In another of site Editor Alan Joch's exclusive interviews, a printing market veteran shares concrete advice on how solution providers who specialize in managed print services can take advantage of the growing profile and burgeoning $42.9 billion market in managed services.
The competition for SMB dollars is intensifying as economic uncertainty lingers. To continue to thrive in this market, solution providers need to do everything possible, including bolstering their services business, to further exploit opportunities in this important segment.
Brand-name color supplies reduce the risk that poor-performing consumables may lead to more hardware failures, which increase expenses and cut into the profit potential of service and maintenance contracts.
Although MPS revenues are growing, the numbers don't tell the whole story. Solution providers that include MPS as part of their long-term expansion strategies will need to navigate a range of competitive threats that can make new MPS sales more difficult.
As the importance of insider threats becomes clearer, printing OEMs are responding with a range of technologies to help security managers protect printers and MFPs and the information they process.
Total cost of ownership analyses may not be top of mind for most end users these days. But solution providers that successfully sell TCO benefits can free themselves from the pressure of constantly trying to undercut a competitor's price. The first step in getting clients to see the big price picture is educating them about some basic economic realities.
Suggest to a customer that an old but still reliable printer should be replaced, and you're likely to hear that old cliché, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." However, for savvy solution providers, the tech refresh conversation for color printers and multifunction products (MFPs) doesn't have to begin and end with that one phrase.
So how can solution providers stack the odds for having customers say goodbye to copiers and hello to a new managed-print-services relationship? One way is to focus on the exorbitant and often hidden costs lurking in traditional copier contracts.
Microsoft introduced SharePoint earlier this decade as a tool for facilitating business collaboration, but thanks to a series of revisions and new features, it's becoming a rapidly growing force in the document management sector.
As the importance of insider threats becomes clearer, printing OEMs are responding with a range of technologies to help security managers protect printers and MFPs and the information they process.
In tough economic times, solution providers need to tap every upselling opportunity they can find to grow their businesses. One of ways to do this is to more fully exploit green printing, which according to new research, continues to gain the attention of SMBs.
Thanks to innovations in color printing technology combined with a wide assortment of free templates and design tools, there are fewer reasons than ever for companies to spend money at commercial print shops.
Managed print services may seem like a big leap for resellers, but a new book about innovation and future business trends puts the necessity for this kind of change into a compelling context.
Retrieving documents used to be an adventure before the Fussell Law Firm, in Orlando, Fla., implemented a new document-management solution this spring. Today the firm can quickly find the right documents by searching any associated text phrase.
Does it make sense to realign your high-volume hardware sales model to one that relies on selling solutions, or wait for better times? The answer is to act now - margins and competition will only get worse in years ahead says one market watcher.
Web 2.0's business-world cousin, Enterprise 2.0, is quickly becoming the "secret sauce" of collaboration strategies. According to AIIM, when businesses were asked to identify the prime goal for launching Web 2.0 tools, nearly 70 percent chose "increased collaboration.
Although they were commonly used to rank print quality, dot-per-inch (DPI) ratings were never an accurate way to compare the output quality of color printers and multifunction products (MFPs). DPI is just one data point, and as color technology becomes more sophisticated, end users have many more factors to consider.
Mark Quiroz, director of sales strategy and channels, global enterprise business, for Hewlett-Packard's Imaging and Printing Group, discusses the opportunities and challenges solution providers face as they transition from transaction-based business models to managed print services (MPS).
ECM/MFP combination aids regulatory compliance efforts, an essential responsibility for banks and other financial services organizations. Password and ID card access control and other tools all help keep sensitive financial secure.
As SPs continue their transition from box movers to trusted advisors, several new tools are arriving to help create targeted solutions. One important class of customization tools has arrived in full force within the last year - software development kits (SDKs) for printers and multifunction products (MFPs).
The difference between a successful upselling pitch and one that falls flat may hinge on a disconnect between the client's business needs and the technology a solution provider proposes. That's why developing a viable business case can be the best strategy for keeping the two in sync.
