difference?
  • Am I going the extra distance for my clients?
  • Am I serving others?
  • Am I serving the cause?
  • Am I developing a deep, genuine concern for my clients?
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Tough set of questions, aren't they? Which ones do you feel you could improve upon?

Are you traveling on the business road of relevancy?

RELEVANCY IS REAL

What are you going to do to become RELEVANT? Now think about this through your client's eyes. This may hurt if you're honest with yourself.

Each one of you are unique and different. Then my question to all those in sales... Why do you all walk, talk and act the same? Becoming relevant just might be the key to your sales success.

In this highly competitive digitally driven business environment, it is mission critical to stay relevant, competitive, marketable and yes, desirable. You MUST make sure that you’re continuously improving and evaluating yourself regularly.

"Truth is in the eye of the beholder"

Real, relatable and relevant... How well does this apply to you as you're building meaningful relationships with your clients?

Here's the deal... many of you in sales wrap yourself up with self-delusional thoughts regarding how much your clients love you. Walk in their shoes, think about the pressures they're under. Imagine what they’re feeling right now. Empathize with them. Help them! Now ask yourself... just how relevant am I right now to my clients?

BRING VISION AND VALUE

Start engaging in real human conversation with your client's by offering a compelling vision of the future from the point-of-view of their company and how they can prepare for the future. Bring them a vision cemented in a deep understanding of the trends shaping their market, their industry challenges, what their competitors may be doing and how this can help transform their company.

Rise up, accept that 'change' is necessary to succeed in your profession or fall into the sea of sameness.

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Every last one of you in sales must become more sophisticated than ever before around what you're selling. Your clients expect it and demand it! Lead with intelligent insight and exciting ideas that teach them something surprising and new. Otherwise, you become endangered sales species.

I urge you to think about these two questions...

  • How can I differentiate myself with insight?
  • Where can I get insight?

Check out this episode of the Selling From The Heart Podcast, as we dive into differentiating with insight and understanding.

What makes you valuable as a sales professional?

DON'T BE AN EMPTY SUIT, BECOME RELEVANT

A true empty suit, imagine a business suit of clothing without a person in it who really doesn’t know what they bring to the marketplace or their clients.

How well are you demonstrating competence? What are you bringing to your clients? An executive appearance, presence and attitude may open business doors of opportunity, however; without competence things can quickly dissipate.

An executive presence - competence = an empty suit

Please don't be this guy...

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YOU must become hungry, a lifelong learner. You must become an educator. You can't become an educator without being a student first. You must gain a thirst for new knowledge. You need to stay up-to-date on new developments, always looking for trends and changes before they happen. Bring to your client's your knowledge and how you can help them do better business.

Remove your client's mask of uncertainty and bring to them insights. Show them your understanding of their business and how you can help them allocate their resources in a way that will help them achieve results faster now and into the future.

Relevancy is not an option

You owe it to yourself, your career, your company and most of all your family. Take off the mask.

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I understand and I get it. I get where you all are coming from. Every day, I walk in your shoes. I'm fully committed to helping your sales team integrate social aspects through the eyes of a practitioner into your current sales process to grow new business. I want you to get results. This is why I am passionate about doing this the right way, the genuine way, the authentic way! It's about understanding value before visibility.

Selling From the Heart is making a difference! I poured my heart into every page of this book and I think you're going to love it. You can find it on Amazon in paperback and Kindle. You can click on the book image below and this will take you to Amazon.

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I encourage you to find out more about Selling From The Heart.

In a world full of empty suits, I'm passionate about helping sales reps succeed by getting valuable before they get visible. I help sales teams understand the true value they bring to the market. 

I appreciate getting the opportunity to share my stories. Integrating the use of social and sharing my story on LinkedIn was my “game-changer” in the highly competitive office technology world. With great pride I transform, challenge, coach and inspire sales teams to grow new business by helping them share their story and how they communicate it out by integrating the use of social inside the sales process. You can follow me on LinkedInTwitter and on my podcast by clicking on Selling from the Heart.

Color Label Press University "Glossary of Terms" Part Eleven, Course One

Living and working in New Jersey is no easy task.  I've been doing that for the past 39 years in the same territory, some have said "who has it better than me?".  Well not me, even at the ripe old age of sixty-two I'm always looking for ways to increase my sales or knowledge of print.

What's really excited me the last couple of years is the huge opportunity that's out there for color label presses. 

At a recent food market, I noticed that every container of prepared food was accompanied by a color branded label for that food market. That food market has eight locations in the state and each location is using 25K of labels each month at each location.  I've seen the system they are using and could easily cost justify a change.  If you're tired of selling A4 & A3 devices with low margins I can only suggest that you spend a little time educating yourself on the market.

Label Press University

At the top of each blog you'll see color label press icon.  Clicking that link which is at the top of each blog will then bring you the collection of blogs for Color Label Press University.  It's pretty neat, you'll see all of the blogs that we've posted for an easier read and simple way to toggle from blog to blog.

Color Label Presses can be used as seeding devices in larger Print4Pay opportunities, or help that dealer or rep get a conversation going with an account where they have never had any traction with MFP's or IT services.  In addition, the competition is ripe for takeover.   Let us not forget about the GP!

The market for full color digital labels in huge and the potential to make some serious commissions is enormous.  BTW, isn't that why we're in this crazy business? 

Color Label Press University "Glossary for Pressure Sensitive Labels"  Course One (Sponsored by Muratec a Konica Minolta Company)



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Gum  Reference to a broad class of synthetic and natural adhesive materials which exhibit good tack characteristics. See adhesive.
Hairline Register  Register within +/- 1/2 row of dots.
Halftone  The reproduction of continuous-tone subjects such as photographs through a contact halftone screen, which converts the image into dots with equal spacing and different sizes.
Halo  An undesirable, peripheral outline of a printed image. An undesirable, peripheral outline of adhesive around the edge of an applied pressure sensitive label (due to adhesive ooze or substrate shrinkage).
Hang Tag  A term used to describe fold-over labels generally used for product identification. These products usually 'hang' in the retail marketplace.
Hard Dot  A term that refers to a dot where the fringe or halo is so slight as to be barely noticeable and the dot is very sharp..
Haze  A degree of cloudiness in a plastic material.
Heat Resistance  The property of a material which inhibits the occurrence of physical or chemical changes caused by exposure to high temperatures.
Heat Seal  Labels Label paper that has a coating which melts under heat to form the bonding agent.

