When considering your MFP sales strategy, it’s advisable to play the long game in judging a sale’s total value. Certainly, every account rep wants that big initial sale, even better when accompanied by a spiff. And while we wouldn’t characterize the humble A4 as a red-haired stepchild, it still doesn’t get the respect it deserves. And that’s unfortunate.
It’s only natural to gravitate toward the 1,000-pound swordfish as opposed to the five-pound trout. But the majority of industry reps can and do appreciate the opportunities A4 placements—and their management—can offer. As we kick off this month’s report on A3 and A4 devices, our dealers talk about some of the often-overlooked A4 opportunities to seek out.
One of the more fertile verticals for A4 is the automotive dealership space, notes Joe Blatchford, CEO of Image 2000 in Santa Clarita, California. He points out that it’s one sector that remains highly paper-intensive, and auto dealers often lean on manufacturer-specific software ecosystems such as Lexmark. As such, he feels it creates a strong opportunity for tailored A4 solutions.
Prime placement opportunities also abound in the healthcare field. “With numerous satellite offices and space constraints, A4 devices are often the ideal fit,” Blatchford said. “The combination of distributed environments and ongoing document needs makes this a consistently strong and profitable market.”
Device Neglect
One scenario where dealers are leaving potential dollars on the table is environments with scores of unmanaged desktop printers. Melissa Confalone, president of Fraser Advanced Information Systems of West Reading, Pennsylvania, notes that these neglected devices create unnecessary cost, inefficiency, and lack of visibility for the client. When Fraser enters the fray, it standardizes such environments with platforms from HP and Lexmark. The upshot is immediate cost control and consistency, and it paves the way for recurring revenue through managed services.
Another gap that can be leveraged is security. “Too many organizations fail to recognize A4 devices as active network endpoints, leaving vulnerabilities unaddressed,” she said. “That’s a critical risk we’re able to identify and solve as part of a broader print and IT strategy.”
As a rule, Matthew Salzano—the vice president of Network Digital Office Systems in Fairfield, New Jersey—believes well-designed and managed A4 environments are frequently underestimated. When standardized, secured, and deployed strategically, he notes A4s have a strong profitability upside and are far easier to support than fragmented A3-heavy fleets.
“When paired with software solutions such as device management, secure print and cloud connectivity, A4 becomes far more than a standalone device,” he said. “That is where margins improve and long-term customer retention truly takes hold. A4 devices also tend to generate stronger margins on service and supplies, further enhancing their overall profitability.”
One and Done?
John Hastings, the executive vice president—sales and service for Loffler Companies in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, feels the most overlooked opportunity is strategic A4 standardization. One-off A4 placements need to give way to enterprise-wide A4 strategies paired with several elements, including:
- Device security and compliance
- Automated supplies and service monitoring
- User-based rules and reporting
- Integration with managed IT services
“When A4 is sold intentionally, rather than opportunistically, it becomes scalable, sticky and highly profitable,” Hastings noted.
