Managed Print Services, Defined - DeathOfTheCopier Style

Two Decades in the making.

Managed Print Services, defined, has been an elusive seductress.

Trivial? No.

The crossing of swords, the arguments between Old Guard and Young Turk represent nothing less then a War for the Soul of an industry, our niche.

Consider this, manufacturing titans Xerox, HP, Canon, Ricoh, etc., need to, no, require, that THEY define MPS.

This definition, of course, to be in their likeness. It's called shaping the battlefield. It's survival.

There are literally billions of revenue and profit riding on this little rift. And the Big Boys are dumping millions of dollars, pounds, rupees and euro's into marketing, "research", and enterprise channel development.

Blogs disguised as industry forums.

Corporate sponsorship cloaked in dubious research studies and quadrant placements.

Press releases created in the marketing department, cut and pasted and presented as journalism, news.

"How To" classes and con-calls hosted by puppets, regurgitating the corporate playbook to a willing horde of minions.

There are two camps - one looking to the future, the other living in the past.

And here we are, you and I, stuck in the middle again.


Looking back at all the "defining moments" in MPS; the "Three Stages", the "Hybrid" approach, presented first by Photizo, then hijacked by old skool - all the manufacturer MPS programs, all the toner re-mans, service companies, computer VARs and BTA guys, they/we all have our own idea of what MPS is, our spin, our reality.

Failure appears to follow those who search outward for advice, before looking deeply into themselves - Know Thy Self.

So, here we go, the definition of Managed Print Services -

Let's start with GARTNER -

“the ability for the service provider to take primary responsibility for meeting the customer’s office printing needs, including the printing equipment, the supplies, the service and the overall management of the printer fleet."

Three mentions and variations of the word "print". Yuk, but at least the writer takes a stand.

And how about a word from Xerox:

"...MPS is an I.T.-based services offering that is enabled by technology; both Xerox and non-Xerox technology. Clients make decisions on services offerings based on credibility of the team they are working with, and the trust they can put in one firm over the other to deliver the desired results. Our people continue to shine in this competition because of their dedication, commitment and constant desire to learn and grow..."

Interesting, notice how Xerox, the traditional, mother of all document companies, refers to MPS as "an I.T. -based services..." everything else that follows is fluff and marketing.

And the Wall Street Journal

"..."managed print services," a variety of outsourcing in which the vendor takes control of the customer's production of office documents, typically owning the machines, advising on how to use them, and taking a per-page charge..."

Nice attempt; "outsourcing", "vendor", "documents", "owning the machines" - good lord, how many pigeon holes can one fit into?

Evolution Towards Defining: The DOTC MPS Ecosystem

Taped on a wall, right here next to my desk, is an 11x17 sheet of paper covered from end to end to end, with hand written ellipses, squares and arrows - my diagram of the Managed Print Services Ecosystem. (ok, how much of a MPS geek am I? ...sad really, isn't it...)

This sketch illustrates everything MPS involves and touches - and is still incomplete.

I know a more accurate and inclusive illustration requires that we don our "help me Obi Wan, you're my only hope...", 3D glasses, elevating this 2 dimensional model into the spatial, X-Y-Z Axis world.

We could then visualize The Ecosystem, The MPS Ecosystem from all angles.

Two more things - this 3D model is not static, all the parts in there are moving. And the MPS Ecosystem is always expanding, creating new worlds, destroying others.

Are you still with me or have you been amazed and stupefied? Hang on, take another sip of Jack - let's continue...

As I look at this sketch and imagine it's 3-dimensional cousin, two things dawn on me:

1 - this "MPS thing" is difficult
2 - there is no way to define it

uh-oh, what?

Indefinable. Shapeless. Amorphous.

Everything that ever was in office automation and everything that ever will be - That's MPS and it's only a DESCRIPTION.

It is my contention that all attempts at defining MPS amounts to nothing more than narrative and descriptive around how MPS works and what it does.

MPS can only be described, MPS CAN NOT BE defined.

Like the face of God, an attempt to define, to comprehend, leads to grey hair and madness. God cannot be defined. Only the results of His will can be described, remotely understood.

Managed Print Services, simply, Is.
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Anti climatic? Yes.

Liberating? Should be.

Happy New Year.

More on description vs. definition, here.

Happy New Year, Good Riddance 2009, Let's Rock in 2010

So here we are - a year gone, one more trip around the sun. A nostalgic look back, the bright embrace of a future unknown. 

And how will we measure 2010, a mere 525,600 minutes away? In midnights, laughter, strife or cups of coffee? 

For your enjoyment; one reflective the other celebratory, enjoy and Happy New Year. 

 

Toast to many Good Nights!

My 2009 Favorite Posts: 11

While reviewing the past year's worth of posts, I stumbled on some of my favorites and a few that churned up some interest.

The Death of Managed Print Services : Photizo Identifies The Fourth Horseman

Copier & I.T. Sales People - Skip the Product or MPS Launch/Training - Get Business Training

MaNAgeD PRinT SerVIces - Does it Really Matter How WE Define It?