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Heat Sealing
The process of bonding two surfaces together by healing the adherent surfaces so that the heat seal coating or film is
melted, thereby affecting an adhesion between the two surfaces. Pressure is often added along with heat.
Heat Sealing Adhesive An adhesive film applied to a substrate to be later reactivated by the application of heat.
Helium Neon Laser The type of laser most commonly used in bar code scanners.
Hickey  A piece of foreign matter in paper or similar defect. A burr or defect on the printing plate or engraving. Spots or imperfections in the printing due to dirt on the press, dried or lumpy ink, paper dust particles, etc.
High-Speed Unwind  A device used to accelerate the unwinding of a roll of labels on a high speed automatic label dispenser.
High Temperature Adhesive  An adhesive that will enable a pressure sensitive label to adhere or stick well when aplpied to a hot substrate. Its characteristic will be such as to have a high degree of resistance to aging or deterioration at the elevated temperatures.
Highlight  The lightest or whitest parts in a photograph represented in a halftone reproduction by the smallest dots or the absence of
all dots.
Holding Power  The ability to withstand stress, as in holding rigid label materials on small diameter cylindrical objects. Involves both
adhesive and cohesive strength and flexibility of the face material.

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Hologram  The pattern on a photosensitive material or embossed into a polymeric film structure resulting from an interference pattern
created by a laser light striking an object, then merging with a reference beam of the same light.
Hot Melt Adhesives  Thermoplastic materials with 100% solids that liquefy when heated and resolidify on cooling to form a bond with the face sheet the adhesive was applied to and a pressure sensitive lamination which includes a release coated backing sheet.
Hot Stamping  An image producing method utilizing support film which carries a colored metallic substance which can be transferred using
heat and pressure. Most commonly used to create metallic effects.
Hue  In color, the main attribute of a color which distinguishes it from other colors. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue are color
hues.
Hydroscopic   The quality of some materials to absorb atmospheric moisture; exhibiting an affinity for water. ID Inside diameter.
Idler Rolls  Roller mechanisms on converting machines used to support, smooth or direct the web in its course of travel through a machine. Not driven.
IML  In-mold label.
Impregnate To saturate or permeate a material with a substance.
Impression The image transferred from the printing plate to the substrate or the adjustment required to affect the same. Impression Cylinder In printing, the cylinder on a printing press over which the material feeds to pick up the impression from the inked plate.
Impressions  Imprints generally caused by defect on core or bad splice, etc. Can show up for many feet on certain materials.
Imprinting  Technique in which changeable copy is added to blank or previously printed labels, tags, etc., with a secondary printing
device such as an imprinter, computer printer, typewriter, etc.
In-Line Press A press coupled to another operation such as sheeting, die-cutting, creasing, etc. A multi-color press in which the color stations are mounted horizontally in a line.
In-Mold Labels (IML) Special type of labels which are pre-applied to plastic bottles during the blow-molding operation.
Infeed Nip  A mechanism designed to control the forward travel of the web into the press.
Infrared  Type of heaters used for drying.
Infrared Light  Refers to infrared rays, the longer wave lengths below the red in the spectrum. Used as a source of heat.
Inhibitor  A compound (usually organic) that retards or stops a chemical reaction such as corrosion, oxidation or polymerization.
Initial Release A release test run immediately after coating and laminating.

-=Good Selling=-

DocuWare New product features

A picture containing clipart Description generated with high confidence

DocuWare Releases Version 7.1

 

With Improved Invoice Processing and Expanded Workflow License Options for Cloud Users



New Windsor NY, May 21, 2019 – DocuWare, provider of cloud solutions for document management and workflow automation, releases DocuWare 7.1, the latest version of its flagship document management and workflow software. Highlights include improved workflow capabilities, a new Workflow User License, and automatic processing by line item on invoices..

 

Addressing the need for fast and secure workflows essential to every modern business, DocuWare version 7.1’s new features make its workflows faster, more convenient and more transparent. Now, several tasks can be processed at the same time, steps can be filtered for a better overview and notification emails sent to multiple recipients simultaneously.

Following DocuWare’s cloud-first strategy and focus on flexibility for customers, the new Workflow User License enables employees who require only read-only access to archived documents to complete their key tasks within a workflow, using a “lighter” version of the full license. These users can also fill out and save forms with this license. This new option allows teams to involve a greater number of relevant staffs in workflows in a much more cost-effective manner.

The new version also features automated invoice processing based on individual line items. With version 7.1, split posting – the assignment of these individual line items to different cost centers for multiple approvals, is effortless. Improved Intelligent Indexing recognizes individual entries and transfers them as metadata into a new field. The accuracy of these entries forms the basis for controlling the invoice workflow.

"The new features help companies of all sizes and industries to work more efficiently and save even more time," says Dr. Michael Berger, Co-president of DocuWare Group. Dr. Berger, who has led the company’s development team for more than 10 years, sees the new features as another step toward offering organizations of any scale more ways to adopt a cloud solution: "With DocuWare version 7.1, our customers have even more new ways to effortlessly handle tasks within complex processes - without the burden of investing and maintaining a complicated IT infrastructure.“

 

DocuWare Version 7.1 is available in cloud and on-premises versions, both set ups offer identical functionalities.

* * * * * * *

About DocuWare

DocuWare office automation solutions deliver smart digital workflow and document control that set a new pace for worker productivity and business performance. DocuWare’s zero-compromise cloud services are a recognized best-fit for digitizing, automating and transforming key processes. DocuWare operates in 90 countries with headquarters in Germany and the U.S.

Where do you find the time to look for the unknown? You cancel the appointment with complacency

I recently produced a video on this subject and wanted to elaborate more. So, I wrote this article.

We have all been in a situation where time is quickly eating up all our good intentions. Over the last few years I have spoken with thought leaders from different industries, have read many blogs, watched videos with messages completely outside my core industry, and most importantly I continue to look in new places where the rewards of learning the once unknown seem abundant. 

