{"id":10714,"date":"2014-12-23T15:09:45","date_gmt":"2014-12-23T20:09:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/?p=10714"},"modified":"2014-12-23T15:10:26","modified_gmt":"2014-12-23T20:10:26","slug":"trends-and-trendsetters-of-2015","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/feature-articles\/2014\/12\/trends-and-trendsetters-of-2015\/","title":{"rendered":"Trends and Trendsetters of 2015"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>As another year begins it\u2019s time to examine the trends that will impact the document imaging industry in 2015 and beyond, along with the trend setters who will be setting the pace in the coming year. To help identify those trends and trendsetters we contacted six industry analysts, all of whom have strong opinions on what\u2019s happening and where things are going. Those analysts include Brian Bissett of The MFP Report, Andy Slawetsky of Industry Analysts, Keith Kmetz of IDC, David Ramos of InfoTrends, Ken Stewart of Photizo Group, and Charlie Brewer of Actionable Intelligence.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_10715\" style=\"width: 160px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/keith_kmetz_hi-res.jpg\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10715\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-10715\" src=\"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/keith_kmetz_hi-res-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Keith Kmetz\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-10715\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Keith Kmetz<\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>Mobility &amp; the Cloud<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a given that mobility and the cloud are two of the hottest trends today, tomorrow, and the next day. IDC\u2019s Kmetz considers it a necessity for the various players in the industry to embrace these two trends, particularly the cloud. \u201cIt\u2019s the third platform as we call it at IDC and there\u2019s a lot of opportunity there. From a print standpoint all the traditional players need to find their place as far as cloud offerings and for capturing the mobile opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFrom an OEM standpoint when you talk about cloud it will be interesting to see what traction cloud offerings from Xerox, Lexmark, and Ricoh will gain within the channel,\u201d adds David Ramos of InfoTrends. \u201cBased on early feedback, the OEMs need to improve their support mechanisms to the channel in order to help drive sales.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But the big question, particularly with the cloud, asks Ramos is, \u201cDoes it lead to better margins, and revenue diversification?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The industry is going to find out, or at least spend some time figuring it out.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_10716\" style=\"width: 160px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Brian-Bissett-2011.jpg\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10716\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-10716\" src=\"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Brian-Bissett-2011-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Brian Bissett\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-10716\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Brian Bissett<\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>Managed Services and ECM<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re going to be hearing more about IT services,\u201d predicts Brian Bissett of The MFP Report. \u201cThat seems to be the new MPS. We\u2019re also seeing more vendors pushing through the channel document management\/content management software, trying to move upstream from basic scanning.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf I have money, and depending on what brand I sell, I\u2019m looking at Managed Services and ECM,\u201d adds Andy Slawetsky of Industry Analysts.<\/p>\n<p>But what\u2019s money got to do with it?<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThose are hard areas to get into on my own,\u201d responds Slawetsky. \u201cIt can cost a million or more dollars for a dealer to get into Managed Services or ECM.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>For dealers who don\u2019t have the money to do it themselves, he recommends partnering. \u00a0\u00a0With either approach, the key to success is doing it right.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPeople are going to be upset if you sell a networked services and support contract and you can\u2019t support it,\u201d says Slawetsky. \u201cAnd people are going to be upset if you sell them ECM and you tell them you\u2019re going to support the content and it doesn\u2019t work.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Slawetsky identifies Konica Minolta and Ricoh, both of whom are big in Managed Services, as trendsetters in this space. Thanks to some hefty acquisitions, Konica Minolta with All Covered and Ricoh with MindShift, both are well positioned to continue to build out their Managed Services offerings.