Konica Minolta’s New Dealer Agreement Raises Eyebrows and Alarms in Industry Circles

By Staff Writer | April 15, 2025

Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A. recently rolled out a new dealer agreement and hosted a press event to explain the changes, but the move is drawing more questions than applause from those in the know. In a tightly controlled virtual “presser” with select trade press and analysts, the company touted its fresh strategy aimed at bolstering dealer competitiveness. Critics, however, say the event had all the hallmarks of scripted PR and little room for transparency.

The Second Awakening in Copier Sales: From Oversold to Overdue

By Greg Walters

There’s something about disruption that doesn’t just shake the house, it rattles the foundation. COVID did it. Remote work did it. And now, tariffs are doing it again. They’re not just inflating costs. They’re forcing our clients to lift the veil, walk into the server room, and ask, “What the hell are we paying for?”

We’ve been warning this was coming.

​Locking in the ‘Why’: Deep-Dive Tactics for Building an Ironclad Copier Selling, Value Proposition in Lean Times(like a recession)

#2

A Work by Celeste Dame

Picture a prospect sitting in a quiet office, not swayed by flashy features but seeking a true solution that restores stability and control. In lean times, every investment is scrutinized and every dollar counts. This article tells the story of how to peel away the superficial to reveal the core motivation behind your offering. It is about illuminating the gap between where a company stands today and where they long to be and then showing how your solution bridges that gap with precision and measurable results.

Stepping Into the Storm: How to Sell Copiers and Services in a Recession Using Ai-Fueled Strategies

#1

​A Work By Celeste Dame

Introduction

In a world of economic turbulence and tightening budgets, the need for effective, agile sales strategies has never been more important. This series of three articles, titled "Recession-Ready Sales: Harnessing LLMs to Thrive in Turbulence," is designed to equip sales representatives with both timeless sales fundamentals and modern Ai-powered techniques. You will learn how to navigate uncertain markets while leveraging Large Language Models (LLMs) as your dynamic partner in research, personalization, and negotiation.

Ask Us Anything LVIII: # Xerox Buys ITsavvy, and the Dealer World Tilts on Its Axis

What It Means for Independent Dealers, the Channel, and the Future of Selling

Xerox’s acquisition of ITsavvy gives independent dealers instant access to enterprise-grade managed IT services without the capital cost of building their own MSP infrastructure. It opens doors to new customers, changes competitive dynamics, and creates a new standard for what it means to sell “solutions”—but it also demands a mindset shift, new sales motion, and stronger alignment between print and IT services.

 “I’m rebranding the whole company,” Earl said, half serious, half grinning.  

The Machines Are Selling: Ai, the New Closer in the Room

By Robert G. Jordan

​

The first time I saw a chatbot close a deal, it was unsettling. The prospect had asked a technical question, something obscure buried halfway down a product sheet. The rep froze. The bot didn’t. With a cheerless efficiency, it fetched the data, cross-referenced it against two knowledge bases, then returned with a plainspoken answer.

​The customer nodded. The sale moved forward. And just like that, one more slice of the sales job was carved away.

You're Already Late: Ai Has Changed Copier Sales Forever

 The copier sales rep who ignores Ai isn’t competing with their peers. They’re competing with extinction.

By Celeste Dame

It begins with a simple idea. The tools we use shape the way we work. But sometimes, a new tool doesn’t just shape, it shatters everything that came before. That’s what Shopify’s CEO, Tobi Lütke, is talking about in his memo. It isn’t just a call to use artificial intelligence as a tool. It’s a declaration that Ai is the new baseline. Not optional. Not experimental. It’s the new starting line. Either you're running with it, or you're watching from the sidelines.

Now, take that mindset and drop it into one of the most resilient and, let’s face it, change-resistant sales channels in the world: copier sales.