As we get consumed by the commonality around us, we must have escape routes. The demands on executives today can easily cripple the ability to discover the unknown. Many leaders are finding themselves stuck in commonality and end up on the path called complacency.

Complacency's path can fool one into believing they have all they need to improve. However, it's not improvement that's needed during innovative times, it's a re-invention and that will require learning what they still don't know. 

"During innovation those who take the time to look where others do not will discover what was ignored by those left behind."

It seems that the preconceived results get in the way of searching for new outcomes. Many can't look past what's in front of them or attempt to paint over what looks different with the paint of sameness. The reason for this is simple most executives see exploring the unknown as counterproductive to delivering the known, and when this happens competitors will seize the moment. 

Today's leaders must find the time to explore and must not limit this exploration time to leftover hours when the status quo has a small opening. Everyone has time to regurgitate what they already know and very few schedule time to discover what they don't know and end up missing what could have been. 

Outsiders are completely disrupting industries because the insiders keep their doors locked and continue doing what they always did. My friends in the Imaging Channel, Office Supply Resellers Channel, or Managed IT Services Channel - what are you doing to open up the locked doors of complacency? 

Some Questions to ask yourself

How are you as a leader and the organization you lead exploring the unknown? 

Are you engaging outsiders to learn, are you asking your customers questions about them in hopes of learning something different? Even if that knowledge threatens your business relationship? or are you limiting your questions in order to sell them more of what you currently sell? 

Do you ever communicate professionally with a competitor in search of synergies? 

When was the last time you scheduled a dedicated time to explore with no preconceived agenda? 

When was the last time you interviewed someone who was not in your industry, or their expertise was in another area than the one you were hiring for? 

When was the last time you meet with rank and file and let them control the meeting in search of something different?

Have you ever invited customers from different verticals to the same meeting to collaborate searching of the unknown?

So, now I ask this, what questions can you think of to help in your innovative journey? 

These innovating times will take innovative thinking to learn ways in which to navigate back from the future. Don't pigeonhole yourself to what you think you know. Instead take the time to evict from your mind what you know and use the vacancy to discover what those complacent competitors are missing. 

"Status quo is the killer of all that will be invented don't get stuck in status quo."

Thanks my friends, share if you agree debate me if you don't and I welcome you to connect.

Ray Stasieczko - CEO/TEASRA, The Innovation Channel

Are You Truly Placing Your Clients At The Forefront?

"If you make customers unhappy in the physical world, they might each tell 6 friends. If you make customers unhappy on the Internet, they can each tell 6,000 friends."
Jeff Bezos

All it takes is one less than stellar experience, one broken promise and one not doing what you said you were going to do, in order for your customers to move on to the competition.

One way to minimize the possibility of your customers moving on is to let them know how much you care.

Love, cherish, adore, idolize and worship... seldom used words within the sales profession. Caring, a term not often heard as well. Defined as, displaying kindness and concern for others.

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Ask many in sales, and you might just hear, "sales is a means to an end." A means to earn big fat commission checks. 

Dale Carnegie nailed it: 

“You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.”

Sales is serving and serving is sales. To serve is to care. It's caring about your clients, the people who buy what you have to sell. Listen up... if you're looking to increase your sales then I encourage you to capture the hearts and minds of your clients and prospects.

"People don’t care what you know until they know that you care."
Theodore Roosevelt

Showing you care, it's not about being "mushy and gushy", it's about being human, being real and being your authentic self; every step of the way. It's placing your clients up on a silver business platter.

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IT'S ALL ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE

You operate in a highly competitive business world where many products are viewed as a commodity. You may not think so but your customers sure do and this my friends is what counts! Creating an outstanding and memorable experience has become the true differentiator for sales success.

Why has Apple, Starbucks and Disney been so wildly successful? They understand the importance of creating memories. They’ve built their brands around creating an outstanding customer experience, an experience many are willing to pay top dollar for.

These customers are not just buying a product. They’re buying into the brand, the experience, and how it makes them feel. Let this sink in... its about how a customer feels about their experience which influences their loyalty and whether or not they’ll recommend you to others.

Customer experience is...
"The perception that customers have of their interactions with an organization."
Bruce Temkin

PLACE YOUR CLIENTS AT THE FOREFRONT

Are your clients at the HEART of everything you do?

I'm sure you work hard every day to provide great customer service, but I am asking you now to think about creating an outstanding and consistent experience.

Here are a few simple things you can do.

SHOW APPRECIATION

Showing appreciation, many find it requires great diligence and commitment to cultivate a persistent attitude of appreciation.

After a customer agrees to do business with you, it’s the perfect time to say THANK YOU. I know what you're saying right now, "This is common sense", however; I'm going to challenge you to kick it up a notch. Appreciation can really go a long way when you put some thought, extra time and effort into it.

"The deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be appreciated"
William James

How your clients feel about you and their willingness to continue doing business with you are closely related. In their eyes it’s all about them. If they feel valued and are treated with care and attention, aren't they more likely to become loyal?

Appreciation, this is something that takes practice, consistency and the true understanding of people. Meaningful and credible relationships do matter. Integrating the use of SendOutCards is hands down how you ratchet up relationship building and appreciation. This is how you create an emotional one-on-one connection and a memorable experience. I guarantee a personalized card and tugging on one's heart strings, the card will never been thrown away.

A true human connection lives beyond surface level. Discover what really matters to someone and strengthen your relationship with them.

Here's an example...

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FEEDBACK

"Feedback is the breakfast of champions"

You must invest in your clients!

Without feedback, how do you know how well you're doing? Invest the time to enhance the experience. Investing in client feedback is a source of business growth. The opportunities for referrals becomes mind-blowing.

"Take care of your clients and they will take care of you"

Live up to the promises you made and what was expected of you when your clients decided to do business with you.

Your clients are the most important stakeholders to you and what you do. This is why it's mission critical to hear their feedback. However, collecting client feedback is the first step to ensuring an outstanding experience. It’s what you do with the feedback that truly matters.

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Dig in and ask...

  • What can I do differently?
  • What can I do to improve or enhance my service to you?
  • What can I do to help you do better business?

