Industry Consolidation: A Bruce or Caitlyn Jenner Moment?

On July 30, 1976, American Bruce Jenner wins gold in the decathlon at the Montreal Olympics. His 8,617 points set a world record in the event.

Previously identifying publicly as male, Jenner revealed her identity as a trans woman in April 2015, publicly announcing her name change from Bruce to Caitlyn in a July 2015 Vanity Fair cover story.

Everything changes, baby that's a fact - when we refuse to see the impact of the shift, we call it 'disruption'. Worse, if we misread the writing on the wall, becoming overly optimistic, expectations do not meet reality. Disappointment ensues.
There's so much to say about the consolidation movement going on in our little niche but if you ask me, the future is neither bright nor dark - it is simply the way it was always meant to be.

For years Xerox has been buying up dealerships.  Lexmark sold out to a communist country. The toner-dudes jumped to one big ship. Ricoh assimilated Ikon, Canon did Oce, Konica Minolta ate Muratec and ECi is forming the Galactic Empire, collecting software like so many green M&M's.

How will all this impact the everyday salesperson?  How about contracts, sales, and service managers?  Perhaps a radical makeover is in around the corner?

See Your Future in the Past - 

When automotive robots started painting vehicles, some saw this as the end of labor.  The machine possessed advantages over their human predecessors - no vacation, no sick time, or union squabbles with consistent performance.  Formidable, but we survived.

When the PC/Word processor began to erode typewriter sales, receptionists around the globe disappeared within a decade, and we survived.

When Bruce turned into Jennifer, we survived.

We envision the future as we see ourselves: perhaps through the lens of July 1976, or from the perspective of April 2015.  Which is better? Time will tell.

When the world looks back on the Age of Paper, protests, and pontifications lamenting its passing will be nothing more than a footnote.

All I can suggest is in a turbulent world,  knowing who you are, is paramount.

Take The Snowflake Test. My Answers.

This has been floating around LI for months now. 

Kyle Reyes, CEO, The Silent Partner Marketing, has filtered out about 60% of candidates with this simple set of questions.

I like the idea and love that he's been able to create a huge buzz, promoting this simple questionnaire.

Enjoy.

22 Suggestions To Save Your Managed Print Services Practice

Kill it.
Chop it up.
Let it dry out.
Use as fertilizer.

Deja Vu: 

a : the illusion of remembering scenes and events when experienced for the first timeb : a feeling that one has seen or heard something before 

You're not fooled, are you? You've heard the talking heads. Like those who claimed Trump "would never, ever occupy the White House" - the copier industry has similar know-it-alls.

The establishment talking points are pretty clear:

• "Talk about the decrease in images only when necessary and in most cases quote decades-old data."
• "Say anything to make your machines relevant - fabricate rationalizations."
• "Keep the same processes and 1970's business plan while promoting your new and different business model. "

I know, I know the above doesn't apply to YOUR dealership, does it?  You've been expanding while the rest of the industry tanks.  You're on a 'growth through acquisition' trajectory and your culture is second to nobody's.

1. Then why do you still consider A3 and A4 different?
2. Why don't you commission service contracts?
3. If you're so cutting edge and ahead of the curve, why do you sell MNS or MIT instead of Managed Services?

They're just questions.  

If you're looking to resurrect your MpS, the good news is you recognize a problem - you're not ignorant.

The bad news is, you are probably too late:

1. Treat A3 and A4 volume the same in every MPS engagement
2. Comp reps on combined A3/A4 volume
3. Find the best MPS vendor for your company. HP, LMI, SNi, PrintSolv, whoever.  It doesn't matter, partner with somebody who matches your definition of managed print services.
4. Roll the MPS infrastructure into Managed IT services
5. Rename the practice "Managed Services"
6. Stop calling it 'Managed Print Services'; start referring to Managed Services - even when the only assets under the agreement are output devices
7. Incorporate an Output Study in every, single network assessment
8. Rename 'network assessment' to 'Technology Assessment'
9. Always bill for Technology Assessments
10. Embed your data collection agent into your network assessment tool
11. Employe/support a separate team of technicians to service ALL output devices
12. Separate COMPLETELY, from the existing Service Department
13. Intake all copier/printer support calls through your IT help desk
14. Train the Managed Services Team to sell
15. Fully engage your vendors
16. Establish Managed Services 'revenue gates' in your sales commission structure
17. Pay the Managed Services team salaries which make it difficult for them to consider leaving
18. Pay a monthly residual, for the life of the engagement 
19. Give the MS manager P/L control and responsibility
20. Compensate the Managed Services Practice managers based on profit(P/L)
21. Forget about ALL the copier dealership business models
22. Establish a direct link between the Managed Services practice and your software/document management division.  This means incorporating end-user, workflow-oriented questions inside every Technology Assessment. (MpS is BPO)

Insanity: 

a : a severely disordered state of the mind usually occurring as a specific disorder
b : doing the same thing, expecting different results

Twenty-two suggestions, points of light in the night sky.  

How, or even if, your organization can connect the dots, is the biggest query.

- DOTC, 2017