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou might argue Ricoh is in an even better position with MindShift because MindShift is considered the cream of the crop,\u201d opines Slawetsky. \u201cThat was a good acquisition and you wonder if other [OEMs] will follow suit.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_10717\" style=\"width: 148px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Ken-2.jpg\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10717\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-10717\" src=\"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Ken-2-138x150.jpg\" alt=\"Ken Stewart\" width=\"138\" height=\"150\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-10717\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ken Stewart<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Ken Stewart of Photizo has high praise for Konica Minolta as a Managed Services provider and a potential partner for dealers looking to build a Managed Services business. \u201cThey continue to make great strides and have a super aggressive acquisition strategy. Over the next four or five years they\u2019re going to be a challenger for the top five in terms of Managed Services overall.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Looking at ECM and content management, Slawetsky is impressed by Lexmark. \u201cCertainly, everybody is pushing ECM and that\u2019s all we heard about from Lexmark [at their October 2014 press and analyst briefing].\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Konica Minolta is taking a similar approach with ECM as it has with Managed Services by acquiring regional ECM companies and providing dealers with a turnkey ECM solution.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe dealer doesn\u2019t need to invest or it\u2019s a minimal investment to get in, and all of a sudden they\u2019ve got a revenue stream and it\u2019s supported by the mother ship,\u201d opines Slawetsky. \u201cIt\u2019s a great concept.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Time to Transform<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>With mobility, the cloud, Managed Services, and ECM, this is a time of transformation for the entire document imaging industry. Expect that transformation to continue above and beyond those solutions and services segments.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDealers considering alternate revenue streams should look at Toshiba\u2019s digital signage,\u201d states Ramos.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe big OEMs are looking to transform their business from print towards something new, i.e., 3D printing or digital signage,\u201d adds Kmetz. \u201cWe\u2019re hearing more about kiosks, the transition from services to solutions\u2014services to print documents to IT to workflow, from a solutions standpoint it\u2019s scanning, security, capture, document content management, collaborating, and more about growing with \u2018our customer,\u2019 and targeting verticals.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Enhancements in Print Management<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Another trend worth watching is what\u2019s happening in print management, specifically a greater focus on user analytics.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNext year we think it\u2019s going to accelerate even faster with more assessments packed onto that and more ERP integrations,\u201d says Stewart.<\/p>\n<p>He reports that some software providers are working on software tools that will help end users manage their own MPS accounts so they don\u2019t have to rely on vendors. \u201cThere\u2019s some mistrust and the toolsets vendors are bringing in aren\u2019t always in the best interest of end users,\u201d notes Stewart. \u201cLook for somebody to introduce a software toolset that helps end users manage their vendors.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_10718\" style=\"width: 160px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Andy-Slawetsky.png\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10718\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-10718\" src=\"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Andy-Slawetsky-150x150.png\" alt=\"Andy Slawetsky\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-10718\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Andy Slawetsky<\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>Decline of A3<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>It may be premature to sign off on A3, but some analysts feel the end is near. \u00a0\u201cYou wonder how long it\u2019s going to last,\u201d observes Slawetsky about the document imaging industry\u2019s love affair with A3. \u201cThe writing is on the wall.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He views A4 as the future. \u201c[Copier company] executives are starting to realize that A4 is going to happen and will push A3 almost to the point of extinction. If I were a dealer I\u2019d be looking at ways to make money with A4.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Industry Analysts\u2019 research reveals that about 25 percent of a dealer\u2019s revenue on average is coming from A4. The odds are good that number will continue to grow.