I'm asking you to rock the boat on this one because a comfortable mindset is a terrible thing to waste. Think of the all the competitors circling around your clients just waiting for the right moment to reel them into their establishments of paradise.

LISTEN TO THEM

Truly listen and show genuine concern and interest. Listening, it's the key to creating the WOW factor with your clients.

We live in a world of attention deficit disorder. No one has the time to listen.

How many sales reps are patient enough to sit back, ask questions and then really listen?

One of the most powerful things you can do is listen. However, most sales people listen just long enough and then immediately jump into sales pitch mode the moment they uncover a pain point.

"What would it look like if we simply listened to learn about our clients business?"

Listening to learn... I believe this drives trust while also allowing you to discover the full scope of their goals, dreams, challenges, and business drivers.

Heartfelt conversations allow you to emotionally connect with your clients. This allows for intellectual discussions that lead to exciting new discoveries and the personal sharing of information.

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ENHANCE THE EXPERIENCE

Creating an outstanding experience is one of the biggest opportunities you will have to capture your clients' interest, get them to act and have them continue to do business with you.

Stop operating with the same mindset, delivering the same HO-HUM experiences as you expect different outcomes.

What could you be doing to give your clients the experience they deserve? There’s absolutely no excuse for ignoring this fact. I encourage you to start curating client memories. If you're not providing outstanding experiences, then really, what are you doing?

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I understand and I get it. I get where you all are coming from. Every day, I walk in your shoes. I'm fully committed to helping your sales team integrate social aspects through the eyes of a practitioner into your current sales process to grow new business. I want you to get results. This is why I am passionate about doing this the right way, the genuine way, the authentic way! It's about understanding value before visibility.

Selling From the Heart is making a difference! I poured my heart into every page of this book and I think you're going to love it. You can find it on Amazon in paperback and Kindle. You can click on the book image below and this will take you to Amazon.

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You can find more material inside Selling From The Heart.

In a world full of empty suits, I'm passionate about helping sales reps succeed by getting valuable before they get visible. I help sales teams understand the true value they bring to the market. 

I appreciate getting the opportunity to share my stories. Integrating the use of social and sharing my story on LinkedIn was my “game-changer” in the highly competitive office technology world. With great pride I transform, challenge, coach and inspire sales teams to grow new business by helping them share their story and how they communicate it out by integrating the use of social inside the sales process. You can follow me on LinkedInTwitter and on my podcast by clicking on Selling from the Heart.

 

A Funny Thing Happened After My Sales Appointment

Just a short blog for all tonight.  It was a little over a week ago that I scheduled an appointment for a quarterly review with one of my clients.  The appointment was to review costs, volume of prints and what's changed with my client in the last 12 months.

I did my bit and then asked what's changed beside the recent move.  To my surprise the client was interesting in upgrading their existing wide format to one that could print and copy in color.

Thus, I led the client through the pro's and con's of the device I had in mind, along with answering many additional questions from the client. My meeting ended with creating an opportunity along with providing a quote as soon as possible.

Within a few days I had delivered the quote. Within another day or so I received an email with a few additional questions. One statement that worried me was "we're just not sure if the extra $75 per month was worth need for color". The client also explained that they would get back to me quickly with an decision. There was a little bit more to the email, however something I'm not going to post here. I did take the time to address their concerns with two additional emails.

It was another 72 hours and I received an email that they would like to move forward with the order. I developed the doc's, delivered them via email. The next day I had the signed documents return via email with a special PS at the end of of the email.

Here's what it read.

Ps - Before making the final decision, I was doing a little more homework online on ink jet vs toner plotters.  I came across a helpful article, only to notice after reading that you were the author!  Brandi and I got a kick out of that.  So basically you already answered some of my questions. 

I read this one, and also one on 10 FAQ’s about the Ricoh MP CW2201SP. 
I've been writing content on my wide format site for a couple of years now. Over those two years I received a fair amount of leads and have closed some orders for net new clients.  I was not surprised that the client did some additional research, but I was elated that my content showed up in their search efforts.
Just goes to show you that writing content is still king and pull marketing make more sense that dialing for dollars.
-=Good Selling=-

Imaging Channel-Remember, the Customers Caused the Decline

Over the last couple of years, we have seen many in the Image Channel forget that the decline in print is a result of customers reducing their need to print. The decline in print was not a result of printers or MFP’s needing more functionality, or more features. Customers are moving away from needing printed pages and manufacturers putting apps on copiers and adding unneeded features is unwarranted and will go unrewarded. 

Once a product’s end-user decides that the means to their desired outcome is less dependent or void its old product rarely do, they go back. Does anyone remember seeing a pay phone recently? Or, does anyone believe that if pay phones were equipped with LCD panels and apps people would still use them? Of course not. 

Industries, where their product’s users are decreasing their needs, must focus on the users, not their products. In other words. The users desired outcome must align with the products function. Even if this means that the most sacred components of the product’s deliverable, are eliminated or drastically changed. However, remembering that attempting to enhance a products functions to increase its use while the customers are looking for ways to use it less will indeed backfire. 

All the manufactures in the print industry still seem to be fighting for the customer with products and services the same way they fought when print was growing. Everyone is touting A3 like its 1990. Most of the manufacturers attempting to increase their distribution through the imaging Channel are trying it by boosting their A3. Forgetting or worse ignoring the fact that more than 80% of today’s market could easily use A4. This fact gives an extreme advantage to A4 focused manufactures. Here's the reality people will continue to print they will just print less and less. Those who can build strategies around the decline will win. That is the reason I have aligned TEASRA, the Innovation Channel and my vision of the A4 revolution with my friends at Lexmark. 

"Status quo is the killer of all that will be invented."

The innovation to the print equipment sales and its services will not be about apps or added features to A3 MFPs. The industry’s innovation will come as a result of improved processes delivering products which are closer to the market realities. In other words, those who focus on the customers, not the products. Will by default create products that customers need. 

All the manufactures will have pain in the dissembling of once sacred things, and those who make those sacrifices first will have an advantage. The customers of print equipment and their services don’t have any responsibility to help keep industry’s in the past. In reality most all customers of all industries wish to always remain relevant. It’s only in stubbornness that their relevance gets put on hold. 