Solution providers looking for more ammunition to sell their customers on the value of in-house color printers and multifunction products (MFPs) now have some hard numbers to bolster their presentations.
In this interview with Hewlett-Packard's VP of managed services, Chris Casinella, Printing & Imaging Site Editor Alan Joch asks about the current state of recognition of managed services and its influence in the channel among print customers and resellers.
On top of existing and complicated information-management regulations such as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, e-discovery can seem like a daunting burden for many businesses.
Results from a recent channel survey help solution providers determine which peripherals offer the most potential for "attach" strategies.
Evidence is growing that solution providers shouldn't stop with content-management systems when it comes to upselling opportunities.
Don't overlook the impact of paper choices on color quality and environmental strategies.
Networked hardware presents potential vulnerabilities for customers and profit opportunities for solution providers.
This second in a series of vertical-market strategies examines how one public-sector agency is using a content-management system to protect constituent information.
Even if an economic slowdown materializes, solution providers don't have to hide in the basement and wait out the storm. By stepping up to an advisory role, they can use their expertise to help customers save money and reduce expenses.
There's a new twist on the information management category that not only promotes the wider use of electronic documents, but can also help solution providers reach beyond printing technology to boost their storage sales.
Look for more enterprises and smaller companies to adopt color MFPs in the months ahead. Just in time to help sales to a broader market, new access controls help customers manage who can access color resources and protect information.
It's easy to understand how a well-executed, managed print services and cost-per-page (CPP) contract can boost a solution provider's profits beyond straight hardware sales. Harder to grasp is how best to make the plunge: What first steps should solution providers take?
This first in a series of vertical-market analyses looks at how to sell solutions to health-care customers. For solution providers that hone their knowledge of the health-care market, HIPAA is a chance to cement customer loyalty by saving clients money and reducing risk.
Though 2007 wasn't the best nor was it the worst of times, but it did set the stage for what could be a new year of concerns and opportunities. Here are five trends that could have the biggest impact on business in the months ahead.
The continuing growth in the letter-size, color multifunction product (MFP) is bringing ubiquitous scanning capabilities to organizations of all sizes. This in turn will create new upselling opportunities in 2008 for solution providers who want to do more than just moving boxes of hardware at the lowest prices.
According to new estimates from industry researcher InfoTrends, 2008 will be part of a sustained five-year upswing in the U.S. color market. Total U.S. print volumes will grow from 307.63 billion in 2006 to 763.59 billion impressions in 2011.
The market for managed print services (MPS) continues to grow as companies look not only for greater efficiencies for their printer and copier fleet, but also for related business process optimizations. Four key trends will build on the foundation for growth that developed in 2007, says one expert.
What characteristic most exemplified the enterprise content management (ECM) market last year? One word: Change. "We've seen more change in 2007, than perhaps in the previous six or seven years put together," says Alan Pelz-Sharpe, principal with CMS Watch, a research firm that specializes in ECM.
Organizations are feeling the heat of new e-discovery rules that impose stiff penalties for those that can't produce e-mails and electronic documents requested during legal proceedings. Even "Web 2.0" technologies are fueling a parallel trend for greater information sharing. Fortunately, there's an upside for solution providers.
In this interview with Compass Sales Solutions founder Troy Casper, editor Alan Joch asks about how solution providers can find the keys to success in the right suppport and sales foundation.
Environmental benefits were among the top selling points Xerox touted in September when it unveiled its new Phaser 8560 and Phaser 8860 solid-ink printers. Now, the company is extending the green message through a new bundling agreement with a software maker that markets a paper-saving printing application.
Enterprise content management is nothing new—the underlying technologies for capturing and managing digital documents has been around for more than two decades. However, as technologies continue to evolve so do the categories of companies that by the hardware and software.
As managed print services continue to go main stream, growing sales opportunities mean more and more solution providers will be competing for business in this area. Fortunately, solution providers also are seeing a growing number of new tools to help their managed print services programs.
But with all the talk about Web 2.0 and changing printing practices, solution providers looking to shore up profits and open new revenue streams may be wondering what Print 2.0 means to their bottom lines. Although the service provider angle will continue to evolve over the next several months, some benefits are already becoming clear.