<\/p>\n<p>IDC\u2019s Kmetz isn\u2019t so quick to bury A3. \u201cThe transitions we\u2019ve seen in the traditional equipment marketplace have been gradual,\u201d he opines, citing the monochrome to color transition where color is still slowly inching upwards in market share.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWith A3 and A4 we see a couple of percentage points changing here and there,\u201d says Kmetz. \u201cIf you\u2019re a legacy copier company you\u2019re not trying to change [customers] over to A4 unless there\u2019s pressure to do so. Many customers aren\u2019t saying, \u2018We don\u2019t produce a lot of letter size output on our devices so why do we have big machines?\u2019 Most times they stick with what they have. With A3 devices expiring it\u2019s, \u2018let\u2019s bring in the latest and greatest.\u2019 The secret is you sell what you have. If you\u2019re a Samsung or a Lexmark you\u2019re pushing A4. If you\u2019re a Canon, Ricoh, or Konica Minolta, you\u2019re still pushing A3.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, Bissett sees an A4 battle brewing. \u201cIt seems like it\u2019s shaping up to be a bigger fight between Samsung and Lexmark over becoming the preferred A4 vendor. I think Lexmark has the upper hand in terms of the consistency and completeness of its product line and its growing expertise working with dealers while Samsung is still on a learning curve.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Apps and Android-Based Control Panels<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Bissett finds the free apps offered by the likes of Kyocera and Konica Minolta a trend that will continue in 2015. He\u2019s also watching the emergence of Android-based apps on control panels. \u201cSamsung and Ricoh are doing it and others are talking about it,\u201d states Bissett.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Ink-Based Page-Wide Array Technology<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In the coming year ink-based page-wide array technology will continue to gain ground and put stress on the relationship between HP and Canon, according to Photizo\u2019s Stewart. \u201cWe\u2019re thinking some other players in the market will be coming out with a competitive page-wide array [device] as well. Either Canon or Epson, or perhaps Funai, who took over the inkjet business from Lexmark.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Continuing on the inkjet theme, Kmetz has been watching inkjet grow in the production market and wonders whether or not it will move into the office in the coming year. \u201cCan inkjet move into higher speed opportunities in the office? We see inkjet gaining traction in the production market and that bears watching from a technology standpoint.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_10719\" style=\"width: 160px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Brewer-Head-Shot-JPG.jpg\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10719\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-10719\" src=\"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/Brewer-Head-Shot-JPG-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Charlie Brewer\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-10719\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Charlie Brewer<\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>Supplies Wise<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>One of the biggest stories of last year in the supplies world was the strategic merger between MSE and Clover Technologies. According to Charlie Brewer of Actionable Intelligence, the MSE acquisition should add somewhere in excess of $100 million in revenue to Clover\u2019s coffers. Not a bad addition, considering Clover is doing more than $1 billion worth of business annually. \u201cBeyond the added revenue, I think the real value of the merger will be revealed over time,\u201d adds Brewer. Clearly, this is something that the entire document imaging industry will be watching closely in 2015.<\/p>\n<p>Outside of that, things aren\u2019t exactly looking rosy on the supplies side of the document imaging industry if you ask Brewer.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEveryone across the supplies industry, the whole supplies value chain\u2014the cartridge manufacturers, the OEMs, the drum manufacturers, the toner manufacturers\u2014are all wrestling with a declining market. There have been for decades now an excess of capacity, maybe not so much on the OEM side, but on the reman side there has been a ton of consolidation happening for 15 years. I think that\u2019s because of overcapacity.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He adds that the OEMs have too much capacity as well. That, compounded with the fact that everybody is printing less, makes for a challenging environment. \u201cThe rise in MPS is driving print volumes down,\u201d adds Brewer. \u201cIn addition to that people are printing less anyway. That is a key trend and will be a key trend going forward.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>After years of consolidation, including the aforementioned\u00a0acquisition of MSE by Clover, Brewer expects things to slow down from a consolidation perspective. \u201cWe kind of hit the limit on how much consolidation can happen in the remanufacturing industry because there aren\u2019t that many companies left.