“A company goes obsolete when they focus on delivering the past to the future instead of delivering the future to the present.” 

Ray Stasieczko

"MFP Wars" Hi Speed A3 MFP's vs A4 MFP's

Thank goodness I've kept the old blog site alive.  In recent months there's been quite a bit of chatter about A4 MFP's  Most of those talk tracks center around A4's MFP's have less service calls than A3's MFP's, along with the lower cost of A4 MFP's vs A3 MFP's.  It's also true that probably 80-85% of all clients do not have the need to print, copy or scan 11x17. 

However what most don't chat about is the cost per page of A4 MFP's compared to A3 MFP's.  Typically an A4 MFP will have a higher per page cost than your same speed A3 MFP. Depending on how many pages are produced on the MFP, one can make an argument that A3 MFP's will cost less in the long for the total cost of operation. 

Thus a client that prints/copies 5,000  black pages per month and has a cost per page of .006 would have a monthly cost of $30.00 for the 5,000 pages and let's say $120 a month for the A3 MFP lease.  Thus a total of $150 per month.

Running the same volume on the A4 MFP has a cost of .018 per page (black).  The cost to print/copy those 5,000 pages would be $90. The monthly lease for the A4 MFP would be around $60 per month.  Total cost of $150 per month.

Based on the above scenario (just one I pulled out of my head) the cost is the same for both devices.  Depending on where your cost per page falls and where your monthly volume is would dictate which device saves money. 

The break point with the above scenario would be to lead with A4 under 5,000 pages per month and A3 for more than 5,000 per month. Again it's just one scenario with A4 vs A3.

Many years ago I stated that A4 could take over A3 placements if and only if the manufacturers wanted it to happen. I'm talking about all manufacturers of printers and copiers. The problem is that the manufacturers don't want it to happen right away.  The manufacturer who would win The War for A4 is the manufacturer that would develop an A4 MFP with the cost per page model of the A3 MFPs.

I'll admit that my world is pretty small here in the New Jersey market place. However, it is one of the most saturated markets in the US.  Mega dealers, regional dealers, dealers and every direct branch under the sun will surely test your worthiness.  But at least here in NJ I have yet to run across A4 MFP's coupled with the cost per page of A3 MFP's.

Right, back to the original plan. Below is a blog I posted on the old MFP Solutions Blog site in 2008!

"MFP Wars" Hi Speed A3 Devices vs A4 Devices (2008)



In the MFP (copier) business A3 devices are capable of reproducing Ledger Size documents (11x17) and A4 devices are confined to reproducing Letter and Legal Size documents.
In recent years HP led the charge with A4 devices with the HP4345 45 ppm), complete with duplexing, stapling, fax, print, scan and stapling. HP is using an AIO (All In One Cartridge) that combines toner, drum, cleaning blade, toner waste, magnetic roller and cleaning blade. Samsung during the last year launched the 6345N(45 ppm), another A4 device that also has all of the features of the HP4345 plus a few more. The Samsung 6345N uses a separate drum cartridge and a toner unit (houses magnetic roller, toner and hopper).
Six months ago Xerox launched the Work Centre 4150 (Xerox claims a monthly up to 200,000 pages a month), the Xerox 4150 is OEM'd by Samsung and is almost identical to the Samsung 6345N. Just three months ago Muratec launched their version the MFX 4550 (also the Samsung 6345N). Toshiba has recognized the need for hi-speed A4 devices also, and I expect them to launch a similar product in 2008. Samsung already has plans for a 55ppm A4 device to launch in 2008!
So whats the big deal with these devices?
Industry reports indicate that upwards of 90% of users do need need to print A3 (Ledger), plus these devices can support average monthly volumes of up to 10,000 pages a month or more! Typically all of these devices have a higher per page cost than traditional A3 devices, the cost per page can be almost be half the cost of A4 devices.

Back in the 80's when Minolta launched the 350Z, it was a unique system in that it could scan 11x17, but could only copy letter and legal. The selling advantage was that you could reduce your 11x17 documents down to a more manageable paper size. Why can't this be done today?

When are manufacturers going to step up to the plate and delivering real savings to customers. How about designing an A4 system that has a per page cost that is equivalent to A3 devices, and also giving customers that ability to scan 11x17 if needed.

It seems like Samsung and HP are driving A4 devices, while the likes of Xerox and Muratec are relabeling. Can or will Ricoh, Canon, Toshiba, KonicaMinolta or Kyocera design an A4 device for the ages that will copy, print, scan and fax with the traditional cost of A3 devices.

Love to hear from others on this.

This is from 2008!  It's eleven years later and for the most part the cost per page model for A4 devices has not changed.  Why is that? 

Maybe it's more what Ray Stasieczko spoke about at ITEX 2019. The manufacturers are thrilled with the levels of profit that they won't change for fear of losing profit and not paying dividends to their shareholders.  The more I think about the model and the number of manufacturers one can only think that maybe all of the manufacturers are colluding with each other to keep  the current A4 cost per page model higher than A3's. Naw, that would never happen right?

-=Good Selling=-

Sales Professionals Avoid The Pity Party By Doing These 3 Things

"Disappointments are inevitable; discouragement is a choice"
Charles Stanley

How many of you have been faced with the temptation to give into discouragement? Let's face it, bad news and rejection are all a part of sales. What's important is how you handle it. 

Spend any amount of time in sales and discouragement inevitably sets in. It’s part of what makes sales unique as the highs are high and the lows are low.

Discouragement, disappointment, discomfort, failure, and setback; these can motivate us to new sales heights if we cultivate an empowering mindset. The key is to learn from these experiences, and minimize the amount of time you allow yourself to drown in discouragement.

A discouraging sales day becomes a discouraging week. A week becomes a month, becomes a year, and becomes you quitting or worse never maximizing your potential.

A career in sales is not for the light-hearted. Hitting or overachieving steep quotas along with sales managers who reek of commission breath are things those in sales deal with every single day.

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We all have our limits. And, sometimes, frustration sets in, getting the best of us.

As a sales professional, getting frustrated is a recipe for disaster. I’m sure you’ve experienced some degree of this within your sales journey.

