Artificial Intelligence And Your Dealership: The Next Managed Print Services?

Did you know that back in 2009, the term 'managed print services' was met with outright disdain? Dealers and OEMs would exclaim, 'Shrink the fleet to reduce costs? That's heresy in a world built on selling copiers!' Fast forward to today, and we're on the cusp of another paradigm and the most significant shift—this time, powered by Artificial Intelligence.

As Andrew Ng, co-founder of Google Brain and a leading voice in AI, puts it, 'AI is the new electricity.' Just as electricity transformed numerous industries over a century ago, AI is poised to do the same today. 

So, is AI merely the new MpS, or is it something far more transformative?

• Mckinsey: $4.4T of value added world-wide annually
• 80% of all jobs are subject to being enhanced by Generative AI
• In just the last year, a staggering 400 AI start-ups have emerged, gobbling up an eye-watering $24.6 billion in investment. Source: Visual Capitalist

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For the last six months, I've been using Artificial Intelligence (AI)in the form of a Large Language Model (LLM) every single day - cutting edge.  More like bleeding edge.

Why aren't you using AI? Today?

What Can the Three Stooges Teach You About Selling Copiers

 

Is there a Stooge in you waiting to clinch that next deal with a dash of humor?

Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce to the most insidious earworm known to mankind.  One listen and you'll be humming the tune and looking for this song in that big book of karaoke.

But seriously, what in the world can you, the technology salesperson possibly learn from the Three Stooges?  

Let's start at the beginning.  For those unfamiliar with the comedic threesome, The Three Stooges were an act back in the days of vaudeville back in the 1930s and 40s.  They performed slapstick comedy.  Beyond the intense physical presentations, the trio took on Hitler as well as other 'heady' topics of the time.

"From their debut film feature Soup to Nuts in 1930, to their swan song Kook's Tour in 1970, The Three Stooges enthralled the viewing public with their unusual brand of slapstick comedic mayhem and off-the-wall verbal antics."

Do You Know Jake, the Managed Print Services Selling Professional on the West Coast?

Jake's Odyssey: From Midwest Dreams to Silicon Valley's Vanguard of Managed Services

Jake's journey began in the heartland of America, amidst the golden fields of the Midwest. There, life was simple, and dreams were often tethered to the horizon one could see. But Jake had always felt the pull of something greater, something beyond those fields. So, with a heart full of dreams and a suitcase packed with ambition, he moved to California, the land of innovation and opportunity.

In Silicon Valley, Jake's first foray into the professional world was as a copier sales representative. The copiers, once symbols of innovation, now felt like relics of a fading era. But as the digital age surged, Jake felt adrift, yearning for a new direction.

One transformative evening, Jake chanced upon an article on thedeathofthecopier.com. It wasn't a lament for the past but a beacon to the future, emphasizing the power of Managed Print Services (MPS) and the art of storytelling in sales.

But it was an article from The Imaging Channel that truly resonated with him. It spoke directly to the newbies in copier sales, like Jake, highlighting the potential future in the industry. The article emphasized that while many stumble into the copier industry almost accidentally, it offers invaluable lessons that are universally applicable. It underscored the importance of commitment, curiosity, setting realistic quotas, and above all, authenticity.