The third part in our series of the top challenges facing the Elite Dealer ranks in 2018 kicks off with a subject that has garnered momentum in recent years, not only from an office technology point of view but on the national stage as well: security.
The threat of cyberattacks and the potential loss of sensitive internal and client data has mobilized industries throughout the business world to engage preemptive measures aimed at locking down equipment and systems. Cleveland-based Meritech Inc., for one, has transitioned its focus from addressing the challenges its customers face on a daily basis to concentrating on prevention and planning to help protect their environment.
“Educating our customers on their network vulnerabilities and offering suggestions for increasing their security has become a necessity,” Meritech reported. “The potential data breaches and advancing technologies today continues to increase. Today, the vision goes beyond choosing the best technology or cutting costs and allowing users to best decide how to utilize current trends, processes and equipment.”
Meritech has invested heavily in utilizing indispensable tools to help customers identify their security threats and vulnerability. From its administrative staff to the service department and sales teams, each Meritech employee has been trained to improve customer experience and satisfaction.
The IT Ecosystem
Training and certification is an ongoing focus for Usherwood Office Technology, based in Syracuse, NY, in order to meet the rigorous demands of an IT ecosystem. Investment in team training is critical for the dealer to provide best-in-class service for multiple lines of business and help fuel its aggressive growth strategy.
“Our vision for 2020 will put us at $50 million and all our efforts are focused towards achieving that goal, along with maintaining strong relationships with our clients,” Usherwood reported. “We will continue to expand and perfect our lines of business from our legacy managed print, managed IT, and facilities management business, along with our emerging lines of business of managed security, managed communications and managed displays. The ability to cross-sell within our product lines of business will distinguish our company from all others in our marketplace. We know we can be the one provider our clients can trust for all their business and technology needs.”
The Glut of Competition
Doing business in a section of the country that is thriving with business and competition is keeping Pearson-Kelly Technology of Springfield, MO, on its toes. The growing marketplace has lured a number of larger office technology organizations into the market, leading to saturation.
The key to continued success for Pearson-Kelly will be concentrating on its blocking and tackling, a.k.a. focusing on the fundamentals of business while not deviating from its own game plan.
“We simply stay true to our mission and deliver on our promises,” Pearson-Kelly wrote in its profile. “Our reputation has proven to attract clients and provide us growth. We are united in our support goals. Our sales focus is the true understanding of our clients’ business, needs and how our variety of offerings may support their bigger picture goals.”
Maintaining a Growth Pace
The quest for maintaining revenue growth and profitability calls for equal parts investment in people, products and services. CBE Office Solutions of Irvine, CA, has been able to accomplish this, self-funding its growth by hiring people who have the appropriate knowledge and enthusiasm to hit the ground running.
“Every day brings a new challenge,” CBE reported. “Creatively in solution selling is an ongoing process. Knowledge, training, learning, questioning, open-mindedness and a little bit of luck are necessary to keep the forward momentum. Every CBE employee searches for a better way to fulfill our client’s expectations.”
CBE believes acquiring new customers is easier and more profitable when it can provide a solution that the competition has not considered. This requires its sales and technical staff to continually grow their industry knowledge and be aware of industry offerings and trends. CBE must be able to quickly, seamlessly and economically provide a way to integrate the newest and most appropriate products into its client’s offices.