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He also predicts a continued influx of new build cartridges. \u201cThese are brand new cartridges that are totally infringing on patents and intellectual property (IP),\u201d states Brewer. \u201cThey\u2019re just knock offs, clones, that are sold without regard for IP. They\u2019ve been a huge problem in overseas markets\u2014Europe, Asia, and Africa\u2014and they\u2019ve kind of penetrated Western European markets and for the last five, six, seven years we\u2019ve seen more come into the U.S.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Most of these products are predominantly sold online, but because of the quantities available, he wouldn\u2019t be surprised if some of them are leaking into the dealer channel. \u201cThe proliferation of that type of product has been and will continue to be a problem,\u201d he predicts.<\/p>\n<p>As a result he expects the OEMs to be even more aggressive than they\u2019ve been in the past about catching companies infringing on their patents and not respectful of IP.<\/p>\n<p>Expect to see that with the chip manufacturers too, including HP who recently sued the Chinese chip maker Apex who makes chips for inkjet cartridges. \u201cHP has indicated that they are concerned about chips used on laser cartridges because of some of the code that\u2019s in there that are infringing their trademark rights,\u201d says Brewer. \u201cIt could be HP getting more involved on the toner cartridge side. They remain as aggressive as they\u2019ve ever been on the inkjet side and that\u2019s going to continue.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Other companies that he sees taking greater strides to protect their intellectual property, whether it\u2019s toner and inkjet cartridges or chips, are Lexmark, Canon, Konica Minolta, and Samsung.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSamsung has several cases pending in several countries in the European courts,\u201d says Brewer. \u201cThey haven\u2019t done anything in the U.S. yet and I would not be surprised to see Samsung get involved in the U.S. too. They have larger market share in Europe, a bigger brand, and so many product categories that they have a much bigger presence in retail in Europe than the U.S. so that\u2019s a better place for them to initiate lawsuits. A lot of times what happens is these guys start a lawsuit and go through the discovery process and then lawsuits follow in other regions. In the past U.S. lawsuits result in European lawsuits. Now I wonder if the opposite holds true and will lead to cases in the U.S.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Security Alerts<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Remember a few years ago when security was the hot topic? That theme may be returning in 2015. \u201cSecurity is going to be a big issue and this industry is finally going to wake up and figure out how to monetize it,\u201d observes Stewart.<\/p>\n<p>He wouldn\u2019t be surprised to see physical security providers such as ADT Systems and Brinks Home Security move into print management. \u201cI think security vendors are going to be interested in the print space. Customers are going to ask them, \u2018Manage my infrastructure,\u2019 and IT and print is part of IT. We have some clients investigating that now and that looks to be a viable channel.\u201d<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_10720\" style=\"width: 160px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/David-Ramos-e1418416352743.jpg\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10720\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-10720\" src=\"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/12\/David-Ramos-e1418416339801-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"David Ramos\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-10720\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">David Ramos<\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>Channel Consumption<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Infotrends\u2019 Ramos doesn\u2019t think we\u2019ve seen the end of channel consumption. \u201cThat\u2019s OEMs consuming channel as well as channel consuming channel,\u201d he says. \u201cThat\u2019s something to watch and you\u2019re going to see more activity in 2015.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>More Companies to Watch<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ve already referenced a number of companies throughout this article, although there\u2019s probably not a company in the document imaging industry that\u2019s not worth watching in 2015, even if some will be watched more closely than others.<\/p>\n<p>Take HP, please.<\/p>\n<p>The MFP Report\u2019s Brian Bissett cites the breakup of HP as a story worth monitoring and whether or not that\u2019s going to have a good or bad impact on the market.