Discouragement, it screws with your ability to do things correctly, things you normally have no issue in handling. Your sales performance suffers as quotas are not hit which results in even more frustration.

"Discouragement is a constant temptation and something that can be a constant companion if we don't have a strategy."

Sales professionals consistently ask themselves great questions to avoid succumbing to the pity party known as discouragement.

They self-reflect, asking themselves...

  • The last time I got discouraged, what worked in order to overcome it?
  • How have the people I look up to overcome discouragement?
  • Is being discouraged bringing me closer to achieving sales success?

Knowing the source of discouragement is your first step. You can't take control of something you don't understand.

"Change your sales sob story into a sales success story"

AVOID THE PITY PARTY BY DOING THESE THREE THINGS

First, let's define a pity party. It's a way of experiencing discouragement, in which you spend time feeling sorry for yourself; whining endlessly about how crappy your sales life has become. Invitations are usually sent out to colleagues, close friends and loved ones. They attend to comfort your poor soul as you ask yourself what you did to deserve the discouragement.

"Mentally strong people don’t try to gain sympathy from others by complaining about their difficult circumstances."

A sales professional cuts out all the bitching, moaning and groaning and they just do something about it.

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DAILY SELF-REFLECTION

Benjamin Franklin said it best, "early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise." Adapt to it and learn to love early mornings. Think about capturing the first hour of every morning to self-reflect.

Reassess, recharge and recapture the moments through mental exercises. The best way to avoid being hit over the head with the mental hammer is exercise. Spend the first hour of every morning clearing out your mind and taking care of your body.

"When your mind is not clear, it starts to play tricks on you"

Secondly, reconnect with your values and reflect on them.

Every morning ask yourself...

  • Who am I really?
  • Am I living and staying true to myself?
  • What am I most grateful for?
  • Am I achieving the goals I set for myself?

Self-reflection allows us to understand what's important, and to focus on what needs to be done differently.

Personally, self-reflection is one of the best ways you can shift your mindset, increase positivity, and uncover a greater connection to yourself.

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RECONNECT TO GOALS

Striking out, its part of baseball and it happens to all of us in sales. A baseball player who misses out 70% of the time is consider a "stud". Please understand that striking out is a part of sales, however; a true sales professional will use this to reconnect to their goals.

Are you lying to yourself?

Many will say they're working towards their goals when in all actuality they haven’t made much progress whatsoever. Cut through your own bullcrap! Most give up on their goals because they believe it's too hard rather than giving themselves a fair shot.

To help you overcome discouragement, take out your sales plan and realize failure is built into it. Reconnect to your activity and drill into your activity as this will help you to avoid being frustrated.

Reconnect emotionally to your goals. The nice thing about emotionally reconnecting with your goals is that it's inherently personal.

Ask yourself...

  • What do I need to do differently?
  • What am I willing to change?
  • What do I need the most right now?

Reconnect and refocus... Does the goal still resonate with you? Why is the goal still important to you?

Reconnect to what matters.

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REINVEST IN YOURSELF

The sales profession and the National Football League are quite similar. Its smash mouth, an in your face, full contact business sport. You get knocked down and you must rise back up. You must take rejection and brush it off just like a quarterback sack!

How many conversations need to happen in order to set up one quality meeting? I don't care if the number is 25, 50 or 75; it's downright tough!

The best sales call you can make, is to yourself. I guarantee you will get through 100% of the time!

Investing in yourself has the single best return on investment and combats being bitten by the discouragement bug. I promise, investing in yourself will have tremendous impact in your life, your well-being, and your ability to perform to the best of your sales ability. Your sales future will be determined by your willingness to invest in yourself.

Invest in yourself and stay truer to true.

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One must give to themselves first before they can give to others. This takes personal commitment but the rewards are well worth it.

Reinvesting in yourself packs a powerful punch!

TAKE ACTION

"Self-pity is easily the most destructive of the non-pharmaceutical narcotics; it is addictive, gives momentary pleasure and separates the victim from reality."
  John W. Gardner

What's your plan the next time you find yourself being invited to the pity party of discouragement?

Overcoming pity and mass quantities of discouragement is only temporary. You must learn how to process it. Once you start executing your plan, the discouragement you feel will start to leave just as quickly as it appeared. Hold on tight to your vision and values. No one achieves success without periods of discouragement and failure. Don’t give up. Don't accept the invitation to the self-induced pity party!

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I understand and I get it. I get where you all are coming from. Every day, I walk in your shoes. I'm fully committed to helping your sales team integrate social aspects through the eyes of a practitioner into your current sales process to grow new business. I want you to get results. This is why I am passionate about doing this the right way, the genuine way, the authentic way! It's about understanding value before visibility.

Selling From the Heart is making a difference! I poured my heart into every page of this book and I think you're going to love it. You can find it on Amazon in paperback and Kindle. You can click on the book image below and this will take you to Amazon.

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You can find more material inside Selling From The Heart.

In a world full of empty suits, I'm passionate about helping sales reps succeed by getting valuable before they get visible. I help sales teams understand the true value they bring to the market. 

I appreciate getting the opportunity to share my stories. Integrating the use of social and sharing my story on LinkedIn was my “game-changer” in the highly competitive office technology world. With great pride I transform, challenge, coach and inspire sales teams to grow new business by helping them share their story and how they communicate it out by integrating the use of social inside the sales process. You can follow me on LinkedInTwitter and on my podcast by clicking on Selling from the Heart.

 

This Week in the Copier Industry 10 Years Ago (Third Week of May 2009)

The most interesting topic this week was the increase in tariffs that the United States imposed on China.  That 10% tariff now increases to 25%, and I'm sure in  the next few weeks we'll see price increases.  Just this week SSG (p4photel member) kept the thread going with some interesting threads.  Make sure you check those out. https://www.p4photel.com/topic...se-goods-this-friday

Enjoy these threads from ten years ago this week!