Killer Toner is Back: New Study Confirms Laser Printers release "tiny toxic particles" - But so does making Toast.

12 Things I Hate About Managed Print Services

Danger! Danger! Anyone Who Sells in Our Industry, The Copier Industry: Change or Die. I ain't kiddin either

The Demo From Hades: This Is What Happens When You Take Your Eye Off Your Opponent

Is Your Managed Print Services Practice Customer Centric or Process Centric? - Maybe We Should Ask Your Clients.

The Death of Managed Print Services : Photizo Identifies The Fourth Horseman

The "Hunters vs. Farmers" Sales Metephor - It's Dead: Let's Break Out of The Box

Today, I Had Drinks with a Hero...

Clouds of Misfortune Rolling in On The Winds of Change: Copier Industry Next to Fall?

12/2009 -

"It's the End of the World as We Know It."

"The Future Ain't What It Use to Be."

"Fail to study history, doomed to repeat it."

"See, I told you so."

"I shaved my legs for this?"

The other day, I read a post over at Callinan's blog, here. It's good, it's about changes in our industry.

And Ken Stewart has a pretty good grasp on the subject as well, go here, and see his newly re-minted theme - it's to die for!

I've run into a flurry of statements, lately, like these,

"...copier dealers need to change or die..."

"...MPS is not getting the return we expected..."

"...the best way to sell MPS is to start with changing people..."

"...how can we adopt MPS when one of the MPS goals is to reduce MIF..."

"...this will kill the industry..."

State of California Shuns HP in Favor of ACS - EDS Fallout?

At first the announcement by California Department of Health Care Services, stating it intends to award a $1.4 billion, 10-year contract to Dallas-based Affiliated Computer Services, may not seem to fall within the MPS wheelhouse.

Under terms of the proposed contract, Affiliated Computer Services would process claims for 7 million Medi-Cal beneficiaries, starting early next year.

What makes this interesting to me is the fact that Affiliated Computer Services, ACS, has recently been purchased by Xerox.

And the current provider, for the last 18 years, was not HP but EDS - HP inherited the account when it purchased EDS.

Get use to this battle - HP and Xerox fighting over a "service", not hardware.

Still think I'm crazy about the "Death of the Copier"??

This could possibly effect some 2,000 jobs here in California.

Besides all the Xerox vs. HP intrigue, why is it that my state officials can possibly justify risking thousand's of jobs by not utilizing a Californian company?

I guess MPS is not the only place where logic sometimes does not prevail.

More here.

And here.

Merry Christmas - 2009

NER to Sell Imaging Supplies and Printer Parts Business Units to Clover Technologies Group

So, let me get this straight.

HP reaches out to NER as a "toner provider" less than six months ago, and that ISN'T enough to save a Division?

NER is selling off it's toner and imagining supplies division to concentrate and focus on Managed Print Services and Data Center Infrastructure.

The toner and supplies division is being gobbled up by Clover Technologies.

From the Clover site:

"...Founded in 1996 and with annual revenue of over $300 million, Clover is the global leader in providing businesses with total environmental solutions, including the recycling and remanufacturing of imaging supplies. Clover is the world's largest collector and recycler of cell phones, inkjets and laser cartridges. The complete line of Clover's quality toner and ink is available through leading office products distributors and resellers and marketed under a variety of private label brands..."
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Dropping the overhead intensive to concentrate on services - interesting.

GLASSBORO, N.J., Dec. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- NER Data Products, Inc. (NER) announces the sale of the NER Imaging Supplies division and its wholly owned printer parts subsidiary Image1 to Clover Technologies Group Inc. (Clover). The agreement will transfer all imaging activates including compatible laser toner, inkjet, narrow and wide impact ribbon production, and printer parts to Clover.

Clover will assume responsibility for the NER Denver, Image1 Plano, and NER Glassboro supplies operations that support these business units. Customer and vendor relationships will be assumed by Clover and business will continue at all of these locations. In addition, NER is pleased to announce that over 80% of the NER employees at these locations will become employees of Clover as of the first of the year.

"The decision to sell off business units is not taken without great consideration," said Stephen Oatway, President of NER Data Products, Inc. "Approximately seven years ago, we began the process of strategically transitioning the company from offering commodity products to offering value-added solutions. As a result of our efforts, we have become a leader in both Managed Print Services and Data Center Infrastructure Solutions.

In reviewing the direction of the company it was determined that a concentrated focus on these divisions was in the best interest of the company, shareholders, and customers moving forward. This strategic move allows us to focus resources on those business units that are poised for the greatest growth in the future."

The sale will be finalized December 31, 2009 and terms of the transaction are not disclosed. The newly reorganized NER will be strongly positioned to continue providing industry-leading Managed Print Services and Data Center Infrastructure Solutions to their channel partners and their customers.

Current customers for Imaging Supplies and Image1 products can find information about the business transition on the NER website -- www.nerdata.com