<\/p>\n<p>Similarly, Infotrends\u2019 Ramos asks, \u201cHow is the HP split going to play out and what impact will that have from a channel perspective? Channel participation in HP direct programs is not as high as HP would want it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs far as the movers and shakers in the industry I don\u2019t think that necessarily changes all that much,\u201d says IDC\u2019s Kmetz. \u201cIt\u2019s what we\u2019re seeing from the likes of the big players like HP and Xerox, and the one everybody gets nervous about, Samsung. There are some inherent challenges in what Samsung is trying to do in this market. Do they have the channel? They\u2019re great manufacturers, but as the market moves from software to services, that\u2019s a new area for Samsung and something they need to get up to speed on.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Photizo\u2019s Stewart likes what Office Document Consulting is doing with its DOCassess current state mapping app. \u201cI\u2019m bullish on those guys,\u201d says Stewart. \u201cThey\u2019re a small upstart company and Mike Lamothe is driving that group. I like where he\u2019s taking things and they have some good technology behind them.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He\u2019s also impressed by how Supplies Network is providing end to end solutions. \u201cThere\u2019s going to be some players who break out beyond the industry and Supplies Network is doing this with their distribution,\u201d adds Stewart.<\/p>\n<p>He sees this as an opportunity for Supplies Network and others with this approach to compete against the likes of Amazon. \u201cThese players must continue to provide value in other lines of business,\u201d states Stewart. \u201cI still like Print Audit and have them high on my list in terms of disruptive players.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Bissett views this as a make or break year for OKI. \u201cThey\u2019ve come back from the abyss and are investing in the business,\u201d he says. \u201cThey fell further and harder than anybody during the recession, but they seem to be doing much stronger now and have to accelerate that momentum this year.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ramos places Samsung high on the list of companies to watch as well. \u201cThey\u2019re doubling down on the BTA channel. They will not be going direct and they will derive 80 percent from the BTA channel and 20 percent through the IT channel. That\u2019s good for the channel. They\u2019re ultra aggressive with their programs (portfolio beyond their own product lineup) and pricing structure.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Another company to keep an eye on is LMI. \u201cIf you look at LMI as a company, what they have done with their portfolio and their services offering for the channel is unique,\u201d says Ramos. \u201cYou have a cartridge remanufacturer that offers e-learning to enable the dealer to be more effective in MPS, and marketing resources and services. That\u2019s one of the reasons they\u2019ve doubled in size over the last three years. Their rapid growth will continue because of that. In the long run they have some manufacturer direct relationships through Samsung, Konica Minolta, and Toshiba, so they\u2019re uniquely positioned as an aftermarket provider of toner cartridges.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Finally, he references MWAi, particularly what they\u2019re doing with FORZA, as another player with potential to become a game changer in the coming year, by suggesting that FORZA may start taking market share away from ECi.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As another year begins it\u2019s time to examine the trends that will impact the document imaging industry in 2015 and beyond, along with the trend setters who will be setting the pace in the coming year. To help identify those trends and trendsetters we contacted six industry analysts, all of whom have strong opinions on what\u2019s happening and where things are going. Those analysts include Brian Bissett of The MFP Report, Andy Slawetsky of Industry Analysts, Keith Kmetz of IDC, David Ramos of InfoTrends, Ken Stewart of Photizo Group, and Charlie Brewer of Actionable Intelligence. Mobility &amp; the Cloud It\u2019s a given that mobility and the cloud are two of the hottest trends today, tomorrow, and the next day. IDC\u2019s Kmetz considers it a necessity for the various players in the industry to embrace these two trends, particularly the cloud. \u201cIt\u2019s the third platform as we call it at IDC and there\u2019s a lot of opportunity there. From a print standpoint all the traditional players need to find their place as far as cloud offerings and for capturing the mobile opportunity.\u201d \u201cFrom an OEM standpoint when you talk about cloud it will be interesting to see what traction cloud offerings from Xerox, Lexmark, and Ricoh will gain within the channel,\u201d adds David Ramos of InfoTrends. \u201cBased on early feedback, the OEMs need to improve their support mechanisms to the channel in order to help drive sales.\u201d But the big question, particularly with the cloud, asks Ramos is, \u201cDoes it lead to better margins, and revenue diversification?\u201d The industry is going to find out, or at least spend some time figuring it out. Managed Services and ECM \u201cWe\u2019re going to be hearing more about IT services,\u201d predicts Brian Bissett of The MFP Report. \u201cThat seems to be the new MPS. We\u2019re also seeing more vendors pushing through the channel document management\/content management software, trying to move upstream from basic scanning.