In this interview with Ricoh Printing Solutions Division SVP Ann Moser, Printing & Imaging site editor Alan Joch asks about the strengths that Ricoh brings to the channel and why color will remain a strong market.
Xerox tried to do more than just boost its supplies of emulsion aggregation (EA) toner when it opened its first U.S.-based EA plant in September. The sprawling $60 million facility also represents a new commitment to solid-ink media that could shake up pricing models for color printers and consumables.
For some companies, a reputation for costliness and complexity is a deal breaker when they consider buying document or content management systems. But these concerns needn't be roadblocks to purchase decisions, as long as solution providers are versed in the benefits of the applications.
Don't let tensions within and between the IT and facilities departments block services contracts. Managed print services (MPS) may provide significant business opportunities for solution providers, but first they have to overcome the polarizing forces that can confuse contract negotiations.
Jackie Paralis, senior marketing manager for channel development, details the key elements of ProfitOPS, who qualifies for the program, and how solution providers are initially responding to the program.
A new survey quantifies how capturing documents electronically using networked MFPs and departmental scanners offers significant efficiency and productivity benefits.
Spot color remains a common application for color printers and MFPs in U.S. businesses, while companies spend proportionately higher amounts for color devices than for monochrome alternatives, according to new findings from an imaging industry market analyst.
A Utah National Guard Common Access Card implementation points the way to security applications that solution providers can develop for a wide variety of commercial and public-sector organizations.
A new workflow application brings efficiency to an accounting firm's once cumbersome business process. And thanks to integrated CRM, document management, and time and billing systems, up-to-date information is available throughout the company.
If you want to know what's on Sophie Vandebroek's mind, just ask her avatar (pictured left). As Xerox's chief technology officer and president of the Xerox Innovation Group, Vandebroek has a front seat to watch for new technologies that might change our ideas about creating, sharing, and distributing documents.
Consultative selling, the strategy of becoming a trusted advisor for clients, is a key element for printing and imaging solution providers that want to transition away from straight hardware sales. In the following interview a printing-industry sales expert explains how to jumpstart consultative selling.
Further proof that the color market is ground zero when it comes to printing and imaging profits - and competition - has come in the last few weeks as two top printing OEMs announced new products and channel strategies to help solidify their hold on the color market.
Even the best-written managed services contract may not thwart human nature. That´s a realization that some solution providers are coming to after their usage assessment tools recorded lower-than-expected page volumes from networked printers and multifunction products.
Thanks to price reductions in ECM applications and easier-to-use document-capture hardware, small- and mid-sized companies are a growing market for electronic documents, which opens up new opportunities for solution providers.
Decommissioned electronic hardware, including printers and toner cartridges, are becoming prime targets for environmentally safe disposal efforts, as concerns grow over mercury, lead and other toxic materials that reside in some devices Printing and imaging vendors and solution providers are seeing new opportunities for increased customer service and programs that fortify ties with end users.
By understanding the unique characteristics of SMB sales, solution providers can hone their printing sales strategies in this growing market.
Ammunition for addressing the top three worries about run-away color costs
Solution providers should think strategically and go slow when transitioning from printing hardware to managed print services sales, consultant advises.
SMBs offer new, high-volume opportunities for electronic-document solutions
Hewlett-Packard's two new, high-speed multifunction products (MFP) signal two new strategies for boosting sales among enterprises. The first is technical (the unique Edgeline print heads), the other is strategic, using fast devices to battle rivals.
What's the profit potential for solution providers who push behind hardware sales to deliver complete solutoins? The payoff can be significant.
SMBs who know how to make the most of in-house color printing resrources see immediate ROI benefits. Find out how to tap into this hungry market.
End users are increasingly turning to electronic document-management systems to improve productivity and more effectively meet regulatory requirements.
According to market researchers one of this year's biggest revenue generators for solution providers will come from selling managed print services to SMBs.
A host of new or significantly expanded partner programs arrived in 2006, setting the stage for solution partners to see even more tools to help them flex their printing and imaging muscle in 2007.