Weekend Copier Notes from 05/17/09

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desktop printers. We will provide all employees whose printers are removed with detailed instructions on mapping to networked or shared printers and how to print confidential documents.” Ricoh announced it is now offering classes in Georgia for version 8 of the EFI MicroPress system and the connection that allows it to drive the Ricoh Pro C900 production color system. Paul Rickett was arrested at the Embers Bar & Grill in Sacramento when he was caught using fake $20 bills created on a color
Topic

Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A. Names Don DuVall Regional Vice President, De

Ramsey, N.J. – May 19, 2009 – Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. (Konica Minolta), a leading provider of advanced imaging and networking technologies for the desktop to the print shop, today announced that Don DuVall has been named Regional Vice President, Dealer Sales, Midwest. DuVall will report directly to Alan Nielsen, Executive Vice President, Dealer Sales and Administration. In his new role as Regional Vice President, DuVall will be responsible for managing all aspects of
Topic

EFI Fiery Powers Innovative Konica Minolta bizhub PRO C65hc

Ramsey, N.J. and Foster City, Calif. – May 20, 2008 – Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc., a leading provider of advanced imaging and networking technologies for the desktop to the print shop, and EFI™ (Nasdaq: EFII), the world leader in customer-focused digital printing innovation, have launched the Fiery® IC-305 v2.0 with customized color profiles for the newly available bizhub PRO® C65hc from Konica Minolta allowing production printers to support both traditional and new sRGB
Topic

Kyocera Mita America Launches FASTtrack Managed Print Services Program for Dealers

providing dealers with the leading resources and capabilities to prepare them for integrating an MPS business model. Addressing key areas, including assessment and remote monitoring, leasing and supplies, and sales & service training, the program provides dealers with specific Kyocera exclusive MPS partner programs as well as insight into the various elements for implementing a successful MPS strategy. “Kyocera strongly believes in the business value a fully optimized Managed Print Services model can
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Konica Minolta bizhub MFPs Driven by Fiery Technology Allow Users to Create Cost-Effe

Ramsey, N.J. and Foster City, Calif. – May 11, 2008 – Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc., a leading provider of advanced imaging and networking technologies for the desktop to the print shop, and EFI™ (Nasdaq: EFII), the world leader in customer-focused digital printing innovation, today announced a new Fiery® controller for the recently launched Konica Minolta bizhub® C652/C552 Series of digital color multifunctional printers (MFPs) designed for the office environment. The Fiery
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RICOH INTRODUCES AFICIO SP C231N/ SP C232DN FOR COLOR PRINTING WITHIN HOME OFFICES

PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Ricoh Web Site: www.ricoh-usa.com CONTACT: Linda Montefusco Jessy Trejo Ricoh Americas Corporation Peppercom (973) 882-2172 (212) 931-6134 Linda.Montefusco@ricoh-usa.com jtrejo@peppercom.com RICOH INTRODUCES AFICIO SP C231N/ SP C232DN FOR COLOR PRINTING WITHIN HOME OFFICES, SMALL BUSINESSES AND WORKGROUPS Compact Laser Printers Offer Affordability, Speed & Low-Maintenance West Caldwell, N.J., May 19, 2009 – Ricoh Americas Corporation, a leading provider of
Topic

RICOH ANNOUNCES TECHNESIS PRINT CONTROL SYSTEM DOCUMENT ACCOUNTING SOLUTION

RICOH ANNOUNCES TECHNESIS PRINT CONTROL SYSTEM DOCUMENT ACCOUNTING SOLUTION RiSVP Member Software to Reduce Total Cost of Ownership West Caldwell, NJ, May 18, 2009 — Ricoh Americas Corporation, a leading provider of digital office equipment, today announced the release of Technesis Print Control System, a document accounting software solution that architectural and engineering firms can use to lower their wide format printing costs and reduce waste. The software reduces printing overhead by
Topic

E-BizDocs Joins Kodak’s Document Conversion Center Program to Improve Image Quality a

their archived records,” said Howard Gross, President of E-BizDocs. “Being a member of Kodak’s DCC program helps us provide our customers with significant valuable savings, from decreased processing time to lowered storage costs.” In addition to its projects and achievements in document imaging, E-BizDocs also serves as a respected organization that employs physically challenged and disabled individuals, including U.S. veterans. The company is a member of the New York State Industries for the
Topic

InfoPrint Launches New Color Workgroup Solutions to Drive Cost Savings and Sustainabi

market the advantages IBM and Ricoh have in the development, manufacturing, marketing and building of strategic solutions for customers, creating a growth-oriented global enterprise that is strategically focused on the output market. The InfoPrint Solutions Company portfolio includes solutions for production printing for enterprises and commercial printers as well as solutions for office workgroup environments and industrial segments. The company offers customers the highest quality output
Topic

Kyocera Mita America Launches New Wide Format Imaging System, Delivering Exceptional

monochrome network printing, scanning and copying functionality for businesses that rely on large format documents as part of their operational workflow. Designed to give busy professionals a product to help them complete their wide format imaging tasks quickly and cost-effectively, the KM-4800w comes standard with an embedded 2.6GHz print controller, 512MB RAM and an 80GB Hard Disk Drive for fast performance and processing, and 600 x 600 dpi output resolution for crisp printed documents. At 5.8 D
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DocuWare Teams with ABBYY and Fujitsu to Automate Document Management

and more. ABBYY OCR applications are shipped with equipment from the world’s top manufacturers such as BenQ, Epson, Fujitsu, Fuji Xerox, Microtek, Panasonic, Plustek, Toshiba, and Xerox. ABBYY is headquartered in Moscow, Russia, with offices in Germany, the United States, Ukraine, the UK, Taiwan and Japan. For more information, visit www.ABBYY.com . Press contact: Michael Kelly, Nadel Phelan, Inc. +1-831-440-2403; Michael@nadelphelan.com. ABBYY, the ABBYY Logo, FineReader, Lingvo and
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CANON U.S.A. EXPANDS imageFORMULA LINE WITH THE ADDITION OF NEW DEPARTMENTAL SCANNER

Lake Success, N.Y., May 13, 2009 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging and software solutions, today introduced the imageFORMULA DR-6010C departmental scanner. Building upon its highly successful and award-winning line of departmental scanners, the DR-6010C delivers flexibility, high-speed, reliable document handling and superior image quality in a small footprint design. The DR-6010C joins the imageFORMULA DR-4010C to strengthen Canon’s scanning solutions for departmental
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Xerox names new CEO