\u201d \u201cIf I have money, and depending on what brand I sell, I\u2019m looking at Managed Services and ECM,\u201d adds Andy Slawetsky of Industry Analysts. But what\u2019s money got to do with it? \u201cThose are hard areas to get into on my own,\u201d responds Slawetsky. \u201cIt can cost a million or more dollars for a dealer to get into Managed Services or ECM.\u201d For dealers who don\u2019t have the money to do it themselves, he recommends partnering. \u00a0\u00a0With either approach, the key to success is doing it right. \u201cPeople are going to be upset if you sell a networked services and support contract and you can\u2019t support it,\u201d says Slawetsky. \u201cAnd people are going to be upset if you sell them ECM and you tell them you\u2019re going to support the content and it doesn\u2019t work.\u201d Slawetsky identifies Konica Minolta and Ricoh, both of whom are big in Managed Services, as trendsetters in this space. Thanks to some hefty acquisitions, Konica Minolta with All Covered and Ricoh with MindShift, both are well positioned to continue to build out their Managed Services offerings. \u201cYou might argue Ricoh is in an even better position with MindShift because MindShift is considered the cream of the crop,\u201d opines Slawetsky. \u201cThat was a good acquisition and you wonder if other [OEMs] will follow suit.\u201d Ken Stewart of Photizo has high praise for Konica Minolta as a Managed Services provider and a potential partner for dealers looking to build a Managed Services business. \u201cThey continue to make great strides and have a super aggressive acquisition strategy. Over the next four or five years they\u2019re going to be a challenger for the top five in terms of Managed Services overall.\u201d Looking at ECM and content management, Slawetsky is impressed by Lexmark. \u201cCertainly, everybody is pushing ECM and that\u2019s all we heard about from Lexmark [at their October 2014 press and analyst briefing].\u201d Meanwhile, Konica Minolta is taking a similar approach with ECM as it has with Managed Services by acquiring regional ECM companies and providing dealers with a turnkey ECM solution. \u201cThe dealer doesn\u2019t need to invest or it\u2019s a minimal investment to get in, and all of a sudden they\u2019ve got a revenue stream and it\u2019s supported by the mother ship,\u201d opines Slawetsky. \u201cIt\u2019s a great concept.\u201d Time to Transform With mobility, the cloud, Managed Services, and ECM, this is a time of transformation for the entire document imaging industry. Expect that transformation to continue above and beyond those solutions and services segments. \u201cDealers considering alternate revenue streams should look at Toshiba\u2019s digital signage,\u201d states Ramos. \u201cThe big OEMs are looking to transform their business from print towards something new, i.e., 3D printing or digital signage,\u201d adds Kmetz. \u201cWe\u2019re hearing more about kiosks, the transition from services to solutions\u2014services to print documents to IT to workflow, from a solutions standpoint it\u2019s scanning, security, capture, document content management, collaborating, and more about growing with \u2018our customer,\u2019 and targeting verticals.\u201d Enhancements in Print Management Another trend worth watching is what\u2019s happening in print management, specifically a greater focus on user analytics. \u201cNext year we think it\u2019s going to accelerate even faster with more assessments packed onto that and more ERP integrations,\u201d says Stewart. He reports that some software providers are working on software tools that will help end users manage their own MPS accounts so they don\u2019t have to rely on vendors. \u201cThere\u2019s some mistrust and the toolsets vendors are bringing in aren\u2019t always in the best interest of end users,\u201d notes Stewart. \u201cLook for somebody to introduce a software toolset that helps end users manage their vendors.\u201d Decline of A3 It may be premature to sign off on A3, but some analysts feel the end is near. \u00a0\u201cYou wonder how long it\u2019s going to last,\u201d observes Slawetsky about the document imaging industry\u2019s love affair with A3. \u201cThe writing is on the wall.\u201d He views A4 as the future. \u201c[Copier company] executives are starting to realize that A4 is going to happen and will push A3 almost to the point of extinction. If I were a dealer I\u2019d be looking [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1649,82],"tags":[95,1955,105,429,1797,1847,1780,1758,203,1199,208,431,1198,523,224,225,228,503,1671,1665,1079,961,278,295,322,382,340,498,362],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10714"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10714"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10714\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10858,"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10714\/revisions\/10858"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10714"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10714"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10714"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}