In the continuing quest for double-digit margins, many solution providers will be looking to the expanding choices among color multifunction products (MFPs) for new sales opportunities in 2007.
Analysts predict that healthy sales will continue into 2007 and beyond. For example, technology research Gartner projects that color printer sales will see a compound annual growth rate of 20 percent for the next two years.
What will be the document-management sweet spot in 2007? Savvy solution providers will be looking to mid-sized companies, many of which are targeting this area with the same drive that enterprises have exhibited in the past for electronic documents.
After investigating or expanding their managed-services offerings in 2006, printing and imaging solution providers will be looking to new service offerings from key vendors to keep the momentum growing in the New Year.
Solution providers find "cradle to grave" opportunities when selling document lifecycle management systems, which take a holistic view of financial reports, memos, sales analyses and other essential elements of business communications.
Today's infrastructure monitors reduce the cost and complexity of documenting customer implementations and usage patterns. Solution providers that work to "right size" infrastructures understand the importance of assessments to analyze individual client needs.
How can solution providers assure the good times keep rolling into 2007? Experts say solution providers must offer color service contracts and specialized training to augment hardware sales.
Small companies, mid-sized businesses and multinational enterprises all understand the potential efficiency and security benefits of a successful electronic-document system. But that doesn't mean success for each group comes from the same cookie-cutter solution.
Managed-services success depends on knowing which customers will profit most from solutions contracts. This article focuses on how one solution provider makes that determination.
Despite the millions of dollars spent by U.S. companies on Sarbanes-Oxley compliance, regulatory-savvy solution providers say most end users still overlook key areas in ther organizations when it comes to running afoul of these rules.
Hodge-podge printing and imaging environments, those sprawling collections of standalone printers of all makes and ages, hide a dirty little secret: exorbitant maintenance costs.
Today's wide range of printing and imaging technologies mean end users can customize their output resources to satisfy almost any document-management system need.
In-house is in, at least when it comes to color printing. A growing number of small, mid-sized and enterprise-class businesses are expanding internal color-printing operations.
Solution providers that concentrate on selling only printing and imaging hardware may be walking away from some easy money. Printer supplies, including toner and ink cartridges, are a natural source of ongoing profits.
Even successful printing and imaging solution partners may not be making the most of their sales opportunities. This Q&A wtih long-time international sales consultant Steven Power devles into strategies for getting the last drop from every sale.
A key element for successfully selling color printers and multifunction products (MFPs) comes down to the most fundamental criterion of all-color quality. Customers need to be convinced that the output lives up to the upfront investment.
The clutter of hard-copy documents that businesses manage means inefficiency, breakdowns in customer service and potential run-ins with regulators. The good news is that the tools to manage documents are more affordable and easier to use than ever.
Old habits die hard, and for years the business world's reliance on large, high-volume copiers has been no exception. These Big Iron machines used to be ground zero for people needing to duplicate paper documents before sending them on for approvals, archiving, or order processing.
Solution providers need to demonstrate customer benefits in new ways if they hope to create better profit opportunities for themselves.
Why do some end users still balk at committing to color printers and MFPs? Fear remains a significant factor.
Rightsizing, finding the best mix and numbers of printers and multifunction products (MFPs) for a particular customer, is becoming an essential component for success.
Paper document distribution create a number problems for businesses. Now, designers of MFPs are stepping up to answer the challenge.
It's no secret that businesses throughout the world are under attack by cyberthieves.
Tech refresh has always provided an opportunity for solution providers to gain additional sales from existing customers.
Add a managed-services contract to a straight hardware sale and your profit margins will quickly catapult to double-digit levels, right? Not necessarily.
If you've come to the realization that a "speeds and feeds" approach to printing and imaging sales may not be the best long-term profit strategy, you're not alone.
Want to see your invoices get paid faster? Just add color. Studies show that companies pay 30 percent faster when color enhances the invoice page.
More than just an ROI booster, managed services could determine printing and imaging winners and losers in the years ahead.
Document management systems give solution partners new revenue streams, while lowering customers' costs. |