Xerox names new CEO Xerox said Thursday that CEO Anne Mulcahy will retire July 1, to be succeeded by Ursula Burns, the printer and copier maker's president. Xerox will become the largest U.S. company to be headed by an African-American woman. Mulcahy, 56, is credited with leading the Norwalk, Conn.-based company out of a deep financial slump earlier in the decade. She was appointed in 2001 after the company fired G. Richard Thoman amid mounting losses. Mulcahy will continue to chair the Xerox
Topic

American Reprographics Company Licenses MetaPrint Abacus(TM) Print Cost Recovery and

application available directly to end-users or to third-party suppliers. When a computer user sends a file to a printer on their own network, or to a printer hosted elsewhere, MetaPrint Abacus queries the user via a simple pop-up window to assign a billing or job code to the print job. The codes are stored and used to enhance cost recovery when billing jobs, and can also be used to determine the quantity and type of jobs being printed, the frequency of use and type of printers utilized by a
Topic

Notes on new OCE Plotwave

I just got the new pricing on it. list is 17k for 1 roll printer, 5k for scanner, $850 for 2nd roll and $850 for pdf. I heard kip lowered the price on the 3000 to dampen any plotwave sales. yes the street price should be around 13k plus delivery and install--- for now. any dealer that bought into the intro price can do that. 2 roll ,color stf ,pdf. price was suppose to go up after the irga. so street price will be around 13,900 and up. I am not sure what the list is suppose to be, my sales rep
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RBS Pro 906EX Pricing

$20,466. DMAP Level six pricing about $24,412. Need I say more. Here's what I say to Ricoh, it's bad enough that the commercial market has tanked. But allowing this type of pricing undermines a dealers ability to capture any Print Production Business. Historically P4P are the worst payers when it comes time to pay for cpc bills, service and supplies. So you are buying click business and not getting paid in a timely manner. CPC of .0044 for ledger means .0022 for letter, printers will take advantage of
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Re: RBS Pro 906EX Pricing

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quote: Originally posted by Art Post: printers will take advantage of this and print 50-60% 2 up. Only 50-60%? I have a couple that print 95-99% 2 up. Otherwise, I kinda have to agree with you. I've said before, doesn't matter to a Manufacturer if they sell the box at cost to you or to the end-user, but selling it this cheap can't be good for them either.
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Re: RBS Pro 906EX Pricing

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This is Ricoh's only way to break into the Print For Pay market and sell the Pro series. Dealers are not buying them, even with Promotions to discount the boxes.
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Re: W2400's gone...W3600's repositioned

Well, it's about %$%^&&^ time! I had the same report from a dealer in TN, that reported the W3600's are replacing the W2400's at the W2400 price. Personally, I'm getting my butt kicked in with color scanning and lower MSRP's for competetive models. Now here's what Ricoh should have done, kept the W2400 and lowered the list to $6995. Price will still be an issue even with the W3600 now at the W2400 price, don't they get it??? A W2400 could then list with RF, print and scan for about
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Re: Notes on new OCE Plotwave

Here's my question to Ricoh, when the heck are you going to revamp the W2400, give us color scanning, usb printing, and lower the MSRP so we can be competetive again!!! We are losing installed units to the competition and your market share is now eroding. Heck, this system will have street pricing at $16k or less with color scan!!!!!! Here's an idea, take the w2400 and slow the speed to 2ppm "D" size. Bring the MSRP down to $6995 for the base machine, and this allow up to replace low end inkjet
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Just interested in Wide Format???

I created in this end users, techs, sales, well just about anyone dedicated to wide format. It's new, but I'll be populating with WF info only for all mfgs's. http://wideformat.websitetoolbox.com/
Topic

New CEO & President of InfoPrint Solutions Company

Mr. Daisuke Segawa has been appointed the new CEO & President of InfoPrint Solutions Company, a joint venture between IBM and Ricoh. Mr. Segawa was instrumental in the formation of the JV and moves into this new role from his former position as Senior Vice President and General Manager, Strategy, Planning & Transformation for InfoPrint. Mr. Segawa is also a long-time Ricoh executive and member of the InfoPrint Board of Managers. Mr. Segawa takes over the position from Tony Romero, who was
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Re: Kyocera Mita America Launches New Wide Format Imaging System, Delivering Exceptional

Looks like the OCE plotwave to me! Personally I think our low end wide format machines are dated, and if Ricoh does not make a move with the W2400 soon we will start losing our installed base.
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Re: RBS Pro 906EX Pricing

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Okay Folks lets keep in mind that the marketplace is tough and the revenues have to come from where they be had. I hancdle the P4P marketplace and believe me $.0044 for 11x17 is competitive, maybe a little high. Don't know where that quote came from but as I've said before there ARE regional differences in costs to do business. Was this a franchise Print Shop? If so there are contracts to live up to. Its all about market share for the manufacturers while its all about Profit for the dealers
Reply

Re: RBS Pro 906EX Pricing

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Art, your recent posts in the Competition Lounge shows that Canon's been doing 11x17 at $.004 - that's where the market is now, but after the current recession is over realize that there's been a paradigm change.
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Re: CIT's Version of the GM Axe

OMG, it's getting tougher and tougher out there, maybe none of them will stop until there are no sales people in the business any longer. We had a letter many months ago, however it did not have the paragraph in reference to "anything over 100% is now blended", and they will not "knowingly fund maintenance". CIT messed up their portfolio all by themselves with the lowest rates and the highest buyouts! I just hope that this is the same for Direct Branches as it is for Dealers. I know many Direct
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Re: SP C811

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Could someone tell me where the coil is on this printer? I don't know what it is or does.
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Re: Hot Spot Printers

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Not sure, I just proposed my first one. Has anyone sold one of these HotSpot printers?
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Re: Hot Spot Printers

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SO, the way the Hotspot printers work (as I understand it) is, you plug them in and give them internet access and there is a label on the front with the printers email address. You email your document to the printer and it prints. You can optionally require that the submitter pay a fee via credit card (provider takes a cut of that)before it prints. So, the service fees for this would cover the email address, not an IP as the printer is sitting on your network, presumably behind firewalls, etc.
-=Good Selling=-
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